Marilyn Monroe Is Related To The Bush Family. Here's How

Marilyn Monroe was a very popular figure in her heyday. The Los Angeles native was an actress first and foremost, but was also a very celebrated sex symbol. More than 50 years later, Monroe is still remembered for her beauty, as well as a troubled life she sadly lived before her death. Her short life began on June 1, 1926. She started modeling at first and then delved into acting. Her first film credit started in 1947, per IMDb. Monroe would become famous for films such as "Some Like It Hot" and "The Seven Year Itch." When she wasn't on television, she was garnering attention for something else; her famous rendition of Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy (per Biography), supporting civil rights (per Time), her brief and tumultuous marriage to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio (per Life), and her iconic pin-up photographs. It all came to an end when she was found dead at the age of 36 on August 5, 1962, from an apparent overdose (via History). Her legacy lives on, however, as she's one of the most famous actresses of the 20th century.

Monroe's early life was complicated. Her mother was purportedly mentally ill and couldn't care for her, and she also didn't know her birth father. As a result, Monroe spent a lot of time in foster care, but maintained a relationship with her mother, which turned out to be dysfunctional, per Biography. Interestingly, her familial connection makes her related to some other famous people as well.

The Bush family came onto the political scene when George H.W. Bush entered the White House as the vice president of President Ronald Reagan. He later succeeded Reagan's presidency and completed one presidential term. His two oldest sons, George W. and Jeb, would follow their own political aspirations by becoming governors of Texas and Florida, respectively. At one point, they were a very powerful family in politics. Yet, neither here nor there, they are famous another way: They're related to Marilyn Monroe.

The actress and the political brothers are cousins, as they share an ancestor. Monroe is related to both George W. and Jeb as their ninth cousin, two times removed. Meaning, at some point way back in their lineage, Monroe and the Bush brothers share the same great-grandparents, and there are generational differences between them, per Family Locket. Nevertheless, they share a relationship. And that's all thanks to the first members of the Bush family who came to America in the 17th century, says Ancestry.