You would not believe these world-famous celebrities have Hungarian origins

It might not be obvious that some stars are of Hungarian origins, as their names are far from being Hungarian. However, many Hollywood stars and other world-famous celebrities are the descendants of Hungarians. Here is a list of some celebrities who have Hungarian ancestry.

Hungarian origins

Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein is an American fashion designer who founded the Calvin Klein Inc. company in 1968. He is best known for his clothing lines, including his iconic jeans and underwear collections, as well as his fragrances. As Hamu és Gyémánt notes, his name does not sound Hungarian, it has a German ring to it. However, he is, in fact, also connected to our small country, as his father Leo Klein was born in Hungary. Calvin Klein was born and raised in New York.

Source: Wikimedia Commons – David Shankbone

Rachel Weisz

Rachel Weisz is an actress known for her versatile performances in film, television, and theatre. She gained widespread recognition for her roles in various critically acclaimed movies. She starred in films such as Definitely, Maybe (2008), The Bourne Legacy (2012) and Black Widow (2021). Not many know that the actress has Hungarian blood flowing in her veins from her father’s side. Her father, György Weisz, was an engineer and inventor of Hungarian descent. The family fled to England in 1938 to escape Nazi persecution, and the actress was born there in 1970.

Source: Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore

Peter Falk

Peter Falk was an American actor, best known for his iconic role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series “Columbo.” Aside from “Columbo,” Falk appeared in many notable films, including “Pocketful of Miracles” (1961), “The Great Race” (1965), “A Woman Under the Influence” (1974), and “Wings of Desire” (1987), among others. Falk was born in 1927 to American accountant parents. However, the family is of Eastern European-Jewish descent, including Czech and Russian. His maternal grandfather, Peter Hochhauser, was born in Budapest.

Drew Barrymore

As we wrote HERE earlier, Drew Barrymore’s mother, Ildikó Makó, was born in a camp for Hungarian refugees post-WWII. Later, she moved to the USA in hopes of a glamorous acting career. Thus, she changed her name to Jaid. Drew Barrymore was born in 1975 and she became an actress as well. She gained fame as a child actress for her role in Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), playing Gertie. In addition, she is also known for her performances in a variety of genres, including romantic comedies, dramas, and thrillers.

Photo: FB/Drew Barrymore

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix is an American actor, producer, and animal rights activist. He established himself as one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation. The actor is known for his dedication to his roles; he often undergoes physical and emotional changes. His most famous films include Gladiator (2000), Her (2013), Joker (2019) and Napoleon (2023). The Oscar-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix is also of Hungarian origin. His mother, Arlyn Phoenix, is of Hungarian descent and his grandparents were Hungarian-Russian Jews. His grandmother’s name is very revealing, her name was Margaret Lefkowitz.

Source: Wikimedia Commons/Georges Biard

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn is an American actress, producer, and singer who rose to fame in the late 1960s. While most people are familiar with the talented actress, not many know that she is also a descendant of Hungarians. Her mother, Laura Steinhoff, was born in Hungary. The family moved to the USA before World War II. Goldie Hawn was born in Washington, D.C. in 1945. Only a few people know that Goldie was initially named Aranka. As we have reported HERE, it was later changed to Goldie, which sounds less odd in the USA. It is also the mirror translation of Aranyka, her mother’s jewellery shop in Hungary. In 2012, Goldie visited Hungary with her sister to discover their roots.

Source: Instagram/goldiehawn

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons is best known as the co-founder, bass guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. It may come as a surprise that he is also a descendant of Hungarian parents. His mother, Flóra Kovács, was born in Hungary and his father, Ferenc Witz, is also Hungarian. According to certain sources, Gene is an excellent speaker of the Hungarian language.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/TheGodOfThunder76

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