Dylan Sprouse has uncovered a jaw-dropping chapter of his family history: his ancestors repeatedly intermarried during California’s Gold Rush era. The former Disney star shared the discovery on the October 20 episode of the Wildmen podcast, according to Parade.
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody alum delivered the revelation with his trademark deadpan humor, turning a genealogy deep-dive into comedy gold.
The Sprouse twins have come a long way from their Suite Life days. Dylan now runs a meadery in Brooklyn and co-hosts the Wildmen podcast, where his curiosity about everything from history to science regularly produces viral moments.
Seven Sets of Twins
Sprouse revealed his DNA research turned up families intermarrying in Gold Rush California — and a staggering seven sets of twins across just four generations. Tyla reports he joked that he and twin brother Cole are, in a manner of speaking, “the result of incest,” a line that immediately went viral.
The actor stressed he found the discovery fascinating rather than disturbing, calling it a window into how isolated frontier communities lived. In the 1800s, he noted, small mining settlements offered a limited dating pool — cousin marriage was commonplace.
He also marveled at the twin pattern running through his bloodline, wondering aloud whether some long-dormant genetic quirk explains him and Cole.
Genealogists were quick to contextualize the discovery: in isolated 19th-century mining communities, marrying within extended family networks was not scandalous but practical. The Gold Rush drew fortune-seekers to remote camps where the social circle was tiny.
Fans Are Fascinated
Clips of the revelation spread quickly, with listeners praising Sprouse’s candid, funny storytelling. Genealogy buffs noted that cousin marriage was common in 19th-century America, especially in remote settlements.
Sprouse said the research gave him a new appreciation for his roots — twins and all. More Dylan: Dylan Sprouse praises Barbara Palvin’s postpartum runway return.
As for the twins themselves — seven sets in four generations is genuinely remarkable, and Dylan joked that the family clearly had a “twinning” gene working overtime.
The Wildmen episode is available now, and it is well worth a listen — equal parts history lesson and comedy routine, delivered by a former child star who has grown into one of podcasting’s most entertaining voices.
