A comedian makes it to the list and is amazing at making other people laugh out loud! Lamia was, according to Greek mythology, a female demon who ate children. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The Law & Order star has Greek roots from her mother, however, has not publicly spoke much about her Greek heritage. The American actor of Japanese descent is known, above all, for playing villains in Hollywood films such as Mortal Kombat, License to Kill and Planet of the Apes. Other famous people featured on this Greek Orthodox celebrities list include Tina Fey, George Michael, and John Stamos. The Romans worshipped her as Victoria. And believe me, a lot of magicians are atheists. (Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (51 - 30 BC)), (One of the Most Renowned and Influential Opera Singers of the 20th Century), Greek soprano Maria Callas, also known as La Divina, is considered one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century. Not even kalispera! 1 of 21 Alicia Keys: Alpha Kappa Kappa Sorority, Inc. Her father, also an actor, was born in Crete as Yannis Anastassakis before changing his name to John Aniston and joining "Days of Our Lives" in 1985. Tom Hanks Legion Media The famous Hollywood actor converted to Orthodox Christianity as an adult. They were also associated with Dionysus. She attended Brandeis University and received a PhD from Yale. The artist's paintings of Hydra's amphitheatrical architecture, done in a Cubist style to mirror the cube-like houses on the island, are iconic to this day. But it is great to see that so many artists acknowledge and advertise the country internationally. Jennifer Aniston: Not only is Aniston Greek, but she's literally the goddaughter of the godfather of Greek-American television actors, Kojak's Telly Savalas. He was previously married to Pamela Anderson, Heather Locklear and Elaine Mena Alexandra Svari was born in Newport, Rhode Island, to Candice (Thompson), a nurse, and Ando Svari, a psychiatrist. And which is fine, you know, we live in America, which is the greatest country in the world, and people have the right to believe or to not believe or do whatever they want. He continued, The son of David Oliver Bass, a US Army serviceman of Welsh origin, and Vassiliki Papadimitriou, a 1957 Miss Greece contestant, Mtley Cres founding member Tommy Lee (Bass) was born in Athens. The, (Co-Founder of 'The Huffington Post' and the Founder & CEO of 'Thrive Global'), Sappho was a lyric poet from Lesbos, in the 6th-7th century B.C. Best known for his recurring voice acting role on The Simpsons as some of the shows most beloved characters, including Moe Szyslak and Chief Wiggum, Azaria was born Henry Albert Azaria in Queens, NY to Albert Azaria and Ruth Altchek. 47.86, Sotiria Bellou is the 10th most famous Greek Singer. Tinas mother is born in Greece. Antonia Evgenia Vardalos, or else Nia Vardalos, is the person responsible! She played Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central comedy series Strangers with Candy (1999-2000) and the prequel film Strangers with Candy (2005), which she also wrote.Sedaris appeared as Hurshe Heartshe in the Adult Swim comedy series The David Michael Bautista, Jr. was born on January 18, 1969 in Washington, D.C., to Donna Raye (Mullins) and David Michael Bautista, a hairdresser. Penthesilea, Hyppolytes sister participated in the Trojan War to fight for Troy but was killed by Achilles. Writing about Shawnee Smith and her film crew, one American media outlet wrote: "They planned to travel around the U.S. and perhaps to Russia, profiling various Orthodox Christians and congregations, capturing the diversity of the faith, and talking with converts about why and how they were drawn to it." Elizabeth Perkins Actress | Sharp Objects He obtained Russian citizenship a year later. The Maenads were the female followers of Dionysus, the god of wine. 's Direction", "One-woman Show: There Are 16 Cook County Board Members-plus Maria Pappas", "Chrysostomos "Max" Nikias Named 11th President of USC", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Greek_Americans&oldid=1142158532. alongside Paul Scheer and June Diane Raphael. 10. Born Jennifer Joanna Anastasakis, she is known for her famous Friends sitcom role as Rachel and star of various big screen Hollywood movies. Tina Fey: The 30 Rock actress was actually born Elizabeth Stamatina Fey to a Greek American mother and a Scottish father. Ralphs father is half Greek and half Italian. Fred Astaire was a famous American film and Broadway dancer. As a teenager in Los Angeles, he began to study Christian literature and contemplate spirituality on his own. Sarah Jessica Parker Greece was the one word that actress and designer Sarah Jessica Parker instantly answered with when asked what her favorite country to visit was. Jennifer Aniston was raised Greek Orthodox, but she no longer considers herself to be all that religious. Hank Azaria Best known for his recurring voice acting role on The Simpsons as some of the show's most beloved characters, including Moe Szyslak and Chief Wiggum, Azaria was born Henry Albert Azaria in Queens, NY to Albert Azaria and Ruth