Celebrities You Didn’t Know Have African Heritage – #7 Will Surprise You!

Here’s a list of 10 celebrities who have African heritage:

1. Oprah Winfrey: Her DNA test revealed her ancestry is primarily Sub-Saharan African, with roots traced to the Bamileke people of Cameroon, the Kpelle people of Liberia, and the Bantu people of Zambia.
2. Idris Elba: His father is from Sierra Leone, and his mother is from Ghana, giving him direct African heritage.
3. Samuel L. Jackson: Through DNA testing, he discovered his ancestral ties to the Benga people of Gabon and has even gained Gabonese citizenship.
4. Whoopi Goldberg: Her DNA linked her ancestry to the Papel and Bayote tribes in Guinea-Bissau.
5. Anthony Anderson: DNA testing suggests he is descended from the Bubi people of Equatorial Guinea, as well as the Tikar, Hausa, and Fulani people of Cameroon.
6. Erykah Badu: She has explored her heritage and discovered her roots in Cameroon, linked to the Bamileke tribe.
7. Chris Tucker: His DNA revealed ancestors from Cameroon and Angola (specifically the Ambundu ethnic group).
8. Beyoncé: While her direct African tribal lineage isn’t as widely publicized, she is a prominent African-American celebrity with deep roots in the African diaspora.
9. Jay-Z: Similar to Beyoncé, as a leading African-American figure in entertainment, his heritage is rooted in the African diaspora.
10. Meghan Markle: She recently revealed through a genealogy test that she has 43% Nigerian ancestry. and the list below give you more in detail.

Vin Diesel – The Action Star with a Hidden Heritage.

Vin Diesel is known as a major action star, but many don’t realize he was raised by his mother and his African-American stepfather in New York City. While he embraces his diverse background, he has been careful about revealing too much about his racial identity. He has mentioned being asked about his heritage and simply identifies with everything that makes him who he is.

Rashida Jones – Hollywood’s Best-Kept Biracial Secret.

Rashida Jones, daughter of legendary music producer Quincy Jones, has an African-American father and a mother from a different background. Growing up, she witnessed firsthand how race impacted people—even within her own family.

Some doubted she was Quincy Jones’s daughter because she didn’t “look Black enough.” She identifies as biracial and embraces both her African-American and European roots, though she has struggled to feel fully accepted in either community.

Wentworth Miller – The Prison Break Star with a Surprising Background.

Prison Break’s leading man, Wentworth Miller, is part Black—his father is of African-American, Jamaican, and British descent. Throughout his life, he often felt like he didn’t fit neatly into one racial category, facing perceptions of being “not Black enough” or “not white enough.” His struggles with identity have shaped both his life and acting career, and he speaks openly about how race has influenced him.

Jennifer Beals – The Flashdance Star You Didn’t Know Was Mixed-Race.

Jennifer Beals was born to an African-American father and an Irish-American mother. Raised primarily by her mother after her father passed away, many people are surprised to learn of her African-American heritage. She has felt like she lives in two worlds but is proud of both sides of her identity. Her multicultural upbringing has given her a unique perspective.

Pete Wentz – The Rock Star with Afro-Jamaican Roots.

Fall Out Boy’s bassist Pete Wentz has a mother, Dale Wentz, who is of Afro-Jamaican descent. This aspect of his identity has influenced his worldview, even if it isn’t always obvious to fans due to his physical appearance. Growing up in Chicago, his family’s Jamaican heritage played a role in shaping his identity and gave him an appreciation for diverse traditions.

Maya Rudolph – The Comedian with a Rich Cultural Heritage.

Maya Rudolph comes from a family with a famous African-American singer mother and an Ashkenazi Jewish father. Her mixed-race identity uniquely shaped her upbringing, exposing her to diverse traditions, music, and experiences. She didn’t think much about race growing up due to her loving and creative family life but later realized how differently the world sees race.

Troian Bellisario – The Pretty Little Liars Star’s Hidden Heritage.

