US actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk has learned he is related to the King after appearing on the new season of Finding Your Roots.
The Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul star, 61, was shocked after discovering he and Charles are 11th cousins, proclaiming “that is crazy”.
Odenkirk’s fifth great-grandfather Friedrich Carl Steinholz was born out of wedlock to Maria Catharina and the Duke of Plon, according to a pair of exclusive clips seen by Rolling Stone magazine.
This week on #FindingYourRoots, we uncover the roots of comedians #BobOdenkirk and #IlizaShlesinger. Join us as we explore their family trees entangled with stories about overcoming enormous hardships.
Tune in tomorrow night at 8/7c for #FindingYourRoots only on @PBS! pic.twitter.com/zFuhvDmn9w
— Henry Louis Gates Jr (@HenryLouisGates) January 29, 2024
“I’m an American, I’m not a monarchist,” he said to host Henry Louis Gates Jr.
“You know, I feel like it’s a little twisted. I understand why society built itself around monarchs and leaders, and they passed them down through generations.
“I understand that goes through every society, every civilisation. But I think that we’ve gotten to a better place with democracy and we should keep going down that road.”
Odenkirk’s episode of Finding Your Roots will air on January 30 on PBS.