“Are you kidding?”: Michael Douglas reacts after discovering he is ‘DNA cousin’ of Scarlett Johansson on Finding Your Roots

During the April 2 episode of Finding Your Roots season 10, Michael Douglas was surprised to find out that he shares DNA with Scarlett Johansson, as revealed by the PBS show. Upon learning this, Douglas exclaimed in shock.

“Are you kidding? Oh, that’s amazing. All right. This is cool. This is so cool.”

Despite being a celebrity in his own right, Michael Douglas is no stranger to having famous relatives. His parents are renowned actors Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas, and he is also married to Academy Award winner, Catherine Zeta-Jones. In addition, his brother Joel is a well-known director, while his half-brother Eric is a successful stand-up comedian.

The American actor and film producer, who is 79 years old, has achieved numerous accomplishments, including winning five Golden Globes, receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award, earning two Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the AFI Life Achievement Award.

The Surprising DNA Connection Between Michael Douglas and Scarlett Johansson

During the show, Finding Your Roots host Henry Louis Gates Jr. referred to his ‘Book of Life’ and noted that Michael Douglas and the Black Widow actress have identical DNA branches on four separate chromosomes.

The ‘Book of Life’ is a compilation of research conducted by top genealogists, aimed at determining the genetic makeup of the show’s guests and comparing it to the DNA of other notable figures.

"Asteroid City" New York Premiere (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images) — “Asteroid City” New York Premiere (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

According to Gates, the two actors’ shared DNA branches on Scarlett’s “maternal lines”trace back to Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. It is believed that Michael Douglas’ paternal grandparents were Russian Jews who immigrated to the United States.

After the disclosure, Douglas made a comment:

“That’s incredible. I look forward to seeing Scarlett next time!”

Despite his successful career, Oscar winner Michael Douglas shared his thoughts on the challenges that children of famous parents often encounter in the industry. He discussed how, even after the initial excitement faded, he had cautioned his own kids against pursuing a career in Hollywood due to the obstacles faced by those with famous parents.

Additionally, during the episode, it was revealed that Lena Dunham, an American writer and director, is actually a distant relative of Larry David, the co-creator of Seinfeld. This unexpected connection was brought to light by Gates at the end of the episode.

“My husband’s gonna freak out! It’s Larry David, the other LD! This is the hottest information I could have ever gotten.”

Has there been a movie featuring both Michael Douglas and Scarlett Johansson?

Despite not having worked together in any film prior, Michael Douglas and Scarlett Johansson both appeared in the final installment of the MCU’s Thanos saga, Avengers: Endgame. In the film, Douglas portrayed Hank Pym and Johansson played Natasha Romanoff, also known as the Black Widow.

Hank Pym, a physicist and entomologist, was responsible for the discovery of the ‘Pym Particles’ and the creation of the Ant-Man suit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Following his departure from S.H.I.E.L.D., Pym enlisted the help of Scott Lang to wear the suit and take down the villainous Darren Cross, also known as Yellowjacket.

In the Marvel Saga, Scarlett Johansson portrayed Natasha Romanoff, who was trained in the Red Room and served as a Russian spy before becoming a founding member of the Avengers. After being a part of the team from the beginning, she made the ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame by obtaining the Soul Stone.

Uncovering Your Ancestry: Exploring genealogical revelations since 2012

Since its start in 2012, the television show Finding Your Roots has been uncovering unexpected genealogical revelations.

During an interview, Henry Louis Gates Jr., host of the series, shared that his desire to uncover his genetic ancestry was the driving force behind his interest in family trees. This passion ultimately led him to create the series. The host commented:

“I went into orbit when I found out that DNA could be used to trace your ancestry back 500 years. When you spit in that test tube, you never know what’s going to pop out.”

Henry Louis Gates Jr. at the 2019 Summer TCA Press Tour - Day 7 (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images) — Henry Louis Gates Jr. at the 2019 Summer TCA Press Tour – Day 7 (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Over the course of twelve years, several iconic connections have been revealed, such as Edward Norton discovering his genetic cousin in Julia Roberts, Bob Odenkirk learning about his ties to King Charles and Nathan Lane, and Viola Davis discovering her connection to Anita Hill.