Meryl Streep's Surprising Reaction to Discovering Eva Longoria Is Her Cousin!

Eva Longoria has only family members in the building.

Previously starring in “Desperate Housewives”, she disclosed a fascinating find – her family connection to the renowned actress Meryl Streep. This revelation was made during an episode on Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ genealogy program, “Faces of America”.

During my chat with Jimmy Fallon back in March, I shared how this fascinating guy compares DNA connections among us all. He asked if I wanted to discover my family links and I eagerly agreed! To my astonishment, he revealed that Meryl Streep is a distant relative of mine in the past century!

Meanwhile, the 50-year-old expressed her enthusiasm by saying she was “really thrilled” about the disclosure, but she hesitated before telling Meryl during their encounter at an awards ceremony shortly thereafter.

Eva remembered being backstage at an event similar to the Golden Globes, possibly in a green room, when her friend suggested she approach Meryl Streep and pretend they were cousins. However, Eva decided against it, reasoning that it wouldn’t make sense for her to claim kinship with Meryl Streep and questioning whether Meryl had even watched the part of the show where they might have been connected.

However, unlike the alum from the “Land of Women”, Meryl Streep didn’t need to share the news as she had already watched the episode herself. As Eva recalled, “She exclaims, ‘Cousin! Cousin!’ That’s how casual Meryl Streep is. She’s like, ‘Cousin!’

In the end, the pair had a good laugh over their shared lineage.

“I was like, ‘Clearly you got the talent in the family,'” Eva remembered. “And she’s like, ‘Clearly you got the beauty.'”

Ever since then, not only have the actresses been genetically linked, but they have also shared screen time. After Eva joined the cast of Hulu’s popular series Only Murders in the Building, playing herself, it was Meryl who portrayed character Loretta Durkin alongside her.

Eva mentioned that during this particular season, she joined the comedy show alongside Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Melissa McCarthy, Zach Galifianakis, and Eugene Levy. She felt as if every day brought another comedy legend onto the set, and she was constantly in awe, almost feeling like pinching herself.

For more stars you probably didn’t know are related, keep reading.

In the April 2nd episode of “Finding Your Roots,” host Henry Louis Gates Jr discovered that Lena Dunham and Larry David share a distant relative on Lena’s maternal lineage.

Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman (also known as My Family Genie on Instagram) disclosed a potential familial connection between Blanchard and a former star of “Vanderpump Rules” through their paternal grandmothers’ line, tracing the relationship back to the 1600s.

Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman’s post, “Omg I’m unwell.”

Antonio Banderas, who played the role of Zorro, was married to Melanie Griffith, the actress from Fifty Shades of Grey’s mother, for twenty years before their divorce in 2015. However, this doesn’t imply that their relationship as a stepfather and daughter has ended.

Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.

Johnson shared that she grew up with multiple marriages within her family and considers herself extremely fortunate. She mentioned having an additional father figure, whom she later recognized as significantly impacting her life. At the age of six, her mother wed a man who not only brought a radiant presence but also introduced a new realm of creativity and culture into their household, along with a little sister who added a magical touch to their family.

The actress who played in “Teen Witch” and the former cast member of “Gossip Girl” are sisters by the same mother, talent manager Elaine Lively.

The daughter of the veteran “Saturday Night Live” performer is known as the singer of “Ex’s & Oh’s.” This young woman was born from a romantic association between him and the former model, London King.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I find it fascinating to share a lesser-known fact about the close family ties between some celebrated personalities in the entertainment industry. Did you know that the charismatic actor from the Fast and Furious series is actually cousins with a renowned R&B artist? This unique bond exists due to a shared familial connection, specifically through my stepfather, Reverend Edward Best. Remarkably, this esteemed figure in our lives happens to be the uncle of the talented rapper we all admire. Isn’t it intriguing how these dynamic connections weave together the tapestry of our vibrant cultural scene?

The late-night host and the Rescue Me creator are third cousins.

Since marrying Kate Capshaw in 1991, the former Grey’s Anatomy doctor refers to the renowned director as his stepfather.

The actress from “Grown-ish” refers to the rapper as her second cousin. In fact, she served as the flower girl at their 2005 wedding, which was with Kelis, who is now his ex-wife.

The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.

Beyond just gaining recognition for portraying a well-known character on HBO’s comedy series as the Veep’s vet, she is indeed recognized as a prominent figure off-screen too – a fact that is underscored by her real-life connection to the former Jack Bauer star, who happens to be her father.

Some viewers of Emily in Paris were quite surprised to learn that Lily is the offspring of the acclaimed English Grammy winner.

The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he’s the first cousin of her father.

A family historian from Ancestry.com stated in a 2014 interview with People that the Fannings and Princess Diana are distantly related because they both descend from King Edward III, who reigned England from 1327 to 1377. To put it precisely, they share the title of being 21st cousins.

The actors are actually brother and sister!

Intriguingly, the gift of acting seems to be a shared trait among these relatives, with performers from the shows “Reno 911!”, “Orange Is the New Black”, and “This Is Us” all being cousins.

Nash posted on Instagram in January 2024, “We’re family by blood!”, accompanied by a picture of the three at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. “We’re true relatives!”, he added.

The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he sees him. At least, we assume he does.

Yep, Game of Thrones‘ Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead‘s Nick Clark.

In simpler terms, the woman who’s known for her dark hair and the musician famous for “Stay With Me” share a distant familial relationship as third cousins. In an interview on the radio, Smith revealed that they’ve never had the chance to meet due to having such a large family.

The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.

You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.

The actress from “The We’re the Millers” movie is being guided by none other than her aunt, the famous star from “Pretty Woman.

Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?

As a devoted fan, I too was captivated by the charm of the vampire in “True Blood,” and I traced that enchantment back to its source – my father’s acting prowess. He’s no stranger to the spotlight, gracing not just one but two iconic franchises: “The Avengers” and “Thor.

The actor who plays Ghost Rider hails from a remarkably gifted family lineage. One of his cousins is known for directing “The Bling Ring”, another graced the screen in “Saving Mr. Banks”, and his uncle is renowned for directing “The Godfather”.

The vocal, British-origin artist is the elder sibling of the prominent ‘Game of Thrones’ actor. Interestingly, she composed a song dedicated to him named “Alfie”.