Steve Buscemi, an American actor, writer, and director, was born in New York in 1957. He is most famous for his roles in critically acclaimed movies such as Con Air, Fargo, and Miami Vice. Buscemi is close friends with Adam Sandler and has made appearances in numerous Sandler films. Most recently, he has starred in and won a Golden Globe for the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire.” Buscemi was raised as a devout Catholic by his parents and his mother is of Irish-descent.
2. Kate Spade
Kate Spade, born in Missouri in 1962, is the co-founder of the designer brand, Kate Spade. She attended an all-girls Catholic High School during her teenage years and later graduated from Arizona State University. Spade opened her first boutique in New York City in 1996 and went on to open more than 90 Kate Spade stores. Her clothing, handbags, and accessories are sold in stores all over the world. This high-end designer traces her roots to Ireland.
With a surname like Deschanel, its hard to believe that Zooey has any connection to the Irish. Deschanel is an American actress and musician who is best known for her starring role in Fox’s TV series, New Girl. The name Deschanel comes from her paternal grandfather who was born and raised in the Rhône region of France, but this famous actress has strong roots in the north west of Ireland. On the maternal side of Zooey’s family tree is William Weir, a distant great-grandfather who emigrated from Donegal to the US in 1819 and settled in Ohio.
4. Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris, American action film star and martial-artist, was born in Oklahoma in 1940. Norris was launched into stardom after his 1972 appearance in Way of the Dragon and starred in the TV series, Walker, Texas Ranger for over eight years. He is one of three children to Wilma Scarberry and Ray Norris. His mother, Wilma, is of Irish-descent and his paternal grandfather emigrated to the US during the late 1800s.
5. Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple is an American film and television actress and former US ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She was born in 1928 in California and is considered as one of the most famous child actors in history and was the first child-actor to receive an Academy Award. Her mother, Gertrude Temple, was of Irish and German descent.
Golden Globe and Academy Award winning director, Quentin Tarantino was born in Tennessee in 1953. Famous for his directorial genius in Pulp Fiction and most recently acclaimed for his work on Django Unchained, Tarantino has been considered one of the best directors in Hollywood for decades. Tarantino was raised by his mother after his parents separated before his birth. His mother, Connie McHugh, is of Irish heritage.
Marlon Brando, considered to be one of the greatest movie stars of all time, was born in Nebraska in 1924. He starred in many films during his early career and reached the peak of his fame after playing Vito Corleone in The Godfather movie. Brando was also a close friend of Michael Jackson. Brando traces his Irish roots back to his maternal great-grandfather, Myles Gahan, who immigrated to the US from Ireland.
George W. Bush, born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1946, was the 43rd President of the United States. Bush was raised in Texas and served as Governor there from 1995 to 2000.
He is the second president to have been the son of a former president and, surprisingly, he traces his roots to the Emerald Isle. Bush’s five-time great grandfather, William Holliday, was born in County Down during the mid eighteenth century and later moved to the US.
9. Sharon Stone
Golden Globe winning actress, Sharon Stone, was born in Pennsylvania in 1958. She is best known for her performances in Basic Instinct and Casino. She has worked in the Middle East to promote peace and has been involved with various charities throughout her career. Stone’s paternal grandfather emigrated from Ireland to Louisiana, where Stone’s father was born.
Oscar winning actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, was born in New York in 1967. He has starred in films such as Capote, Doubt, The Ides of March, and has made many guest appearances in hit TV shows. He has also been extremely successful on Broadway, earning two Tony nominations. He is the son of Marilyn O’Connor, a family court judge of Irish descent.
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