Sydney Sweeney found herself facing renewed backlash after a new genealogy study revealed a surprising link to one of Hollywood’s biggest icons.
The Euphoria star was found to be distantly related to Marilyn Monroe, adding an unexpected twist to years of comparisons between the two blonde actresses.
The discovery came as Sweeney faced criticism over her controversial Novig sports ad.
Highlights
- A new genealogy study found Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are related.
- The discovery drew mixed reactions as Sweeney had already been compared with Monroe through several fashion and beauty moments.
- The revelation came amid renewed criticism of Sweeney’s controversial Novig sports campaign.
While the family connection amused some people, others accused Hollywood of pushing Sweeney as the next Monroe.
One critic wrote, “They’re really trying desperately to keep her relevant.”
Sydney Sweeney is surprisingly related to late Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe
According to new research by genealogy platform MyHeritage, Sweeney and Monroe were ninth cousins, once removed.
Their family trees connected through their fathers.
Sweeney’s father, Steven Sweeney, and Monroe’s biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford, were both descendants of Ezra Perry, an early settler in Sandwich, Massachusetts, who lived in the 1600s.
The connection was extremely distant, with Perry living centuries ago.
Still, the discovery caught attention because Sweeney had already been compared to Monroe several times over the years.
MyHeritage research director Roi Mandel said the company was inspired to look into the connection because of those comparisons.
“People have always drawn parallels between Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe, but seeing their paths align on a deeper level inspired us to look for a real bond in the MyHeritage archives,” Mandel said.
He added that finding the shared branch was “incredible” and showed “how remarkably interconnected” people could be.
Instead of celebrating the discovery, internet users immediately slammed Sweeney
One person joked, “By that logic, I’m related to Pablo Escobar.”
Another pointed out how distant the relationship was, writing, “9th cousins share basically 0% DNA. A random person on the street could be your 9th cousin, and you’d have no idea.”
“They’re trying to push Sweeney as the next Marilyn Monroe SO BAD,” one critic claimed, before attacking the way Sweeney had presented herself publicly.
Another person wrote, “Y'all forcing this woman into headlines atp. She ain't related. A 9th cousin is half of the US white population lmao.”
Some people also embraced the connection. One commenter reacted, “I was wondering where all that beauty was coming from?”
The new family revelation came after Sweeney had already made several obvious references to Monroe
In February 2026, Sweeney wore a vintage Ceil Chapman dress at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
The figure-hugging dress featured three-quarter sleeves, off-the-shoulder styling, and ruching around the waist and arms.
Monroe had worn a similar Ceil Chapman design on the cover of Life magazine on April 7, 1952. Both looks also featured a decorative brooch.
Her custom Galia Lahav dress closely resembled the iconic white halter dress Monroe wore in The Seven Year Itch.
A month earlier, Sweeney had also worn a custom Miu Miu look with a short, softly waved bob at the Governors Awards. The hairstyle recalled Monroe’s famous “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” era.
Moreover, Sweeney’s boyfriend, Scooter Braun, has consistently spoken about her resemblance to Monroe.
The source also claimed that he was highly focused on their relationship and was becoming increasingly involved in her career.
The comparison added another layer to the backlash because some online users questioned whether the new genealogy story was simply another attempt to connect Sweeney with Monroe.
One commenter wrote, “This has Scooter PR written all over it!” and questioned how many outlets had quoted Braun describing Sweeney as “the modern-day Marilyn Monroe.”
The new discussion also arrived shortly after Sweeney faced another round of criticism over her raunchy Novig campaign
As reported by Bored Panda, Sweeney appeared in the sports prediction company’s first national campaign, “Novig is Just Sports,” which was released in September.
In the one-minute advertisement, she posed with footballs, basketballs, and a tennis racket while using the sports equipment to cover her body. She also wore white Novig underwear.
Sweeney appeared to embrace the provocative idea rather than apologize for it. In the ad, she joked, “They wanted a show.”
She also explained that Novig focused on sports and did not offer betting on “wars or deaths” or politics. Sweeney was also a strategic partner and equity holder in the company.
The campaign drew criticism from several female athletes.
British sprinter Amy Hunt argued that the ad failed to represent what women in sports actually looked like, while gymnast Gracie Kramer shared images of herself training alongside the message, “I don’t know what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sports looks like.”
Four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus was also critical.
“Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is,” Titmus wrote. She then questioned why sexualising women’s sports was still being used to sell products.
Rather than backing away from the controversy, Sweeney later posted more pictures from the campaign, including images of athletes who had previously posed n*de for ESPN’s Body Issue.
"Being overrated runs in the family," wrote one commenter
