American actor Edward Norton, who was once the Hulk and is in the recently released ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’, from Netflix, has discovered that he is a descendant of the famous indigenous woman Pocahontas.
He grew up hearing stories about the family’s relationship with the indigenous woman who inspired the popular Disney animation, but thought it was just a legend created by his relatives. However, when he participated in the program “Finding Your Roots” (Finding your Roots, in free translation) of the PBS TV channel in the USA, he had the confirmation.
“Pocahontas really is her great-grandmother in 12th grade,” host Henry Louis Gates Jr said, in the show’s ninth season premiere, which explores the celebrity guests’ family tree. “You have verifiable ancestors, there’s no doubt about that.”
Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, leader of the Powhatan people, who lived in present-day Virginia. She was known for preventing the killing of Captain John Smith by her tribe. Unlike versions of the legend, however, she never married him, but a British man named John Rolfe.
She was already married to a warrior named Kocoum when she was kidnapped by settlers and later married Rolfe, according to the book “The True Story of Pocahontas: The Other Side of History.” history, in free translation), from 2007, not published in Brazil.
The book has historical documents that support this version of events, according to the Smithsonian museum.
In the show, Norton discovered that he is a descendant of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. The two married in 1614 in the town of Jamestown, Virginia, after she was baptized in the Protestant church and given the “Christian” name of Rebecca. However, she died three years later in England. Rolf died in 1622.
Norton also discovered that his ancestor John Winstead owned enslaved people in the 1850 North Carolina census.
The revelation was something that made the actor uneasy.
“The short answer is these things are uncomfortable and you should feel uncomfortable with them. Everyone should feel uncomfortable with them,” Norton said. “It is not a judgment on you and your own life, but it is a judgment on the history of this country and it must be recognized, first of all, and then it must be faced”.
Through a direct paper trail leading to the 1614 marriage certificate of Pocahontas and John Rolfes, @EdwardNorton he discovers that his family lore appears to be true. His 12th great-grandmother is Pocohantas!
Tune in TOMORROW night @PBS at 8/7c for the Finding Your Roots premiere!! pic.twitter.com/54sTTt2YKY
— Henry Louis Gates Jr (@HenryLouisGates) January 2, 2023
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Source: Terra
Jason Root is a writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth coverage of famous people in entertainment, sports, and politics. He has a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines and bringing readers an inside look at the lives of the famous. He has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Journalism from UC Berkeley.