Troian Bellisario has African-American and Creole roots through her mother, while her father is of European descent. Many are surprised to learn about her African-American heritage, as her appearance does not align with common assumptions. Her mixed heritage gave her a deep understanding of identity, though she rarely discusses it publicly.

Cash Warren – Hollywood Producer with Deep African-American Roots.

Cash Warren, often known as Jessica Alba’s husband, has strong African-American roots. His father, Michael Warren, is a well-known Black actor and former basketball player. Cash doesn’t often speak about his race publicly, so many might not realize he is part African-American. His father’s experiences as a Black man in America shaped his worldview.

Meghan Markle – The Duchess with a Biracial Background.

Before she became a British royal, many people didn’t realize Meghan Markle was biracial. Her mother, Doria Ragland, is African-American, and her father is white. Growing up in a mixed-race family gave her a unique perspective on race and identity, often straddling two worlds.

Hallee Hirsh – The Actress Who Struggled with Her Biracial Identity.

Hallee Hirsh is biracial, with a Black father and a white mother. Due to her light skin, many assume she is fully white, which has led to complicated feelings. While her appearance shields her from some forms of racism, she acknowledges the pain of not fully connecting with her Black heritage and has faced situations where her Black identity was dismissed.

Carol Channing – The Broadway Icon Who Kept Her African Heritage a Secret.

The legendary Broadway star Carol Channing, known for her bright blonde hair and fair skin, had African roots. She kept this fact hidden for most of her life and career, only learning about her part-Black father from her mother when she was 16. Despite feeling proud of her heritage, she chose to “pass as white” to protect her career due to the discrimination faced by Black performers in Broadway and Hollywood at the time.

Carmen Ejogo – The British Actress with Nigerian Roots.

British actress Carmen Ejogo was born to a Nigerian father and a Scottish mother. She is proud of her African roots, even though her light skin and European features might surprise some. Despite her success, she has faced challenges in the industry, feeling that Hollywood wasn’t always ready for someone who looked like her.

Slash – The Legendary Guitarist with a Hidden Black Heritage.

Rock legend Slash, best known as the lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, comes from a biracial background. His mother was a Black fashion designer, and his father was a white artist. While he rarely discusses his racial identity, it has always been a part of him, influencing his life and career.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – The Superstar with African-Canadian Ancestry

Dwayne Johnson’s background includes African-Canadian heritage from his father’s side. His father was part of the Black Nova Scotian community, a group of African-Americans who left the United States after the American Revolution.

Tessa Thompson – The Afro-Panamanian Star of Hollywood.

Tessa Thompson’s father is Afro-Panamanian, and her mother is of Mexican descent. Growing up biracial in America came with challenges, and while her mother was not Black, she played a significant role in helping Tessa embrace her Black identity.

Jessica Szohr – The Gossip Girl Actress with African-American Roots.

Jessica Szohr, known for her role in Gossip Girl, has an African-American mother. Many assume she is of purely European descent, but her background is more complex. She has spoken about the challenges of being biracial in Hollywood, often being cast in racially ambiguous roles.

Aubrey Plaza – The Comedian with Afro-Caribbean Ancestry.

Aubrey Plaza has African ancestry through her Puerto Rican father. Due to her fair skin, many are unaware of her mixed background. She has discussed how growing up biracial affected her personally and professionally, especially since people often assume she is just Caucasian.

Tiga – The Rapper with African-American and Vietnamese Heritage.

Tiga has a background blending African-American and Vietnamese cultures. While some focus on his Asian heritage, he is proud of both sides of his family and race.

Heather Locklear – The Actress with African and Native American Roots.

Heather Locklear has some Native American and African-American ancestry. While she is not widely recognized for her Black heritage, it is part of her family’s background.

Nicolle Robinson – The Actress Embracing Her Black and Jewish Roots.

Nicolle Robinson comes from a background of African-American and Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Raised by a white Jewish mother and Black non-Jewish father, she was encouraged to embrace both sides of her heritage.

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Which of these surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments! 🚀