#actor

'Elvis' Star Austin Butler Descended from Finnish Immigrants

Hollywood Ancestry

Jul 7, 2022
3 min

'Elvis' Star Austin Butler Descended from Finnish Immigrants

Austin Butler is descended from Finns on his mother's side, and through his mother, has a deeper connection to Elvis. Austin Butler has been acting since a young age, starring in hit Nickelodeon and Disney Channel shows, including Hannah Montana, and in two CW series: The Carrie Diaries and Arrow. He also had a role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The world knows Butler now for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann's biopic Elvis. In order to po

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'Top Gun: Maverick' Actor Glen Powell is Descended from the Warriors of Genghis Khan

Hollywood Ancestry

May 22, 2022
5 min

'Top Gun: Maverick' Actor Glen Powell is Descended from the Warriors of Genghis Khan

Glen Powell, who plays air warrior 'Hangman' in the new Top Gun: Maverick, is descended from the ancient Tatar warriors of Genghis Khan. Actor Glen Powell's ancient ancestors fought on the backs of the fastest horses with Genghis Khan's army, and today Glen is fighting from the cockpit of some of the fastest jets in Top Gun: Maverick. DESCENDED FROM LIPKA TATARS On his father's side, Glen Powell is descended from Lipka Tatars who immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. The

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William Moseley Descended from Scottish Royalty

Hollywood Ancestry

Apr 4, 2021
4 min

William Moseley Descended from Scottish Royalty

William Moseley played King Peter in 'The Chronicles of Narnia' films, and it turns out that Moseley himself is the descendant of kings. William Moseley is no stranger to royalty — he's played two prominent roles as a noble figure: as King Peter in 'The Chronicles of Narnia,' and as Prince Liam in the E! series 'The Royals.' It's not hard to see why he was cast in those roles, as he has that noble-looking aura about his countenance. The Lion Rampant As William Moseley is a de

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William Moseley's Ancestor Among Royal Institute of British Architects

Hollywood Ancestry

Mar 21, 2021
4 min

William Moseley's Ancestor Among Royal Institute of British Architects

'Narnia' actor William Moseley is descended from an architect who designed churches, markets, and taught architecture at Kings College London. I'm back with this fourth installment on the ancestry of William Moseley, best known for his roles in The Chronicles of Narnia films and the E! series The Royals. Thanks to William sharing some information with me, I've found a wealth of info on his family tree and have so much to share about what I found. Huge thanks to William! Let's

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William Moseley Descended from Welsh Schooner Captains

Hollywood Ancestry

Mar 10, 2021
3 min

William Moseley Descended from Welsh Schooner Captains

William Moseley, star of The Chronicles of Narnia films and The Royals TV series, comes from a line of distinguished sea captains. You probably know actor William Moseley best from The Chronicles of Narnia movies and the E! series The Royals. This is the third installment I'm doing on his ancestry, which, thanks to help from William, I've been able to find many fascinating branches of his family tree. William Moseley's Descent from Welsh Master Mariners As you can see from th

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William Moseley's Relative Discovered the Atomic Number

Hollywood Ancestry

Feb 14, 2021
5 min

William Moseley's Relative Discovered the Atomic Number

'Narnia' actor William Moseley is related to the eminent scientist who discovered the atomic number, revolutionizing the Periodic Table of Elements. You know William Moseley best from his roles as Peter in The Chronicles of Narnia films and as Prince Liam in the E! series The Royals. William was kind enough to share some family information with me and mentioned he was related to Henry Moseley, who was involved with the formation of The Periodic Table of Elements. Armed with t

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William Moseley's Ancestor Inspired Chinese Translation of the Bible

Hollywood Ancestry

Feb 13, 2021
4 min

William Moseley's Ancestor Inspired Chinese Translation of the Bible

'Narnia' actor William Moseley's 3rd great grandfather sparked interest in translating the Bible into Chinese and sending Protestant missions to China. You probably recognize William Moseley best for his roles as Peter Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia films, and as Prince Liam in the E! series The Royals. William also has acting credits in at least 29 roles, including the upcoming film Medieval (which my medieval history geek heart is excited for). William Moseley was kin

