Celebrities often have surprising family connections that go unnoticed, from Barack Obama and Brad Pitt being distant cousins to Saweetie and Gabrielle Union being related through family ties. Monica and Ludacris are also cousins through marriage, while Snoop Dogg is the first cousin of Brandy and Ray J. Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz are second cousins once removed, showcasing that talent and star power truly run in the family for these famous figures.
Even more connections exist beneath the surface: Beyoncé is the cousin of actor/director Terrence Howard, and Alfre Woodard is the godmother of Oscar winner Viola Davis’s daughter. Jake Gyllenhaal and Maggie Gyllenhaal are well-known siblings, but not everyone knows that Dakota Johnson comes from a long line of stars, being the daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson, and the granddaughter of Tippi Hedren. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage is part of the legendary Coppola family — making him the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola and cousin to Sofia Coppola and Jason Schwartzman. Rashida Jones, best known for her roles in Parks and Recreation and The Office, is the daughter of music legend Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton. And let’s not forget that Tom Hanks is related to Abraham Lincoln — they’re third cousins, four times removed