Dolly Parton just discovered a new family connection — and it’s with none other than her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus!
In a surprising reveal by Ancestry, the country music legend, 78. found out during an interview with Access Hollywood that she and Miley, 31, are actually distant relatives. The two stars share a common ancestor, making them seventh cousins, once removed.
"Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus are seventh cousins, once removed! Their common ancestor is John Brickey, born in 1740 in Virginia," Ancestry shared this week. Brickey’s descendants eventually settled in Tennessee, where both Dolly and Miley hail from.
When presented with the news, the Jolene hitmaker was thrilled, exclaiming, "Is that true? That's amazing! Well, we’re so close, Miley and I."
She then quipped, "I would’ve thought we were at least third cousins, 10 times removed.”
Despite the new familial tie, Parton has long considered Miley family. “It doesn’t surprise me because she does feel like family,” she expressed.
Indeed, the two have shared a strong bond since Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, asked Dolly to be Miley’s godmother when she was born.
"I’m so proud of her, love her. She’s just like one of my own," Dolly said in a 2009 interview with ABC News.
