List of celebrities you probably had no idea were related

Online content revealing celebrity family ties has been making the rounds and reminding us that some of the most recognisable names in entertainment are linked in ways many fans never realised.

While famous siblings, spouses, and celebrity children rarely come as much of a shock anymore, more distant links still have a habit of stopping people in their tracks. That is particularly true when the stars involved seem to come from completely different parts of entertainment & pop culture, with little in common beyond being famous.

One of these latest reactions has come from an Instagram post shared by oddlynews, which told followers that ‘some famous faces share more than just the spotlight’, and adding: “These celebrities are connected by blood, yet many people have no idea they are actually related. From unexpected family ties to surprising surnames, these connections reveal a whole new side to Hollywood”.

Jason Sudeikis and the late George Wendt's uncle-and-nephew link connects two generations of comedy fame (Timothy Hiatt/Contributor/Getty Images)

The surprisingly related celebrities featured in the post included:

• Ashley Tisdale and Austin Butler: Distant cousins
• Snoop Dogg, Brandy, and Ray J: Snoop Dogg is a first cousin of Brandy and Ray J
• RuPaul and Cory Booker: Also cousins
• Jason Sudeikis and George Wendt: Nephew and uncle
• Lance Bass and Britney Spears: Also distant cousins (sixth, once removed)
• Gabrielle Union and Saweetie: Second cousins
• Michelle Randolph and Cassie Randolph: Sisters

Some of those pairings are likely to spark more interest than others, largely because the relationships are so unexpected. Ashley Tisdale and Austin Butler are a good example, with previous reports identifying them as distant cousins. That detail has landed with people partly because the pair were already known to many fans as long-time friends, making the family connection feel even stranger.

Lance Bass and Britney Spears' family link is another one of the post’s most unexpected reveals (KMazur/Contributor/Getty Images)

The same applies to Snoop Dogg, Brandy, and Brandy and Ray J, who are already one of pop culture’s most recognisable sibling duos, but adding rap legend Snoop into that family line is a discovery that could certainly make a few of us pause.

Jason Sudeikis and George Wendt are another standout because it is not a vague, distant link but an uncle-and-nephew relationship, tying together two actors from different generations of screen comedy. Gabrielle Union and Saweetie being second cousins is also a shocker, especially as Saweetie has spoken before about admiring Union when she was younger.

Then there is Michelle Randolph and Cassie Randolph, who is one of the more straightforward entries, but could still be news to some. Still, if you only knew Cassie from The Bachelor world or Michelle from acting in Landman — and not the other — it could still be a slight twist.