NEWSNew Study Says Sydney Sweeney Is Related to Marilyn Monroe: They're Ninth Cousins Once Removed, Records Reveal
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are ninth cousins once removed, per a new MyHeritage study.
Oct. 8 2026, Published 6:24 a.m. ET
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are actually related, per a new study by MyHeritage.
The two Hollywood stars are ninth cousins once removed, with their family trees connecting through Sydney’s father, Steven Sweeney, and Marilyn’s biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford.
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe Share a Surprising Family Connection
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe share a common ancestor named Ezra Perry.
The two actresses share an ancestor named Ezra Perry, who lived in Sandwich, Massachusetts, in the 1600s.
The discovery comes after years of comparisons between Sydney and Marilyn.
From their blonde hair to their old Hollywood-inspired fashion choices, the similarities between the two stars have often caught attention.
Sydney Sweeney has channeled Marilyn Monroe on several red carpets.
“People have always drawn parallels between Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe,” MyHeritage Director of Research Roi Mandel said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.
“But seeing their paths align on a deeper level inspired us to look for a real bond in the MyHeritage archives," he added.
“Uncovering their shared branch was incredible. It’s a powerful reminder that humanity is one vast family tree, and when we dig deep, we uncover how remarkably interconnected we all are," Roi continued.
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Sydney Sweeney Channeled Marilyn Monroe on the Red Carpet
Sydney Sweeney recreated Marilyn Monroe’s famous white dress from 'The Seven Year Itch.'
Sydney has also leaned into Marilyn comparisons with some of her recent red-carpet looks.
In February, the Immaculate actress appeared to channel the silver-screen icon at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.
She wore an ivory Ceil Chapman gown that looked strikingly similar to the dress Marilyn wore for her famous 1952 LIFE magazine cover.
She appeared to pay tribute to the Hollywood icon again at The Housemaid premiere in Los Angeles in December 2025.
The 29-year-old stepped onto the red carpet in a white Galia Lahav gown with a plunging neckline and sweeping full skirt, evoking Marilyn’s famous white dress from The Seven Year Itch.
Sydney Sweeney has yet to address her newly discovered connection to Marilyn Monroe.
While Marilyn and Sydney took very different paths to Hollywood, the Euphoria actress has previously opened up about how much her parents supported her dreams.
“I had no connections. I did not come from money,” she said in a 2022 interview.
“And when you’re 16 and you don’t really like yourself, and you’re trying to figure out what the h--- is going on in your body and your makeup and your hormones, and people are telling you that you’re not good enough—that weight is so heavy,” she continued.
“But I had parents who, no matter what, believed in me," she added.
Sydney has not publicly commented on her newly discovered family connection to Marilyn.
