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Edward Norton Discovers Pocahontas Is Part Of His Family Lineage

Screenshot/Twitter/Henry Louis Gates Jr

Leena Nasir Entertainment Reporter
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Famous actor Edward Norton discovered that Pocahontas is his 12th Great-Grandmother during his time on the PBS series “Finding Your Roots.”

Norton was shocked when he participated in Tuesday’s episode of the show to explore his ancestry and discovered that he could trace it back to the 17th century. He worked alongside host Henry Louis Gates Jr. where he learned that Pocahontas was in fact part of his family tree. Norton’s ancestry was traced back to the earliest days of colonial America in Virginia, during the time that Pocahontas married English settler John Rolfe in 1614, according to the show.

Norton was visibly stunned by the discovery of his heritage.

“Well, it is absolutely true,” Gates Jr. said.

“John Rolfe and Pocahontas got married on April 5, 1614. Shakespeare died in 1616, just to put this in perspective,” Gates Jr. said, in an effort to add context to the time period in discussion. (RELATED: Investigators Solve 1989 Murder With DNA Technology, Victim’s Cousin Revealed As Killer)

“Pocahontas died sometime in March 1617 in Grave’s End, England, and John Rolfe died around March 1622,” he said.

“This is about as far back as you can go, unless you’re a Viking,” Norton responded. “Makes you realize what a small piece of the whole human story you are,” he said.

Norton left the show learning far more than he ever thought possible, and seemed mesmerized by the journey. Gates Jr. mentioned that Norton arrived to the “Finding Your Roots” taping better prepared to talk about his family’s genealogy “than any guest I can recall,” according to the video.