In the recent episode of the genealogy series “Finding Your Roots,” Hollywood veteran Michael Douglas received a shocking revelation that his Marvel co-star Scarlett Johansson is his “DNA” cousin, sharing identical stretches of DNA on four different chromosomes. Hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., the episode aired on Tuesday, unveiling the familial connection between the Marvel characters.
Douglas’s reaction to the news was palpable; visibly surprised, he exclaimed, “Are you kidding? Oh, that’s amazing. Alright, this is cool. This is so cool. That’s incredible.” The veteran actor’s excitement was evident as he processed the unexpected revelation of this familial tie with the 39-year-old Black Widow actress.
Gates explained that the shared DNA branches between Douglas and Johansson trace back to Scarlett’s maternal lines, which have roots in Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. The actors shared the screen in the monumental superhero film “Avengers: Endgame,” with Douglas portraying Hank Pym and Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.
Amidst the excitement, Douglas also shared his perspective on the challenges of fame within the industry. He cautioned his children against pursuing acting careers, believing it is harder to succeed with famous parents. Catherine Zeta-Jones revealed that Douglas warned their kids away from acting due to the perceived difficulties of making it in Hollywood.
In addition to Douglas and Johansson’s revelation, the episode also featured Lena Dunham, who discovered her own familial connection to acclaimed filmmaker Larry David. Dunham expressed her enthusiasm, exclaiming, “It’s Larry David—the other LD! This is the hottest information I could have ever gotten.”