Halle Berry: "I'm Related to Sarah Palin"

USMagazine, Monday, October 15, 2012, 6:30pm (PDT)

Could Halle Berry's next family reunion take place in Alaska?

The Cloud Atlas star, 46, recently revealed a surprising genealogical connection -- to former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, 48.

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"You wanna know who I’m related to?" Berry said in a recent video interview with Extra's Jerry Penaoli. "Sarah Palin!"

The Oscar-winning actress (mom to daughter Nahla, 4, and engaged to actor Olivier Martinez) didn't specify how she was related to the politician, except to say, "In some twisted way...somebody sent me this information that she was my distant [relative]." 

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Berry isn't the only Cloud Atlas cast member with political connections. Her co-star Tom Hanks is a third cousin, four generations removed, of one of America's most famous presidents: Abraham Lincoln. Hanks, 56, has known about the link since he was a child and recently signed on to host the upcoming TV docu-drama Killing Lincoln.

"I'm related to Abraham Lincoln, and the members of my branch of the family are either cousins or in-laws or poor relations," the Oscar-winning star once said. "So when I was at school, guess which president I was always doing essays on."

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Hanks told Extra that Berry's relation to Palin was in line with the interlocking universes theme of their new film, which opens October 26.

"This is the Cloud Atlas continuum without a doubt. I’m telling you, the connections that go through!" he joked. "It doesn’t matter who, what race, where, what time."

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Halle Berry: "I'm Related to Sarah Palin"