Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks says he is related to the former American President Abraham Lincoln.

Hanks, 54, is the third cousin, four generations removed, of Lincoln through the President's mother Nancy Hanks, reported Daily Mail.

"I'm related to Abraham Lincoln. His mother was called Nancy Hanks, and the members of my branch of the family are either cousins or in-laws or poor relations. So when I was at school, guess which president I was always doing essays on," he said.

Hanks, who acted in films like "Saving Private Ryan" and "Apollo 11", will also narrate a film called "Killing Lincoln", about the shocking assassination of the great leader.

The historical thriller combines CGI and rare historical archive material and is being made by the National Geographic Channel.

The film is based on the book by Bill O'Reilly with Billy Campbell playing Lincoln, Jesse Johnson as his assassin John Wilkes Booth, and Geraldine Hughes as Mary Todd Lincoln.

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