Ancestry.com has made a connection between former president Abraham Lincoln and actor George Clooney. The family bloodline link is Lincoln’s maternal grandmother Lucy Hanks. Clooney is Lincoln’s half-first cousin five times removed. Ancestry.com’s Michelle Ercanbrack points out what else they have in common: “They’re both human rights advocates. … Both are excellent writers. … And obviously both have the talent of being able to grow a really great beard.” Clooney grew one for the WWII film “The Monuments Men.”
Does the name Hanks ring a bell? Yes, Tom Hanks is also related to Lincoln. He is Abe’s third cousin, four times removed. Hanks probably didn’t need the bloodline to land the job, but he did narrate the 2013 film Killing Lincoln, based on Bill O’Reilly’s book. Plus, Hanks has experience. He read from the Gettysburg Address during the inaugural celebration for President Obama in 2009.
