Barack Obama has a surprising family connection to a major Hollywood star, highlighting how unexpectedly small the world can be. Celebrity family trees often reveal bizarre links, and Obama’s lineage is no exception.
Over the years, genealogy has uncovered strange ties between famous individuals. For instance, Madonna shares ancestry with Pope Leo XIV, and actor Kevin Bacon is related to his wife, Kyra Sedgwick.
Obama’s unusual family link came to light in 2008, just before his presidential run. While appearing on The View, he was asked about his connection to a well-known actor.
The celebrity in question turned out to be Fight Club star Brad Pitt. Obama confirmed their relation, saying they were “ninth cousins, something removed,” and joked that Pitt ended up better looking.
Their shared ancestor is Edwin Hickman, who died in Virginia in 1769. This link was verified by Christopher Child, a genealogist from the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), who noted that such connections are common in regions like the American South.
Interestingly, Obama isn’t the only political figure with famous Hollywood ties. Hillary Clinton and Angelina Jolie—Pitt’s ex-wife—are also ninth cousins, linked through Jean Cusson, who died in Quebec in 1718.
Clinton, who has French-Canadian roots, is also distantly related to Madonna, Celine Dion, and Alanis Morissette. As Child pointed out, these family ties show how many unexpected people can share common ancestry.
