10 Celebrities You Didnt Know Had a Middle Eastern Background

The world is such a big place. With seven continents and hundreds of country, the diversity of human beings is nothing short of incredible. Unfortunately; however, all racial groups and ethnicities are not always treated with the same level of respect. Over the last several years, negative stereotypes about people from the Middle East have been being passed around all over the place. Because of the bad things that have been portrayed in the media, many people tend to forget how incredible and diverse the culture truly is. You may think you can tell what background a person comes from just by looking at them, but that isn’t always the case – and you should never judge a book by its cover.  Here are 10 celebrities you didn’t know had a Middle Eastern background.

Marlo Thomas

Emmy Award winning actress, Marlo Thomas, rose to fame during the 60s and 70s. Her father, Danny Thomas, was also a successful entertainer whose career lasted for more than 40 years. Although both Marlo and her father were born in Detroit, Danny Thomas’ parents were both Lebanese natives who emigrated to the United States.

(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Zoe Saldana

Born in New Jersey, actress Zoe Saldana has been in the entertainment industry for almost two decades. Over the course of her career, she has starred in several popular movies, and is often considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. Most often recognized as being a black Dominican, her roots also extend to other places around the world. Although both of her parents are Hispanic, she also has Lebanese ancestry.

(Photo by Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

Wentworth Miller

In 2005, Wentworth Miller rose to prominence for his starring role in the his TV series, Prison Break. For four seasons, Miller entertained audiences with his portrayal of Michael Scofield, a character who purposely landed himself in prison to help free his brother. Throughout his entire career, Miller’s ancestry has always been an interesting topic. Although he simply identifies as bi-racial, Miller’s background includes Lebanese and Syrian backgrounds.

(Photo by Paul McConnell/Getty Images)

Dr. Oz

Born Mehmet Oz, Dr. Oz is most commonly referred to by his professional name. A doctor by trade, he has become a popular figure on talk shows and other televised programs. These days, if you need advice on a popular medical topic, Dr. Oz is definitely the guy to turn to Although the topic of his heritage is rarely brought up, both of Dr. Oz’ parents are from Turkey.

(Photo by Brad Barket/Getty Images)

Sammy Hagar

Former Van Halen front man, Sammy Hagar, is well-known for his ability to energize audiences and put on a good show.  Over the course of his career, Hagar has toured the world and performed in front of millions of people. Although he was born and raised in California, his family roots actually trace all the way back to Lebanon.

 (Photo by Larry Marano/Getty Images for Food Network SoBe Wine & Food Festival)

Vince Vaughn

Actor Vince Vaughn has been working in Hollywood for more than 25 years. Best-known for his comedic film roles, Vaughn has proven that he can also be a serious actor. Currently starring in HBO’s True Detective, Vaughn is making some pretty serious waves on the small screen as well. But while most people assume they can look at Vaughn and guess his heritage, even some of his biggest fans may not be aware of the fact that he has Middle Eastern ancestry. In fact, his paternal grandmother was Lebanese.

 (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Salma Hayek

Born in Mexico, Salma Hayek made her on-screen debut in 1988. Since then, she has gone on to become one of the hottest women in Hollywood, and she has starred in some very successful films. However, although she is most commonly considered, Mexican, Hayek’s background is extremely diverse. Aside from having obvious Spanish ancestry,  she is also Middle Eastern and her name, “Salma” is actually Arabic for peace/calm. Her paternal grandfather was Lebanese, and Hayek and her father visited Lebanon earlier this year.

 (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Gigi Hadid

Daughter of super model, Yolanda Foster, Gigi Hadid is also making her own waves in the fashion industry. The 20-year-old model is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the modeling world, and aside from runway shows, she has also appeared in ads and on magazine covers. Although she is most commonly seen with her famous mother, and even more famous step-father, David Foster, Gigi’s father, Mohamed Hadid, is a native of Palestine.

(Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Jerry Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most well-known names in the entertainment business. As the creator and title character of one of the best sitcoms ever, Seinfeld will go down in history as one of the greatest to ever do it. Although he definitely represents New York to the fullest, Seinfeld is also international. Both of Seinfeld’s parents are the children of immigrants, and his mother is of Syrian descent.

(Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images)

Steve Jobs

Now this is one you probably never saw coming.  The late Apple CEO and technology mastermind, Steve Jobs, had Middle Eastern blood running through his veins. Adopted by the Jobs family after his birth, Jobs’ biological father, Abdulfattah ‘John’ Jandali, is a Syrian man who is the son of a millionaire.

(Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Lead (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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