#familyhistory

Sofia Carson Descends from Colombian and Middle Eastern Ancestors

Hollywood Ancestry

Jul 31, 2022
3 min

Sofia Carson Descends from Colombian and Middle Eastern Ancestors

The 'Purple Hearts' actress and musician is descended from a rich history of immigrants to Colombia and the United States. You probably know Sofia Carson from Disney's Descendants and her fantastic music. Sofia's most recent film, Purple Hearts, just started streaming on Netflix this weekend. Sofia has been all-in on this project — producing, acting, and performing her music in the film — which she spent several years bringing to the screen. First-generation in the USA Sofia

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'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' Actors Tom Cruise and Glen Powell both Trace their Ancestry to King Edward I

Hollywood Ancestry

Jun 2, 2022
2 min

'Top Gun: Maverick' Actors Tom Cruise and Glen Powell both Trace their Ancestry to King Edward I

Tom Cruise and Glen Powell star in 'Top Gun: Maverick' together — see how they are both descended from King Edward I of England. After a phenomenal, record-breaking opening weekend, Tom Cruise and Glen Powell are enjoying the raving reviews and crowds flocking back to the theater to experience Top Gun: Maverick. DESCENDANTS OF ENGLISH ROYALTY The two actors are also both descendants of King Edward I 'Longshanks' of England. While this king has many millions of descendants liv

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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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Josh Hutcherson is Related to George Washington

Hollywood Ancestry

Mar 31, 2022
2 min

Josh Hutcherson is Related to George Washington

'Hunger Games' actor Josh Hutcherson is descended from the same Washington family lineage as the first U.S. President, George Washington. | By Mike Batie We saw Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games films, leading the fight with Katniss Everdeen in a war of revolution to free the districts from the tyranny of a dictator. In an interesting connection, Josh Hutcherson is descended from the same family line as George Washington, a Revolutionary War general who bec

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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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"Hidden Figures" Actress Taraji P. Henson's Ancestor was First to Reach the North Pole

Hollywood Ancestry

Feb 7, 2020
4 min

"Hidden Figures" Actress Taraji P. Henson's Ancestor was First to Reach the North Pole

The "Hidden Figures" actress has a relative in her family tree who made a great contribution to science by being the first to reach the North Pole. Actress and author Taraji P. Henson starred in the historical drama movie Hidden Figures, portraying real-life African-American mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose work contributed to NASA, the space race, and the advancement of science. An interesting tie-in to Taraji's ancestry is that her great-great-grand uncle, Matthew Ale

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Like Leia, Carrie Fisher's Ancestor Was a Prisoner Princess

Hollywood Ancestry

Jan 1, 2020
4 min

Like Leia, Carrie Fisher's Ancestor Was a Prisoner Princess

There are many similarities between Princess Leia, the character portrayed by Carrie Fisher, and Fisher's own ancestor princess. Carrie Fisher said that she was Princess Leia, and Princess Leia was her. Those that knew Fisher described her as possessing many of the same qualities as Princess Leia: smart, strong, courageous, defiant, witty, strong-willed, a leader. It’s no wonder we see the two as inextricably linked and that many the world over look to Princess Leia/Carrie Fi

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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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