Have you ever wondered about the history of your bloodline? Wouldn’t you like to know if you’re a descendant of a historical figure like a King or a Sultan or maybe a famous opera singer? While some would rather not know about their ancestry, others are just curious to know where their family originate from.
With the use of DNA lineage tests these days, it’s possible to find out if you came from a family of a certain ethnicity. Many have tried and even made discoveries about their ancestors. One Hollywood actor and filmmaker recently made a huge discovery that he’s related to the one and only Pocahontas. Let’s find out more:
Through a direct paper trail leading to Pocahontas and John Rolfes’ 1614 marriage certificate, @EdwardNorton learns that his family lore appears to be true. His 12th great-grandmother is Pocohantas!
Tune in TOMORROW night on @PBS at 8/7c for the Finding Your Roots premiere!! pic.twitter.com/54sTTt2YKY
— Henry Louis Gates Jr (@HenryLouisGates) January 2, 2023
American actor Edward Norton recently discovered that the Native American historical figure Pocahontas is his 12th great-grandmother. The 53-year-old was a guest in a recent episode of the docu-series “Finding Your Roots” where host, professor, and historian Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the ancestry of dozens of influential people from diverse backgrounds.
According to the “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” star, his relation to Pocahontas has always been family lore but has never delved deeper into it until very recently. With the assistance of Dr. Henry, it was then confirmed that the actor is a direct descendant of the Native American who was the inspiration behind the 1995 Disney hit “Pocahontas”. The series’s host explained further how Edward is linked to Pocahontas and her husband John Rolfe.
“You have a direct paper trail that connects you to your 12th great-grandmother and great-grandfather,” he told the Hollywood star. Based on his research, Dr. Henry revealed that Pocahontas died in March 1617 which is 3 years after she married John Rolfe who died 5 years later. The couple had a son named Thomas who was born in 1615. “It makes you realise what a small piece of the whole human story you are,” said Edward upon learning of his ancestry.
But the revelation of his ancestry wasn’t all good. Later in the episode, the “Incredible Hulk” star found out that his family had a history of owning a family of slaves. According to the documents found, Edward’s third great-grandfather held 7 human beings in bondage; an adult couple and their 5 children.
The father-of-two expressed discomfort upon learning that information but insisted that it was important for him to know. “It’s a judgement on the history of this country. It needs to be acknowledged first and foremost, and then it needs to be contended with,” he said. Ending the episode on a happy note, Edward Norton discovered that he’s also a distant cousin to actress Julia Roberts who also appeared in the same episode.
