A genealogical investigation by MyHeritage has identified ancestral connections between modern actresses Sydney Sweeney and Dakota Johnson and the legendary Marilyn Monroe. The study traces these familial ties back to a 17th-century English settler in Massachusetts.
The 17th-century legacy of Ezra Perry
The common thread linking these three women is Ezra Perry, an early English settler who lived in Sandwich, Massachusetts, between approximately 1625 and 1689. According to the report, this ancestral root establishes a biological bridge spanning several centuries and continents, connecting the colonial era to the modern Hollywood spotlight.
Roi Mandel, the director of research at MyHeritage, stated that the team was motivated to search for a tangible bond due to the alignment of the actresses' public images and professional trajectories. Mandel suggested that such findings illustrate how the global human population is interconnected through an expansive, shared family tree.
Sydney Sweeney's ninth-cousin link and the 2026 Santa Barbara gown
The research concludes that Sydney Sweeney is a ninth cousin once removed of Marilyn Monroe. This biological discovery adds a new layer to the visual parallels often noted by critics, as well as Sweeney's own stylistic nods to the icon. For example, the report notes that Sydney Sweeney wore a white dress during the late 2025 premiere of The Housemaid that mirrored Monroe's famous look in The Seven Year Itch.
Furthermore, Sydney Sweeney's appearance at the 2026 Santa Barbara Film Festival in a vintage Ceil Chapman gown was seen as a direct reference to Monroe's 1952 LIFE magazine cover. As MyHeritage reported, these sartorial choices, once viewed as mere homage, are now framed as echoes of a genuine genetic connection.
Dakota Johnson's role in Flesh Impact and her gentic tie
The genealogical study also found that Dakota Johnson is related to Marilyn Monroe as her ninth cousin, three times removed. This discovery is particularly timely given that Dakota Johnson recently portrayed a version of Monroe in the short film Flesh Impact, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and featuring Ellen Burstyn .
Naama Lanski, a researcher at MyHeritage, explained that the team investigated this link amid renewed interest in Monroe's life. Lanski remarked that this biological connection transforms the casting of Flesh Impact into a real-life family narrative, providing a level of authenticity that transcends traditional acting skill.
Beyond the performances of Ana de Armas and Michelle Williams
The discovery of these bloodlines distinguishes Sydney Sweeney and Dakota Johnson from other acclaimed portrayals of the icon. While actresses like Ana de Armas in Blonde and Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn received Academy Award nominations for their roles, their performances were based on research and interpretation rather than genetic heritage.
This trend reflects a broader shift in how the public interacts with history through digital archives and DNA testing. By bridging the gap between the 1600s and the present, the MyHeritage study suggests that the magnetism associated with Marilyn Monroe may be an ancestral trait manifesting in new generations of performers.
What specific archives confirmed the MyHeritage findings?
While the report emphasizes the "comprehensive study" and "extensive archival research" conducted by MyHeritage, it remains unclear whether the actresses themselves provided DNA samples or if the findings were derived solely from paper records. Additionally, the source does not specify which particular genealogical archives were accessed to verify the lineage of Ezra Perry across the intervening 300 years.
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