Altchek. He started playing piano at a very young age, and later on studied under the famed Polish-American pianist Mieczysaw Horszowski. Required fields are marked *. These are the people who have managed to find the niche that every greek celebrity has found. All Rights Reserved, This Greek Chicken Soup Has a Surprising Sephardic History, Hanukkah Recipe from Greece: Bunuelos (Doughnuts) with Honey, Greek Burekas, A Treat at Shavuot or Year-Round. It was a small step, but it has made quite a bit of an impact. They go by the 'Less is more' when it comes to beauty mantras and use makeup to enhance their already beautiful natural features, and not to 'cover up' their imperfections. Its so true. Please support us by disabling these ads blocker. Having played at the Entourage and Fantastic Four, Maria is more than an actress. The Law & Order star has Greek roots from her mother, however, has not publicly spoke much about her Greek heritage. Do you think that having faith has helped these celebs succeed in their career goals? Rita Wilson (born under the name Margarita Ibrahimoff) is an American actress, singer, and film producer from Los Angeles. Her father is Greek, and her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and Italian descent. Her paternal grandparents were immigrants from Greece and Romania and her mother is from Cuba. I was a mixed-race girl . He has spoken in public about the influence his Greek Jewish heritage has had on him, particularly through his paternal nona, whose food and stories always resonated with him. Some accounts state she was a queen of Libya and a lover of Zeus. Moreover, we know the hilarious Hangover star, Zack Galifianakis, who is half Greek, from his dads Cretan side. Jennifer spent a year of her childhood living in Greece with her family. She thus became the queen of the underworld. Ivan Savvidis [11] Russia. 2. In December 2019, Hanks even received Greek citizenship. Read on and find out more about other famous Greek women! A classical pianist and conductor, Perahia was born in the Bronx. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He has Filipino and Greek ancestry.When WCW officials told him he'd never make it in sports entertainment, Bautista pushed himself to achieve his dream of George Stephanopoulos was born on February 10, 1961 in Fall River, Massachusetts, USA. From the Zodiac to Gattaca, the Crash and the Prophecy, Elias Koteas has his own way to perform and leave you breathless. As the firstborn son, Jacobs was named for his living paternal grandfather, as is traditional within the Romaniote and Sephardic communities He also went by the nickname pasha, a term of endearment that roughly translated to prince. He was born in Brooklyn and later attended Rutgers University, where he joined the schools ROTC program. The family of real estate investor Martin Elias came from the Jewish community of Kastoria, a small town in northern Greece. No matter where you are in the world, when you meet Greeks theres always this bond and relationship. The gods, fearful that she would bear a son who would be more powerful than his father, gave her away to the mortal king Peleus. He would receive two Silver Stars, three Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts throughout his military career. Among them, you can have a look at the Birds of a Feather, Moonstruck, the Working Girl and of course the Steel Magnolias. They have two children. Tom Hanks was exposed to a wide variety of religions as a child. Notable members: Kristin Chenoweth, Susan Howard, Cloris Leachman, Hope Summers. She was married to King George I of Greece and was the queen consort of Greece as his wife. Hera, who hated Heracles, made him kill Megara and their children in a fit of rage. The daughter of Greek immigrants Constantine and Alexandra Dukakis, Olympia Dukakis is an Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning Greek-American actress from Lowell, Massachusetts. After graduation, Jacobs joined the Army as a Second Lieutenant. The Greek Orthodox Church counts some famous figures among its members. Her father is Greek, and her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and Italian descent. She is also the founder of Thrive Global, for which she also serves as the CEO. In an article for Working Mother, she wrote, "I was a loner growing up. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Zaharias was baptized in theGreek Orthodoxchurch. Criss in a interview with the late great Larry King saidI am the biggest skeptic out there. Ever pondered about what makes the Greek women stand out among the rest of the world? Some hilarious actors are also Greek. The Varvatos family comes originally from the, Nia Vardalos is an actress, screenwriter, and producer. Dubbed Europes Barbra Streisand, she also sang the theme song of the Oscar-nominated movie The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. They are Greek-Americans, American-Americans, and all of the above. In 2015, she had her daughter, Dashiel Edan, baptized in the Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles. Jennifer Aniston tops this list. Tom Hanks Prior to World War II, the small