Celebs You Thought Were Part Black, But They’re Not

We often assume things about a celebrity’s background based on how they look or the characters they play, and it can be surprising to learn where they actually come from. It’s easy to make these kinds of mistakes, especially with so much diversity in the entertainment industry. This list showcases some stars whose ethnic backgrounds might be different than you think.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars, born and raised in Honolulu, has a diverse heritage with a Filipino mother and a father of Puerto Rican and Jewish descent. He became a popular artist with songs like “Just the Way You Are” and “Uptown Funk,” demonstrating his skills as a singer, songwriter, and producer. His music combines elements of pop, funk, soul, and reggae, and he’s won many Grammy Awards throughout his career.

Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul comes from a Jewish family – her father’s side is Syrian Jewish and her mother is Jewish Canadian. She first gained recognition as a choreographer, working with artists like Janet Jackson, and then launched her own successful singing career with hits like “Straight Up” and “Opposites Attract.” More recently, she became a familiar face as a judge on “American Idol,” while continuing to perform and create music.

Raymond Ablack

Raymond Ablack is a Canadian actor whose parents came to Canada from Guyana. He first became well-known for playing Sav Bhandari on the show ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation,’ and has since appeared in popular series like ‘Narcos’ and ‘Maid.’ He’s known for acting in both TV and movies, frequently taking on roles that showcase a variety of characters in compelling, dramatic stories.

Alex Aiono

Alex Aiono’s family background is a mix of cultures – his father is Samoan and Maori, while his mother has English and German heritage. He started his career by posting music covers and original songs on YouTube, which eventually led to a recording contract and songs like “Thinking About You.” He’s also appeared as an actor in shows such as ‘Royal Crush,’ and has focused on building a career in pop music.

Joe Anoa’i

Roman Reigns, whose real name is Joe Anoa’i, comes from a diverse family background – his father is Samoan and his mother is Italian. Before becoming a highly successful professional wrestler and multiple-time world champion in WWE, he played football. Wrestling is in his blood, as he comes from a famous wrestling family that includes The Rock and the Usos, carrying on their tradition in the sport.

Simone Ashley

Simone Ashley is a British actress of Tamil Indian descent. She’s best known for playing Kate Sharma in the popular series ‘Bridgerton’ and Olivia Hanan in ‘Sex Education’. Her work frequently focuses on modern stories about identity and relationships.

Ariana Greenblatt

Ariana Greenblatt’s background is a mix of Puerto Rican and Jewish heritage. She began her acting career at a young age, with roles like Daphne on ‘Stuck in the Middle’ and a young Gamora in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. She’s also appeared in films like ‘In the Heights’ and ‘Barbie’, demonstrating her ability to perform in both heartwarming family stories and exciting action movies.

Lacey Chabert

As a movie buff, I’ve always been impressed with Lacey Chabert’s range! It’s fascinating to learn she has such a diverse background – Cajun French, Italian, Scottish, and English roots. Most people probably recognize her voice as Meg Griffin from ‘Family Guy,’ or maybe as Gretchen Wieners in the iconic ‘Mean Girls.’ But honestly, I think a lot of us now know her best as the queen of Hallmark movies – she’s always popping up in those cozy holiday romances and intriguing mysteries, and she’s just fantastic in them.

Pink

Pink, whose real name is Alecia Moore, comes from a diverse background with German, Irish, and Lithuanian Jewish roots. She first became famous with her album *Can’t Take Me Home*, which included the song “There You Go.” Throughout her career, she’s released many popular songs like “Get the Party Started” and become known for her energetic concerts featuring impressive acrobatic skills.

Rita Ora

Rita Ora, whose parents are Albanian and originally from Kosovo, started her music career by signing with Roc Nation and releasing her first album, ‘Ora,’ which included the hit song ‘How We Do.’ She’s also appeared as an actress in the movie ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ and as a judge on ‘The Voice UK’.

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande, who has Italian roots, first became known for her role as Cat Valentine on the show ‘Victorious.’ She then began her music career with the album ‘Yours Truly,’ and has since released popular albums like ‘Thank U, Next’ and ‘positions,’ achieving success in both pop and R&B.

Michelle Wolf

Michelle Wolf is a white American comedian whose family background includes German and Irish ancestry. She gained recognition as a correspondent on ‘The Daily Show’ and later hosted her own show, ‘The Break with Michelle Wolf.’ Her stand-up comedy often focuses on current events and social topics.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba’s family background is a mix of cultures – her father is of Mexican descent, and her mother has Danish, French, and English roots. She became well-known for her role as Max Guevara in the TV show ‘Dark Angel,’ and later founded The Honest Company, which creates natural and eco-friendly products. She’s also appeared in films like ‘Sin City’ and ‘Fantastic Four’.

Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera’s family background is diverse, with her father having Ecuadorian heritage and her mother being of German, Irish, and Welsh descent. She first became famous with her debut album, which included the hit song “Genie in a Bottle.” Later in her career, she shared her coaching expertise on the show ‘The Voice’ and released music in Spanish, celebrating her family’s roots.

Bebe Rexha

Bebe Rexha was born in New York to parents of Albanian descent. Before achieving solo success with her hit song “Meant to Be,” she wrote songs for other artists, including co-writing “The Monster” for Eminem. She has released albums such as “Expectations,” which features the popular track “I’m a Mess.”

Avan Jogia

Avan Jogia’s family background is a mix of cultures – his father is of Gujarati Indian descent, and his mother has English, German, and Welsh roots. He’s known for playing Beck Oliver in the TV show ‘Victorious’ and for his role in ‘Twisted.’ He’s also appeared in ‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ and has experience directing short films.

Shay Mitchell

Shay Mitchell’s heritage is a mix of Filipino and European – her mother is Filipino, and her father is of Scottish and Irish descent. She’s best known for her roles as Emily Fields in the TV show ‘Pretty Little Liars’ and in the series ‘You.’ Beyond acting, she’s also created her own travel brand and authored a novel titled ‘Bliss.’

Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo’s heritage is a mix of Filipino, from her father’s side, and German and Irish, from her mother’s. She first became well-known with her song “Drivers License,” which was on her album *Sour*. Before her music career took off, she was an actress, playing the role of Nini Salazar-Roberts in the Disney+ series *High School Musical: The Musical: The Series*.

Nicole Scherzinger

Nicole Scherzinger’s family background is Hawaiian and Filipino. She first became famous as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, with popular songs like “Don’t Cha,” and later released her own music, including the album *Killer Love*. She’s also been a judge on the show *The X Factor* and has appeared in musical productions such as *Cats*.

Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa Hudgens’ mother is Filipino, and her father has Irish and Native American roots. She became famous playing Gabriella in the movie ‘High School Musical’ and also acted in ‘Spring Breakers’. As a musician, she’s released albums like ‘V’, which features the single ‘Come Back to Me’.

Timothy Granaderos

Timothy Granaderos’ father is Filipino. He’s known for playing Montgomery de la Cruz on ’13 Reasons Why’ and for his role in ‘T@gged’. He often takes on characters involved in emotionally charged and dramatic stories.

Olivia Munn

Olivia Munn’s mother is of Chinese descent, while her father has German, Irish, and English roots. She’s known for hosting the show ‘Attack of the Show!’ and for her role in ‘The Newsroom’. She also played Psylocke in the movie ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’.

Jessica Henwick

Jessica Henwick’s heritage is a blend of cultures – her mother is Chinese-Singaporean, and her father is Zambian-English. She’s known for action roles, including Colleen Wing in ‘Iron Fist’ and Bugs in ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, and has appeared in both television and film.

Dinah Jane

Dinah Jane’s family background is a mix of Tongan, Samoan, Fijian, and Danish heritage. She first became famous as a member of the group Fifth Harmony, known for songs like “Work from Home.” Since then, she’s released her own music, including the song “Bottled Up” featuring Ty Dolla Sign.

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves has a diverse background, with roots in Chinese, Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, English, and Irish cultures. He’s famous for his roles as Neo in ‘The Matrix’ and John Wick in the ‘John Wick’ movies, but he first gained recognition with ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure’.

Chloe Bennet

Chloe Bennet’s heritage is a mix of Chinese and white, stemming from her parents. She’s known for her role as Daisy Johnson in the TV show ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and for providing the voice of Yi in the movie ‘Abominable’. Early in her career, she decided to use the last name Bennet instead of her birth name, Wang.

Jason Momoa

Let me tell you about Jason Momoa – he’s a fascinating actor with a really interesting background. He’s got Native Hawaiian roots on his dad’s side, and a mix of German, Irish, and Native American heritage from his mom. Most people probably know him as Aquaman from the DC movies, or maybe as Khal Drogo from ‘Game of Thrones,’ and those roles really showcase his presence. But he’s done a lot more than that, including work on ‘Frontier,’ and he’s even stepped behind the camera to direct projects. He’s a genuinely versatile talent.

Janel Parrish

Janel Parrish’s background is a mix of Chinese and European heritage, stemming from her father and mother respectively. She’s known for her roles as Mona Vanderwaal on the TV show ‘Pretty Little Liars’ and in the movie ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,’ and she also competed on ‘Dancing with the Stars.’

Mitski

Mitski, whose father is Japanese and mother is American, is an indie rock artist known for albums like *Puberty 2*, which features the popular song “Your Best American Girl.” Her music often delves into themes of identity and explores a wide range of emotions.

K.J. Apa

K.J. Apa’s background is a mix of Samoan and European cultures – his father is Samoan and his mother is European. He’s best known for playing Archie Andrews on ‘Riverdale’, and he also appeared in the film ‘The Last Summer’. His father holds the position of village chief in Samoa.

2025-10-15 09:17