Paul Giamatti Says His Ancestor Might Have Killed Macbeth

Paul Giamatti might not have gone home with Oscar gold at Sunday's award ceremony, but the actor has talked about something more historically important than being added to the Best Actor names: being related to Scottish royalty.

Speaking on his history podcast Chinwag, which he co-hosts with author Stephen Asma, Giamatti admitted to loving all things Scotland, but felt intimidated to get a kilt made on a recent trip. He then dove into his first trip there back in 2003 for American Splendor, where he learned about his family history.

"I learned that in my genealogy I am evidently directly descended from Malcolm III. King Malcolm III, known as 'King Malcolm III--The Big Head'," he said (via BBC). "I think like 'The Big Cheese' is what they meant. I am a direct descendent."

Giamatti, who takes his surname from his father's Italian ancestry, has family that also includes ancestors from Scotland. He added he doesn't know how people make these connections so far down in history, but is still excited about the relationship.

"Malcolm III is, by the way, the Malcolm who's in the Shakespeare play Macbeth," he continued. "It is the Malcolm in the end of that play that's made king. He himself in historical fact may have--with his own hand--killed King Macbeth. The actual historical Macbeth was apparently a good king, he wasn't such a bad guy, supposedly."

Shakespeare portrayed Macbeth as a brave nobleman transformed into a treacherous murderer ruled by ambition. The factual King Macbeth, nicknamed the Red King, reigned for 17 years and was largely peaceful. Macbeth was initially succeeded by his stepson Lulach, but he only ruled for only a few months before also being killed by Malcolm III.