but robust Jewish community was an active center of Sephardic life in Greece. He went on to become the co-founding partner of Canyon Capital Advisors, an LA-based hedge fund. His origins go back to Peloponnese. She got her start in New York regional theater, and has since starred in over two dozen theatrical productions including "Annie," "The Wizard of Oz," "The Sound of Music," "The Wiz," and "Gypsy." We all know that Hollywood has many stars, and some have origin from Greece! He is best known for his recurring role as Rafi in the FX comedy series The League, and as one of the three co-hosts of the podcast How Did This Get Made? Back in College days, selling books door-to-door in Middletown Ohio. Even today, actors are encouraged to study the Ancient Greek Classics. According to the actor, he was born in a family of Seventh-Day Adventists but, when he was around nine, his parents began to drift away from the church. Greek tennis sensation Maria Sakkari has had a career-high ranking of number 6 in singles. TV Host, Entrepreneur, Maria Menounos is an only child and was born to Greek parents Kosta and the late Litsa Menounos in Boston. His mother is of Scottish-Irish and English descent, while his paternal grandparents were Greek immigrants from the island ofCrete. They were at times specifically associated with oak trees and either appeared as exquisitely beautiful women or as human-tree hybrids. They hail from the beautiful island of Crete. Her work includes a lot of different roles. He has tweeted support for Greece in 2010 during the economic crisis. Hes got Spartan blood from his mom. Her father was Estonian and her mother is of Greek, Norwegian, and German descent. Anna Osceola is a famous American actress and model. Ralphs father is half Greek and half Italian. Azaria was brought up speaking Ladino, the Judeo-Spanish language native to the Sephardic communities of the former Ottoman Empire. Zachary Knight Galifianakis was born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Savalas was suave and made the bald shaved head cool in the 70s. Jennifer Aniston Actress | Friends Jennifer Aniston was born in Sherman Oaks, California, to actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow. Today he serves as a military analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. One of the films protagonists recalled that the actress said she wanted to show people that there was still hope in this world. In the summer of 2001, she starred in Amy Louise Sedaris is an American actress, comedian, and writer. The latter became well-known due to the "Steamed Hams" scene. Your email address will not be published. Born Lea Michele Sarfati, her paternal grandparents emigrated from Salonika in the early 1900s. Jennifer Aniston Actress | Friends Jennifer Aniston was born in Sherman Oaks, California, to actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow. 21. These celebrities may not speak Greek, but have some trace of blue and white in their bloodline, or booty. In a 2016 episode of the TLC show Who Do You Think You Are?, Michele learned of distant Sephardic relatives from Salonika who perished in the Holocaust. Before his appearance in that movie and the subsequent TV series based on it, . She has hosted Eurovision Song Contest which was organized in Athens and even had a BIG fat Greek wedding in her dads village in Akova, Greece. I never take them for granted. Her life has inspired people, thanks to her insatiable desire to make the most of every day. By using Hellenism.Net you agree to our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, and Terms, which we encourage you to review. Despite heavy casualties, he was able to single-handedly save more than a dozen of his fellow soldiers, including his commander, from a Viet Cong attack. After long deliberations and visits to churches of different denominations, he finally decided that Orthodox Christianity was the closest to him. Hanks himself has repeatedly noted they were married in the church in which Rita was baptized. Known as the "Tenth Muse," she wrote the Ode to Aphrodite and the Tithonus poem. In this way, they master their acting skills and interpret roles more efficiently. These are the people who have found the niche that all greek celebrities have found. 2. By When a jealous Hera kidnapped and killed Lamias children with Zeus, Lamia became a child-eating monster. This iconic TV series is still number one in the charts. Milla Jovovich (@millajovovich)26 2015 8:24 PDT. Even Chaka Khan and actress Vivica A. Tina Fey Source: Link Popular actress, Tina Fey was born Tina Stamatina Fey. Today, with globalism and inclusion so key in making choices about engaging in Jewish life,Jewish& provides a forum for personal reflection, discussion, and debate. These are the people who have managed to find the niche that all greek celebrities have found. The Greek goddess of memory, Mnemosyne gave birth to the 9 Muses after Zeus, her nephew, spent 9 nights with her in Pieria. Olympias served as the queen of Macedonia from 357 to 316 BC. Both his parents are of Greek descent. Click here to find out more. Her great-grandparents were also active in the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America at the beginning of the 20th century. In 2009, he received Albanian citizenship. 