Erik KabikWe knew there was more going on between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck than meets the eye.
Jokes about their level of closeness and who's banging Jimmy Kimmel aside, it turns out the longtime pals and Oscar-winning screenwriters really are more than friends and writing partners. In fact, they're related!
According to the New England Genealogical Society, the actors are both descendants of bricklayer William Knowlton Jr., an Englishman who settled in Ipswich, Mass., around 1630.
That would make Affleck and Damon approximately 10th cousins, once removed. Affleck was born in Berkeley, Calif., but spent his formative years in Boston, where he and Damon became friends.
And this heartwarming connection is actually just the tip of the iceberg for Affleck, who also shares lineage with 16 U.S. presidents, including Barack Obama, and Princess Diana. Damon is related to a mere 11 former commanders in chief.
"Ben is an 11th cousin to Obama,” genealogist Chris Child told the Boston Herald. "We just found that connection this week. They share a common ancestor in the Hinckley family of Cape Cod."
"It might be kind of one of those neat things to say at cocktail parties," he added.
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We wonder how many of the pairs in our Bromances: Two Hotties Are Better Than One gallery besides Matt & Ben are actually related in some way!