If there is one thing Arabs love, it is a celebrity who comes from their own country. Hollywood celebrities have been more open about their heritage than ever before, so here are 7 that you might not know were of Arab origins.
We have stayed away from Salma Hayek and Rami Malek because, by now, the whole world should know they have a Middle Eastern heritage.
Shakira- Half Lebanese
Shakira’s Hips Don’t Lie singer is half Lebanese and half Colombian. She gets her roots from her father, and she often expresses her Arab roots through her belly dancing, zaghrouta skills and incorporates Arab instruments in her music.
Gigi & Bella Hadid- Half-Palestinians
Not to state the obvious, but Bella Hadid and Gigi Hadid are Palestinians. Their father, Mohammed Hadid, often expresses his love for Palestine on Instagram alongside his daughters, expressing their care and love for the country. They have mentioned prayer and having delicious food is their norm when around the family.
Mika- Half Lebanese
Pop Star and The Voice Judge, Mika, is half Lebanese and a very proud one too.
Mika received an award from the Lebanese government for his performance, I Love Beirut, after the horrible explosion in 2019.
French Montana- Moroccan
Karim Kharbouch, AKA French Montana, was born and raised in Rabat, Morocco before his family moved to the United States. The rapper embraces his Moroccan heritage through his lyrics, music videos, and charity work.
Jade Thirlwall- Part Yemeni & Egyptian
Popstar Jade Thirlwall, known from the British pop group, Little Mix, is half Egyptian and part Yemeni. The Little Mix star grew up in Laygate, South Shields, in the northeast of England, where many Arabs worked from the 1920s. Her grandfather Mohammed arrived around 1943 from Yemen, where he worked as a firefighter in the merchant navy.
Jerry Seinfeld- Part Syrian
Known for his successful TV show, Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld is part Syrian from his mother’s side. His father, Kálmán Seinfeld, was of Hungarian Jewish descent and collected jokes he heard while serving in World War ll. His mother, Betty, and her parents, Selim and Salha Hosni, were Jews from Aleppo, Syria.
Steve Jobs- Half Syrian (Father was Syrian)
Steve Jobs is known as an arch innovator from California’s Silicon Valley founding Apple Computer, NeXt, and Pixar. But the truth is that the tech mogul was born into an Arab Muslim household in Syria, where his Syrian biological father, Abdulfattah Al Jandali, was born and bred. Later, Steve Jobs was adopted by an American family, and the rest is history.
