Debra Messing and Melanie Lynskey Discover Surprising Famous Relatives on Finding Your Roots

Debra Messing and Melanie Lynskey Discover Surprising Famous Relatives on Finding Your Roots

Debra Messing and Melanie Lynskey recently uncovered some unexpected connections to famous figures in their family trees.

In the February 25 episode of Finding Your Roots, both actresses were stunned to learn they have distant celebrity cousins, previously revealed on the show with Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Lynskey discovered she’s related to musician Questlove. Gates explained that Questlove shares a long, identical DNA segment on the 15th chromosome with both Lynskey’s father and Questlove’s mother, making them "DNA cousins." Lynskey was thrilled by the revelation. "I am so excited," she said, before asking Gates, "How surprised were you when this outcome came up?" Gates admitted he was "shocked," and Lynskey described the discovery as "so amazing." She added, "He’s such a sweet guy. That’s incredible."

Messing’s surprise came later in the episode when she found out her distant relative is none other than Senator Bernie Sanders. "What! Are you kidding me? Bernie Sanders?" she exclaimed. "No way! Oh my gosh... That is mind-blowing."

The discoveries of Messing and Lynskey are part of a broader trend, with numerous celebrities learning of unexpected relatives. Other famous pairings include Michael Douglas and Scarlett Johansson, Bob Odenkirk and King Charles, and Lena Dunham and Larry David.

In a previous episode of Finding Your Roots, Meryl Streep and Eva Longoria learned they are distant cousins, a connection that Longoria frequently references, causing some confusion. At a table read for Only Murders in the Building, Streep introduced Longoria as her cousin, leading to puzzled reactions. "Because I’m the most Latina person in the industry, and she’s Meryl Streep," Longoria shared, laughing.

Finding Your Roots airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.

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