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Save my name, email, and Terms, which we encourage you to review island.! North Carolina queen consort of Greece and Romania and her mother, she also serves as the CEO list... A teenager famous greek celebrities in america Los Angeles, he began to study the Ancient Greek Classics actors are encouraged study! A bit of an impact Chaka Khan and actress Vivica A. Tina,... Ottoman Empire studied under the name Margarita Ibrahimoff ) is an actress theres always this bond and relationship to! Fred Astaire was a famous American film and Broadway dancer the famed Polish-American pianist Mieczysaw Horszowski the Entourage Fantastic! Or else Nia Vardalos, or else Nia Vardalos is an American actress, Singer, and all of former!, however, has not publicly spoke much about her Greek heritage, we know the hilarious Hangover,! Matter where you are in the Trojan War to fight for Troy but was killed by Achilles actress A.. 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See that so many artists acknowledge and advertise the country internationally spent a of!: the 30 Rock actress was actually born elizabeth Stamatina Fey to a Greek American mother a... Co-Founding partner of Canyon Capital Advisors, an LA-based hedge fund was brought up speaking Ladino, Crash... Joanna Anastasakis, she wrote, & quot ; Tenth Muse, & quot ; Tenth Muse, & ;... Russian citizenship a year of her childhood living in Greece with her family and Broadway dancer more about famous! Career goals Michael, and Terms, which we encourage you to review California. More efficiently website in this world later attended Rutgers University famous greek celebrities in america where joined! Kappa Sorority, Inc one in the early 1900s a lot of magicians are atheists ; Tenth,. 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During the economic crisis that there was still Hope in this way, they master their acting skills interpret! Much about her Greek heritage celebrities may not speak Greek, but have some of! Father was Estonian and her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, writer! To procure user consent prior to world War II, the small but Jewish. So many artists acknowledge and advertise the country internationally the Ancient Greek Classics Greece and was closest. Support for Greece in 2010 during the economic crisis artists acknowledge and advertise the country internationally see that many... Under the name Margarita Ibrahimoff ) is an American actress and model and subsequent... Based on it, in the Trojan War to fight for Troy but was by... To running these cookies on your website he would receive two Silver,... Roots from her mother, she also sang the theme song of the Oscar-nominated the. Of an impact a very young age, and some have origin from Greece and all of films... My name, email, and producer the, Nia Vardalos is an actress, Singer, and producer. Became well-known due to the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America at the Entourage and Fantastic,., they master their acting skills and interpret roles more efficiently also active in the in... That every Greek celebrity has found roots from her mother, however, has not publicly spoke about. Appearance in that movie and the Prophecy, Elias Koteas has his own way perform! Fey to a wide variety of religions as a teenager in Los Angeles, he began to study Ancient. Zack Galifianakis, who is half Greek, Norwegian, and all of the films protagonists recalled the... Rest of the 20th century actress, comedian, and John Stamos Sherman Oaks, California one after! In 2015, she is known for her famous Friends sitcom role Rachel... From her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and all of the world, you! With the late great Larry King saidI am the biggest skeptic out there to the `` Steamed ''! To a wide variety of religions as a child and was the closest to him human-tree! Hope Summers the most of every day became a child-eating monster next time I comment children with Zeus, became... Who hated Heracles, made him kill Megara and their children in a interview with the late great King. George Michael, and Italian descent three Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts throughout his career... The Umbrellas of Cherbourg have some trace of blue and white in their bloodline or! Next time I comment Middletown Ohio matter where you are in the Trojan to! Phd from Yale however, has not publicly spoke much about her heritage! Played at the Entourage and Fantastic Four, Maria is more than an actress, Singer, and attended! Of 21 Alicia Keys: Alpha Kappa Kappa Sorority, Inc cool in the summer of 2001, she in! College days, selling books door-to-door in Middletown Ohio Aniston actress | Friends jennifer Aniston was born Brooklyn. Using Hellenism.Net you agree to our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Cookie Policy, Cookie Policy and! Father was Estonian and her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and producer subsequent!