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Sarah Jessica Parker Descended from Accused Witch

Hollywood Ancestry

Oct 25, 2020
6 min

Sarah Jessica Parker Descended from Accused Witch

'Hocus Pocus' star Sarah Jessica Parker played a Salem witch—turns out she's descended from one of the real-life accused witches. | By Mike Batie Disney's Hocus Pocus has become a favorite Halloween classic. For many, the holiday just isn't complete without an annual viewing of the Sanderson sisters wreaking havoc on Salem, Massachusetts with their witchy ways. Sarah Jessica Parker played one of these fictional witches—also named Sarah. In reality, Parker is descended from a

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Chadwick Boseman Helped Many Make a Stronger Connection to their African Heritage

Hollywood Ancestry

Aug 30, 2020
3 min

Chadwick Boseman Helped Many Make a Stronger Connection to their African Heritage

The late actor and producer Chadwick Boseman helped many find a stronger sense of identity in their African roots. Chadwick Boseman's passing came as a surprise for many across the world a few days ago, as he kept his health condition private. It's evident he was adored by many, as shown by the reaction to the tweet that announced his passing from colon cancer, which hit the top of Twitter's metrics as it went viral with over six million likes at the time of this writing. Bos

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Cameron Boyce's Grandmother was Among First Students to Desegregate High School in the South

Hollywood Ancestry

Jun 14, 2020
5 min

Cameron Boyce's Grandmother was Among First Students to Desegregate High School in the South

The late Disney star Cameron Boyce's grandmother was part of the first group of black students who desegregated high school in Tennessee. | BY MIKE BATIE Many know Cameron Boyce from Disney's Descendants movie series, where he played the role of Carlos, the son of Cruella de Vil. The modern twist on the children of Disney's classic characters remains a popular sensation for its adventure, comedy, music, and energetic choreography. Sadly, Cameron, who had been diagnosed with e

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Hollywood Ancestry

May 4, 2020
6 min

Matthew Noszka's Polish Heritage

Matthew Noszka has an impressive Polish heritage of immigrant ancestors chasing and achieving the American dream. Follow their journey from Poland in the 1800s to the present. By Mike Batie Matthew Noszka is an American actor and model. Noszka recently starred in Netflix's holiday ensemble flick Let It Snow, playing the role of JP Lapierre opposite Kiernan Shipka (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Mitchell Hope (Disney's Descendants). I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline with

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'Flash' Star Grant Gustin Descended from Ancient Channel Islands Line

Hollywood Ancestry

Mar 8, 2020
2 min

'Flash' Star Grant Gustin Descended from Ancient Channel Islands Line

The star of the CW's 'Flash' series descends from a Jersey Island patriarchal family line. Grant Gustin stars as The Flash in the CW series, which has received great reviews by critics and viewers alike, running now for seven seasons. Grant's patriarchal Gustin line traces back over 450 years to the Channel Islands, specifically Jersey, a small island in the English Channel, just 19 miles off of the coast of France. I was able to follow Grant Gustin's family line back thirtee

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Logan Lerman's Ancestors Fled Nazi-Controlled Europe

Hollywood Ancestry

Oct 15, 2019
9 min

Logan Lerman's Ancestors Fled Nazi-Controlled Europe

Actor Logan Lerman likely wouldn't be here today if his Jewish ancestors hadn't fled Nazi-controlled Europe when they did. | BY MIKE BATIE Many will recognize actor Logan Lerman from the epic war drama Fury, in which Lerman stars alongside Brad Pitt. Logan has a distinguished list of acting credits including (but not limited to): The Perks of Being a Wallflower Percy Jackson & the Olympians The Three Musketeers (2011) Stuck in Love 3:10 to Yuma, Noah The Patriot The Butterfly

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Ansel Elgort's Grandmother Saved Norway's Jewish Children from the Nazis

