Sharon Stone Is Mind-Blown Learning Her Relative Is ‘One of the Most Important People in History’

In a stunning revelation on PBS’s Finding Your Roots, Sharon Stone learned that royalty runs in her blood – and not just any royalty. The 66-year-old actress was visibly shocked when host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed that her paternal lineage can be traced back to one of history’s most influential rulers.

During the Jan. 28 episode (via People), Stone’s disbelief was evident as Gates unveiled that her family tree “culminates with one of the most famous men who ever lived.” As she turned the page to see a grand portrait of her ancestor, Stone gasped, “Oh, no! What’s his name?” When Gates revealed it was “Charlemagne,” the actress sat with her mouth wide open in astonishment.

“Charlemagne is your 38th great-grandfather,” Gates explained. “The first holy Roman Emperor. He was a mean dude.” Stone, still processing the information, repeated back in amazement, “Charlemagne was my grandfather,” prompting Gates to clarify again, “Your 38th great-grandfather.”

“Well, if you wanna see someone whose mind is completely blown, here it is,” Stone remarked, clearly still awestruck by the revelation. The research traced her father’s side of the family into the “very distant past,” revealing connections not only to Charlemagne, who ruled in Europe during the 8th century but also to two French kings.

The discovery resonated particularly deeply with Stone, who has long felt a connection to France. “I think it feels particularly good, particularly because my royal lines go through France,” she told Us Weekly. “[It] is the place that’s very dear to my heart. It’s, like, a second home to my home. All the princes and princesses through Burgundy were my relatives. That’s really beautiful and it’s really touching.”

The episode is part of Finding Your Roots‘ eleventh season, which premiered Jan. 7 and has already featured several remarkable revelations about celebrity ancestry. Amanda Seyfried learned about her third great-grandfather’s tragic murder, reacting with shock: “I’m just like, ‘How dare they!’” Though she didn’t “know” him, she told Gates, “He’s family.” Meanwhile, Joy Behar, 82, discovered her grandparents were neighbors in a small Italian village before marriage, prompting her to quip, “It’s almost incestuous what we’re talking about here.”

The series continues to uncover fascinating family histories, with upcoming episodes featuring Debra Messing, Laurence Fishburne, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, and celebrity chef José Andrés. Chrissy Teigen will also explore her family tree in an upcoming episode. New episodes of Finding Your Roots air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on PBS.