George Clooney and Abraham Lincoln are half-first cousins, five times removed, according the website
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Hollywood superstar George Clooney is a distant relative to America's 16th president Abraham Lincoln.
The surprising connection came up during a research by Ancestry.com. The website was tracing the family tree of the former president in celebration of Steven Spielberg's upcoming film Lincoln, which details Honest Abe's attempts to abolish slavery and steer the country through a civil war.
Clooney and Lincoln are half-first cousins, five times removed, according the website.
"We noticed there were similarities between the names and places of Abraham Lincoln's tree and George Clooney's tree. They both have deep roots in Kentucky, so once we honed in on that we were able to find a connection between the two," Michelle Ercanbrack of Ancestry.com said.
The men are connected through Lucy Hanks, who was Lincoln's maternal grandmother. "Maybe they're not two men you'd originally put together, but we've found some interesting similarities. They're both human rights advocates... Both are excellent writers... And obviously both have the talent of being able to grow a really great beard," Ercanbrack said.
The actor-activist, whose aunt Rosemary Clooney was a singer, is a supporter of President Barack Obama. He is also actively involved in finding a resolution for the Darfur conflict. He even made a documentary 'Sand and Sorrow' to highlight the problem.
Clooney has been part of political films like 'Syriana', The Men Who Stare at Goats, Good Night And Good Luck and Ides of March.
The surprising connection came up during a research byAncestry.com. The website was tracing the family tree of theformer president in celebration of Steven Spielberg's upcomingfilm Lincoln, which details Honest Abe's attempts to abolishslavery and steer the country through a civil war.
Clooney and Lincoln are half-first cousins, five timesremoved, according the website.
"We noticed there were similarities between the names andplaces of Abraham Lincoln's tree and George Clooney's tree.They both have deep roots in Kentucky, so once we honed in onthat we were able to find a connection between the two,"Michelle Ercanbrack of Ancestry.com said.
The men are connected through Lucy Hanks, who wasLincoln's maternal grandmother."Maybe they're not two men you'd originally put together,but we've found some interesting similarities. They're bothhuman rights advocates... Both are excellent writers... Andobviously both have the talent of being able to grow a reallygreat beard," Ercanbrack said.
The actor-activist, whose aunt Rosemary Clooney was asinger, is a supporter of President Barack Obama.He is also actively involved in finding a resolution forthe Darfur conflict. He even made a documentary 'Sand andSorrow' to highlight the problem.
Clooney has been part of political films like 'Syriana',The Men Who Stare at Goats, Good Night And Good Luck andIdes of March.
