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September 10, 2014

Actors, actresses and musicians you may not have known have native american heritage

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With more than five million people of Native American descent living in the United States, it’s not surprising that many famous people who are in the arts and entertainment industries are members of one of the many tribes on record, or their ancestors were.

While investigating what famous people claim Native American blood, it’s clear that you have to go on self-reporting, for the most part. It’s pretty widely known that Elvis was directly descended from the Cherokee Nation, for instance.

Other celebrities who claim Native American origin have caused more controversy. Cher said that she had 1/16 Cherokee blood after releasing her single, “Half Breed,” in the 1970s. Her claims were widely disputed, and her choice to wear a typical Plains Indian headdress while performing the song on Sonny and Cher didn’t win anyone over. Particularly, since the Cherokee are Southeastern Indians and did not wear that sort of headdress.

There are many actors and musicians whose Native American ancestry may be less obvious. Jimi Hendrix, Tori Amos, Chuck Norris, and Angelina Jolie come to mind. Let’s take a look at some other celebrities you may not have known have at least some Native American heritage.

Benjamin Bratt

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Jimi Hendrix

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Hendrix was one-quarter Cherokee, through his grandmother.

Image credit: Wikipedia

 

Tori Amos

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Tori Amos is of Cherokee ancestry on her mother’s side.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Will Rogers

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The quintessential American entertainer, Rogers was part Cherokee.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Lou Diamond Phillips

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Lou Diamond Phillips — best known by many for his role as Richie Valens in La Bambais partially of Cherokee descent.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Ben Harper

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Ben Harper’s father is of Cherokee ancestry.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Kid Cudi

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Kid Cudi’s father is of partial Native American ancestry.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Angelina Jolie

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Angelina Jolie’s mother, the late Marcheline Bertrand, claimed Native American ancestry. She and her partner, Native American activist and poet John Trudell, founded the All Tribes Foundation to benefit Native Americans.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Rosario Dawson

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Rosario’s biological father was reportedly of Native American and Irish descent.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Johnny Depp

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“I guess I have some Native American somewhere down the line,” Johnny Depp told Entertainment Weekly. “My great grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.”

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Heather Locklear

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Heather Locklear is said to be of Lumbee ancestry on her father’s side. Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Jessica Biel

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Jessica Biel’s mother’s family is part Native American.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Jennifer Tilly

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Jennifer Tilly’s mother was of partial Native American ancestry.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Cameron Diaz

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Cameron Diaz’s mother is of Native American descent.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Mandy Moore

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Singer-actress Mandy Moore is of Cherokee descent.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Miley Cyrus

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Miley’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, talks often of his family’s Cherokee heritage.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Joe Jonas

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Joe Jonas — and therefore, of course, the rest of the JoBros — are reportedly of Cherokee ancestry on their father’s side.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Elvis Presley

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Elvis Presley’s great-great-great grandmother, Morning White Dove, was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian.

Image credit: Wikipedia

Anthony Kiedis

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The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ frontman’s grandmother was of Mohican ancestry.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Chuck Norris

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Chuck Norris’s father, Ray Norris, was of Cherokee ancestry.

Image credit: Pacific Coast News

Burt Reynolds

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Burt Reynolds’s father was of Irish-Cherokee descent.

Image credit: Wikipedia

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