They fought for their homeland, although they didn’t always think about it
We are used to looking at Hollywood and its celestial inhabitants as if they were another planet. The American dream, boys and girls from some Texas who have achieved worldwide fame and now walk on red carpets and create blockbusters. But if you dig into the biographies of many of our idols, it turns out that they are our compatriots, perhaps their distant relatives or their acquaintances live in the next building, and every Oscar of these artists is a little bit of ours, our national cultural treasure.
Hollywood stars with Russian roots
Harrison Ford
The ancestors of the famous “Indiana Jones” come from Minsk, which formerly belonged to the Russian Empire. Harrison Ford's grandmother left the country at the beginning of the 20th century. Anna Lifshitz moved to New York, where she gave birth to the actor’s mother, Dora. Ford believes that knowing your roots is very important, so one day he even set out to find his overseas relatives. He also came to Russia during the filming of the film “K-19,” in which he played submarine captain Alexei Vostrikov. Afterward, Ford admitted that he noticed in the people around him the same traits that his grandparents had.
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Leonardo DiCaprio
Since the photo above is of DiCaprio in the movie “The Revenant,” let’s start with him. You wouldn’t think right away: he was born in Los Angeles, his surname is Italian, because his father has Italian and German roots. But the mother, Irmelin Indenbirken, was born into the family of Wilhelm Indenbirken and Elena Stepanovna Smirnova, a Russian emigrant. Moreover, DiCaprio says that he not only has a Russian grandmother, but also a Russian grandfather, although he does not specify which one. But this gives DiCaprio reason to consider himself half Russian, which he jokes about with pleasure. He doesn't speak Russian. Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie "The Revenant"
Gwyneth Paltrow
The actress can safely be considered our compatriot - Gwyneth’s father came from the Russian Paltrovich family. After moving to the United States, the family members slightly adjusted the surname to make it sound more American—the result was Paltrow. Like Natalie Wood, Gwyneth was born in the States and remembers her origins. The actress always speaks with great respect about the Russian people.
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Yul Brynner
Julius Borisovich Briner was born in Vladivostok, his grandfather was a Russified Swiss. When the boy was 14 years old, his parents left for Paris, and from this a completely different life began. At the same time, for some reason, Yul Brynner often said that there were gypsies among his ancestors, he even performed concerts of gypsy romances, although all this had nothing to do with him personally. Yul Brynner's son Rock often comes to Vladivostok for the Pacific Meridian Film Festival to tell the townspeople a little more about their famous countryman.
Yul Brynner in the movie "The Magnificent Seven"
Mila Kunis
Mila was born in the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi, then her name was Milena Markovna Kunis. The actress's parents immigrated to America in search of a better life when she was only seven years old. The first years in the USA became a real test for the girl, because she did not know a single word of English. Of course, now Mila is fluent in this language, but she speaks Russian with her parents and daughter. The actress admits that although she has spent her entire life in America, Russian is still the most beautiful and native language for her.
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Steven Spielberg
There were always two languages spoken in Steven Spielberg's family: Yiddish and Russian. Shmuel Shpilberg and Rivka Chechik, paternal grandparents, immigrated to America from Kamenets-Podolsky in 1906. Fivel Posner emigrated from Odessa, and his wife Jenny Friedman was born in the USA, but also in a family of Russian emigrants. Therefore, Spielberg is Russian “on all fronts.” Adding additional charm to Spielberg is the fact that the husband of his sister Susan is a distant relative of Boris Pasternak. Trailer for Steven Spielberg's film "Bridge of Spies"
Top 30 foreign stars with Russian roots
Is it surprising how it happened that there are so many talented actors in Hollywood? Maybe the secret is that during the revolution at the beginning of the last century, America was covered by a wave of Russian emigration? PEOPLETALK decided to figure out what contribution Russian roots made to the development of Western culture.
David Duchovny's (54) father was a Russian Jew, his name was Abraham Duchovny. After emigrating, he changed his surname to an American one - Duchovny, which David also inherited.
Sylvester Stallone's (68) grandmother, Rosa Robinovich, moved to America from Odessa.
Leonardo DiCaprio (40) also has Russian roots on his mother’s side. His grandmother was Russian and moved to Germany after the revolution. According to rumors, this is why DiCaprio agreed to the role of Grigory Rasputin.
The real name of Natalie Wood (1938-1981) is Natalya Nikolaevna Zakharenko. Her parents immigrated from Russia, and the girl spoke Russian well.
The mother of actress Jennifer Connelly (44) was from a Jewish family, and her ancestors were emigrants from Russia and Poland.
