Dylan Sprouse reveals complex family genealogy discovery

Actor Dylan Sprouse shared unexpected findings regarding his family tree during an episode of the “Wildmen” podcast. While using the genealogy platform Ancestry to research his heritage, Sprouse discovered that the family lines of his parents had previously intermarried in California during the late 19th century.

Sprouse explained that both sides of his family migrated to California during the Gold Rush era. He noted that the lineages joined through marriage in the late 1800s, diverged for several generations, and then reconnected when his parents, Matthew Sprouse and Melanie Wright, married in 1990. He jokingly referred to this connection by stating, “Cole and I are children of incest.”

The actor suggested this genetic history might explain the high frequency of twins in his lineage, noting there have been seven sets of twins across four generations. He recounted attempting to share the news with his twin brother, Cole Sprouse, but noted that Cole was uninterested in discussing the details.