Recognizing Hungarian celebrities

I think it is safe to say that Hungarian celebrities aren’t exactly the most discussed topic. It isn’t as though these people aren’t recognized for other things, such as their careers and other accomplishments, but in terms of a cultural representation, I would wager Hungarian backgrounds aren’t all that common among celebrities.

Because of my own Hungarian background, I wanted to, for shits, look up some famous Hungarian folks. I was surprised with the findings, and so I figured I would share this information with you.

Goldie Hawn and her daughter, Kate Hudson: “As with many on this list, the prestigious actress Goldie Hawn is the daughter of Jews who escaped Hungary during World War II. She was born in Washington D.C. in 1945 but visited Hungary with her sister in 2012 to discover her heritage. Naturally, this also means Hawn’s daughter, Kate Hudson, has Hungarian blood,” says

Drew Barrymore: “According to Barrymore, whenever the actress meets another Hungarian she always tells them that she, too, is magyar. Barrymore’s mother, Ildiko Makó, was born to Hungarian parents in a German refugee camp during WWII.

Harry Houdini: “It might be a surprise to learn that The Great Houdini—the most famous escape artist—was Hungarian. He was born in Budapest as Erik Weisz, and his family moved to America when he was four. He renamed himself Harry Houdini when he started performing as a magician.

Gene Simmons: “… Rock-and-roll icon Simmons had a worldly childhood and was born as Chaim Witz in Israel. He later changed his name to Eugene Klein, taking his Hungarian mother’s maiden name. Simmons does have some understanding of Hungarian and was even spotted singing a Hungarian folk song on TV with his mum.

Calvin Klein: “Although the name Klein might sound Germany or Austrian, Klein’s father, Leo, was actually born in Hungary. Klein himself was born and raised in New York City burrough the Bronx and went on to have a hugely successful career in fashion, which his mother encouraged.

Alanis Morrisette: “Canadian-born Morrisette is very proud of her Hungarian heritage; her Hungarian mother’s family was forced to leave the country after the 1956 revolution. Morisette is so proud of her magyar heritage that she even named her publishing company Szeretlek, which means ‘I love you.’

Louis C.K.: “One of America’s most famous comedians, Louis C.K., cleverly changed his surname, Székély (say-kay-ee), to a vague approximation of an Anglicised pronunciation. C.K. was born in Mexico and spoke Spanish before moving to America at a young age, but his father’s ancestry is rooted in Mexico and Hungary.”

Who knew there were so many celebrity Magyars?

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