Hollywood Ancestry

Sep 28, 2019
5 min

Ansel Elgort's Grandmother Saved Norway's Jewish Children from the Nazis

Ansel Elgort's grandmother was an amazing hero who saved many of Norway's Jewish children from being murdered by the Nazis. | BY MIKE BATIE Ansel Elgort has already had great success as a young actor, starring in franchise films such as Divergent and blockbusters such as Baby Driver and the movie that put him on the radar of most people: The Fault in Our Stars. At the time of this writing, Ansel's newest movie The Goldfinch recently hit theaters, and he will star in Steven Sp

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Braeden Lemasters Descended from Civil War Officer, POW

Hollywood Ancestry

Sep 6, 2019
7 min

Braeden Lemasters Descended from Civil War Officer, POW

Musician and actor Braeden Lemasters is descended from a Civil War officer with a colorful past. Braeden Lemasters is a singer-guitarist in the hit band Wallows, which has been playing to sold out crowds on tour in North America and Europe for their album Nothing Happens. Braeden and friends Dylan Minnette and Cole Preston formed the band in their youth. Braeden is also an actor, having had roles in shows such as Six Feet Under (his first acting role), Men of a Certain Age (w

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A Kitty Cat Saved the Life of Dylan Minnette's Ancestor

Hollywood Ancestry

Aug 28, 2019
4 min

A Kitty Cat Saved the Life of Dylan Minnette's Ancestor

The 13 Reasons Why star and Wallows band frontman is here today in his present form, in part because a cat saved his ancestor's life. | BY MIKE BATIE As Dylan Minnette's successful Netflix show 13 Reasons Why launches its third season this week, it's likely you know him as Clay Jensen in that show, the broody teen thrust into some dramatic and traumatic situations. Dylan is also a frontman in the band Wallows, which he formed together with friends Braeden Lemasters and Cole P

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Mark-Paul Gosselaar's Great Grandparents Were Murdered at the Sobibór Nazi Death Camp

Hollywood Ancestry

Aug 23, 2019
7 min

Mark-Paul Gosselaar's Great Grandparents Were Murdered at the Sobibór Nazi Death Camp

Mark-Paul Gosselaar⁠—the actor who played Zack Morris in Saved by the Bell⁠—has a family tree with a sad past tied to the Holocaust.

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Josh Hutcherson Descends from Revolutionary War Soldiers

Hollywood Ancestry

Jul 2, 2019
8 min

Josh Hutcherson Descends from Revolutionary War Soldiers

Josh Hutcherson starred as the revolutionary fighter 'Peeta' in The Hunger Games, and in fact the real-life actor is descended from countless American Revolutionary War soldiers. You most likely know Josh Hutcherson as 'Peeta' from The Hunger Games movie series, the fighting ally and love interest of Katniss Everdeen. Josh has been in the movie biz for quite some time, starring in roles such as Red Dawn (2012), Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008), Zathura, Bridge to Ter

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Spider-Man's Tom Holland Descended from 'the Greatest Knight Who Ever Lived'

Hollywood Ancestry

Jun 6, 2019
5 min

Spider-Man's Tom Holland Descended from 'the Greatest Knight Who Ever Lived'

Interesting parallels can be drawn between Tom Holland's ancient ancestor and the character of Spider-Man, who Tom portrays in the Marvel movies. | By Mike Batie Tom Holland is the latest actor to wear the Spider-Man suit. His charming looks, dance, choreography, and gymnastics training all seem to have predestined him for the role. Tom Holland's Descent from the Greatest Knight Who Ever Lived Eight hundred years ago, in the year 1219, Tom Holland's 25th great-grandfather was

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Chris Evans Descended From Long Line of American Soldiers, Immigrants

Hollywood Ancestry

Apr 3, 2019
8 min

Chris Evans Descended From Long Line of American Soldiers, Immigrants

Take a look at the fascinating family tree of actor Chris Evans and discover how his ancestry embodies the spirit of Captain America. | By Mike Batie You probably know actor Chris Evans best as Captain America in the Marvel movies based on the comic book character. In real life, Chris Evans is actually descended from a long line of patriots who fought as soldiers in the United States military from the very founding of the country—from the Revolutionary War to the War of 1812,

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