Is Jackson Rathbone Related to Basil Rathbone? The Truth Behind the Family Ties

If you are a fan of the Twilight saga or the Sherlock Holmes movies, you might have wondered if there is any connection between the actors who played Jasper Hale and the famous detective. Is Jackson Rathbone related to Basil Rathbone? The answer is yes, but not very closely.

Who is Jackson Rathbone?

Jackson Rathbone is an American actor, singer, and musician who was born in Singapore on December 14, 1984. He is best known for his role as Jasper Hale in the Twilight saga, a series of films based on the novels by Stephenie Meyer. He also played Sokka in The Last Airbender, a film adaptation of the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Jackson Rathbone is descended from the Rathbone family of Liverpool, England, which has produced several notable figures in history, such as philanthropist William Rathbone V and politician Eleanor Rathbone. His great-grandfather, Monroe Jackson Rathbone II, was the chairman of Standard Oil, which later became Exxon. He is also distantly related to Civil War general Stonewall Jackson.

Who is Basil Rathbone?

Basil Rathbone was a South African-born English actor who lived from June 13, 1892 to July 21, 1967. He rose to fame as a Shakespearean stage actor in the United Kingdom and later appeared in more than 70 films, mostly costume dramas and swashbucklers. He is most famous for his role as Sherlock Holmes in 14 Hollywood films made between 1939 and 1946 and in a radio series.

Basil Rathbone was also a descendant of the Rathbone family of Liverpool, and a cousin of actor Frank Benson and MP Eleanor Rathbone. He was also a first cousin once-removed of Jackson Rathbone’s great-grandfather, Monroe Jackson Rathbone II. He was also a skilled fencer and won several awards for his swordsmanship.

According to Wikipedia, Jackson Rathbone and Basil Rathbone are first cousins thrice-removed. This means that they share a common ancestor who is their great-great-great-grandfather. In this case, that ancestor is William Rathbone IV (1787-1868), who was a merchant and philanthropist in Liverpool.

The following chart shows how Jackson Rathbone and Basil Rathbone are related:

NameRelation
William Rathbone IVGreat-great-great-grandfather of both
William Rathbone VGreat-great-grandfather of Basil
Philip Henry RathboneGreat-grandfather of Basil
Edgar Philip RathboneGrandfather of Basil
Philip St. John Basil RathboneBasil
Richard Reynolds RathboneGreat-great-grandfather of Jackson
Monroe Jackson Rathbone IGreat-grandfather of Jackson
Monroe Jackson Rathbone IIGrandfather of Jackson
Monroe Jackson Rathbone IVFather of Jackson
Monroe Jackson Rathbone VJackson

Conclusion

Is Jackson Rathbone related to Basil Rathbone? Yes, they are cousins, but not very close ones. They both belong to the same illustrious family that has roots in Liverpool and has contributed to various fields of society. They both also share a passion for acting and have starred in popular film franchises.

Disclaimer: This article is based on information from Wikipedia and other web sources. It is not intended to be a definitive or authoritative source of information on the topic. The author does not claim any ownership or affiliation with any of the names or brands mentioned in this article.

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