Jon Bon Jovi
Natalie Portman (33) was born in Jerusalem, but before her family moved to Israel, they lived in Chisinau (Moldova). And Portman’s mother has Russian roots.
Lisa Kudrow (2005)
Mikhail Baryshnikov (67) immigrated to America and achieved success not only as a dancer, he became a sought-after actor.
The mother of actress Amanda Bynes (28) was from a family of emigrants from Russia, and her father was half Polish.
The maternal grandparents of actors Jake Gyllenhaal (34) and his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal (37) were Jewish emigrants from Russia.
Harrison Ford's (72) grandmother left Minsk in 1907, and, according to rumors, the actor is trying to find his relatives in Russia and the CIS.
The ancestors of Gwyneth Paltrow (42) are from Minsk.
Joaquin Phoenix's mother (40) was Jewish with Russian and Hungarian roots.
The real name of British actress Helen Mirren (69) is Elena Mironova. Her grandfather was an aristocrat and fought in the Russo-Japanese War.
The mother of the 90s sex symbol Pamela Anderson (47) has Russian roots.
The father of Michael Douglas (70) is from Belarus, his name was Issur Danielovich-Demsky.
Olga Kurylenko (35) was born in Ukraine, then lived in Russia, and then at the age of 16 she moved to Paris, where she worked as a model. Later, Kurylenko came to Hollywood, and her star journey began with the role of a James Bond girl.
The parents of actress and model Mila Jovovich (39) are also from Ukraine. Real name: Milika Natasha Jovovich. Her mother was Ukrainian, and her father was Serbian. The actress, although with an accent, speaks Russian fluently and even starred in the Russian film “Freaks.”
Joan Rivers (1933-2014) was born into a family of Russian emigrants, her full name is Joan Alexandra Molinskaya.
Actor Seth Green (41) has ancestors who lived in Russia.
Who we couldn’t possibly suspect of Russian origin was Whoopi Goldberg (59)! However, her grandmother was an emigrant from Odessa.
Another surprise: even Lenny Kravitz (50) has ancestors from Russia on his father's side.
Robert Downey Jr.'s (49) grandfather immigrated from Russia.
Actor James Franco (36) also has Russian blood flowing in his veins - his mother was from a family of Russian emigrants named Verovy.
The ancestors of singer Amy Winehouse (1983-2011) left Russia for London in 1911.
Actor Sean Penn (54) has paternal relatives who immigrated to the United States from Russia during the Revolution. According to the actor, he has Russian and Lithuanian roots.
Mila Kunis (31) was born in Ukraine, her full name is Milena Markovna Kunis. Her family moved to America when the girl was only seven years old.
Mom Nicole Scherzinger (36) is half Russian, half Haitian. Nicole has said many times that her middle name is Praskovya.
Pete Doherty's (36) maternal grandfather was the son of Russian-French emigrants.
Natalie Portman - Hollywood intellectual
Natalie Portman
Actress, Oscar and Golden Globe winner. Dancer, psychologist, social activist. My father's parents came from Poland to the USA.
There is only one person stopping you - yourself. Get rid of it - let yourself go
Natalie Portman
I don't like to shout, when I'm angry I cry
Natalie Portman
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio's grandmother's name was Elizaveta Smirnova. She was born in Russia, but during the formation of the USSR, her parents took her to Germany. She got married there and her daughter then moved to the United States. It is interesting that Leonardo, already famous, came to Russia and in a conversation with Vladimir Putin stated that his grandfather was also Russian. Thus, the actor is not a quarter Russian, as everyone thought, but half.
David Duchovny
The X-Files star, David Duchovny, is a second-generation immigrant. The actor's ancestors are Russian Jews. His grandfather Moishe Dukhovny moved to the United States from Ukraine, and he still has relatives in Russia. Previously, David was proud of his origins and spoke with pleasure about the homeland of his ancestors, but after 2014 he radically changed his position. The actor said that before the events in Ukraine he considered himself Russian, but now he realized that he had always been Ukrainian. “It’s never too late to change,” Duchovny concluded in an interview.
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Milla Jovovich
Milla Jovovich is an American actress with Russian-Serbian roots. She was born in Kyiv, but her mother Galina Loginova is Russian, and her father Bogic Jovovich is from Montenegro. Milla spent the first five years of her life in the USSR, and then moved to England with her family. Now the actress lives in the USA, but does not forget about who her ancestors were. Milla says she owes her willpower to her roots. It is noteworthy that she still speaks Russian perfectly.
