Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe share more than just a striking resemblance. A new genealogical study revealed a surprising family connection between the two Hollywood stars.
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are cousins
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are ninth cousins, once removed, according to a new study by MyHeritage, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The two actresses share a mutual ancestor, Ezra Perry (c. 1625-1689), an early English settler in Sandwich, Massachusetts. The genealogy platform uncovered the connection through its archival research.
Comparisons between the two stars have surfaced repeatedly in recent years. Sweeney wore a white dress at The Housemaid premiere in December 2025 that recalled Monroe’s iconic look in The Seven Year Itch. She also wore a vintage Ceil Chapman gown at the 2026 Santa Barbara Film Festival that resembled Monroe’s April 1952 LIFE magazine cover outfit.
“People have always drawn parallels between Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe, but seeing their paths align on a deeper level inspired us to look for a real bond in the MyHeritage archives,” said Roi Mandel, director of research at MyHeritage. “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,” Mandel added.
Sweeney has never portrayed Monroe onscreen, though several actresses have taken on the role. Ana de Armas starred in Blonde, and Michelle Williams appeared in My Week with Marilyn. Both earned Oscar nominations for their performances.
MyHeritage also revealed a separate family connection involving Dakota Johnson. Johnson recently portrayed a version of Monroe in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s short film Flesh Impact alongside Ellen Burstyn. The research found Johnson is Monroe’s ninth cousin, three times removed.
“With a new film bringing Marilyn Monroe back into the spotlight, our research team wanted to see whether there was a deeper family connection,” said Naama Lanski, researcher at MyHeritage. “Discovering that Dakota Johnson and Marilyn Monroe are related turns the casting into a real-life family story,” Lanski added.
