Hollywood actor and filmmaker Edward Norton at all times thought his connection to Pocahontas was nothing greater than “household lore.”
In a brand new episode of the PBS present Discovering Your Roots, an investigation into Norton’s family tree found that Pocahontas, probably the most broadly portrayed (and oft misrepresented) Indigenous ladies in historical past, is his twelfth great-grandmother.
Though Individuals generally know her as Pocahontas, she is often known as Matoaka.
Norton, who stars within the new movie Glass Onion, was visibly shocked when host Henry Louis Gates confirmed his household’s long-held claims.
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“Oh my God,” Norton whispered whereas shaking his head. “How may you presumably decide that?”
Gates, who has hosted the present since its 2012 premiere, instructed Norton {that a} “paper path” led genealogists to the invention. He defined that current paperwork confirmed that Pocahontas and John Rolfe have been married April 5, 1614, in Jamestown, Va.
To place the spectacular paper path into perspective, Gates added that William Shakespeare died in 1616.
Gates mentioned there was “little question” about Norton’s familial connection to Pocahontas.
“That is about way back to you possibly can go,” Gates mentioned.
“It makes you notice what a small piece of the entire human story you might be,” Norton marvelled.
Pocahontas was born round 1596. She was the daughter of Wahunsenaca (Chief Powhatan), the mamanatowick (paramount chief) of the Powhatan Chiefdom. The Powhatan Chiefdom included about 25,000 Indigenous folks throughout 30 Algonquian-speaking tribes, in response to the U.S. Nationwide Park Service.
She is most well-known for reportedly stopping the execution of Capt. John Smith, who wrote in his journals that she positioned her head on prime of his in order that he couldn’t be killed. There are debates, nonetheless, amongst historians as as to whether this really occurred.
Pocahontas was later kidnapped and dropped at an English settlement, the place she met Rolfe. She transformed to Christianity and was baptized. After their marriage, Pocahontas and Rolfe travelled to England. She died in Gravesend, England in 1617. They’d one son, Thomas Rolfe.
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Pocahontas’s story was broadly popularized within the predominately fictional depiction of her life in Disney’s 1995 movie Pocahontas.
Norton is simply the most recent of many to have their family tree uncovered on Discovering Your Roots. Prior superstar visitors embrace Amy Schumer, Anderson Cooper, John Legend and Queen Latifah.
The Discovering Your Roots episode that includes Norton, which aired on Tuesday, additionally included a dive into the household historical past of actor Julia Roberts. It’s the first episode of the favored present’s ninth season.
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