Pope Leo XIV’s Hollywood Cousins Revealed: From Madonna to Bieber
Hold onto your latte, because I’ve just discovered that Pope Leo XIV’s family tree reads like the guest list for the biggest Hollywood after-party ever! I can barely contain my espresso-fueled excitement spelling this out: the new pontiff, born Robert Francis Prevost, is ninth cousins (various times removed) with mega-stars like Madonna, Justin Bieber and Angelina Jolie, thanks to a shared maternal ancestor from the 1590s. Seriously, if you thought your family reunions were wild, wait until you try to top this.
Genealogy guru Henry Louis Gates Jr.—you know, the man behind Finding Your Roots—uncovered this A-list connection, and he didn’t stop there. Our American-born Holy Father also claims ninth-cousin status with political heavyweights Hillary Clinton and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (and yes, that includes Justin’s dad, former PM Pierre Trudeau), plus the Beat Generation’s own Jack Kerouac. It’s like someone mixed Hollywood, world politics and literary legend into a single bloodline smoothie.
But let’s not forget how truly global this clan is. Pope Leo XIV’s ancestors hailed from France, Italy, Spain, Cuba, Canada, Haiti and even Guadeloupe. If international immigration had a mascot, it’d be this guy’s pedigree! No wonder his very first homily as pontiff on May 8 leaned hard into the “church that builds bridges” vibe: “We can be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, that is always open to receive everyone,” he told tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square, referencing Pope Francis’s final Easter blessing and adding, “God loves everyone; evil will not prevail.”
And that papal name choice? Cue the history books. By selecting Leo XIV, he nodded to Leo XIII, known as the “Social Pope” and “Pope of the Workers” who bridged modernity and tradition. Peruvian Deacon Cledier Pérez Mejía told NBC News that this is a clear signal of the new pope’s path: thoughtful mediation in turbulent times. It’s practically a résumé in one papal title.
Family insiders have plenty to say too. John Prevost, the pontiff’s brother, shared with The New York Times that Leo XIV will follow Francis’s footsteps without becoming a wallflower. “They were very good friends,” John said, adding that his brother won’t just “sit back”—though exactly how far he’ll steer the Church remains to be seen.
And if you thought that was the last curveball, think again. On Finding Your Roots, Henry Louis Gates Jr. also revealed that Lena Dunham and Larry David share an ancestor on her mother’s side. Meanwhile, genealogist Dr. Adina Newman brought us Stassi Schroeder’s shock: turns out she and Gypsy Rose Blanchard trace family lines all the way back to the 1600s. Talk about California to courtroom drama meets papal intrigue!
Whew! I need another double shot after that genealogy whirlwind. I swear, I could gab about this all day, but my caffeine buzz just ran out of pages to scribble on.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Finding Your Roots (PBS), NBC News, The New York Times
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
