In brief
Researchers determined that Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are ninth cousins with one generation of separation through 17th-century Sandwich colonist Ezra Perry.
The genealogical link traces through Steven Sweeney and Charles Stanley Gifford, whose paternity of Monroe was confirmed by DNA testing in 2022.
Sweeney paid stylistic homage to Monroe at the Governors Awards in November 2025 and at the premiere of The Housemaid in December 2025.
- December 2025Sweeney wears a Galia Lahav dress evoking Monroe at The Housemaid premiere
- August 2026MyHeritage traces shared ancestry between Marilyn Monroe and Dakota Johnson
- 8 OctMyHeritage research identifies Ezra Perry as common ancestor of Sweeney and Monroe
Genealogical findings in Massachusetts archives
A genealogical investigation by the platform MyHeritage has identified an ancestral connection between actress Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe. The research establishes that the 29-year-old Euphoria star and Monroe, who died in 1962 at age 36, are ninth cousins with one generation of difference. Both actresses descend along their paternal lines from Ezra Perry, an English colonist who lived between 1625 and 1689 and settled in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Sweeney's father, Steven Sweeney, and Monroe's biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford, trace their ancestry directly to Perry. Gifford's paternity was confirmed in 2022 through DNA testing, after Monroe spent her early life registered under the name Norma Jean Mortenson Baker.
Archival motivation and research statements
Public parallels drawn between the two performers prompted the genealogy platform to examine historical records for a biological link. Roi Mandel, director of research at MyHeritage, explained the background of the inquiry in statements shared with Entertainment Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter.
“People have always drawn parallels between Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe, but seeing how their trajectories aligned on a deeper level inspired us to look for a real link in the MyHeritage archives.”
Mandel described the archival results as evidence of broader historical ties across families.
“Discovering this shared family branch was incredible. It is a powerful reminder that humanity is a vast family tree and that when we dig deep enough, we reveal how extraordinarily interconnected we all are.”
Red carpet references and public image
Sweeney incorporated visual nods to Monroe during multiple public appearances prior to the genealogical report. In November 2025, Sweeney attended the Governors Awards wearing a soft-wave bob hairstyle inspired by Monroe's look in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. One month later, at the December 2025 Los Angeles premiere of The Housemaid, she wore a custom Galia Lahav gown evoking the pleated white dress Monroe wore in the 1955 film The Seven Year Itch. Sweeney continued the homage at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, wearing an off-the-shoulder Ceil Chapman dress styled by Molly Dickson that replicated Monroe's outfit from the 7 April 1952 cover of Life magazine. Her partner, 45-year-old music executive Scooter Braun, referred to Sweeney as the modern Marilyn Monroe in media interviews, pointing to public commentary surrounding her appearances and advertising campaigns.
Earlier lineage discoveries
The Sweeney inquiry followed an August 2026 investigation by MyHeritage into Monroe's extended lineage. That previous search linked Monroe to actress Dakota Johnson, identifying them as ninth cousins through Johnson's father, Don Johnson. Their shared ancestry stems from Richard and Charity Tydings, English immigrants who settled in Maryland during the mid-17th century. The Tydings family arrived in North America during early colonial settlement and lived across Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties. The lineage divided into separate branches through their daughters, creating a distant familial connection between the two performers.