Amal Clooney, the renowned human rights lawyer and wife of George Clooney, was raised in London since the age 2, but she was actually born in Beirut and comes from a Lebanese family. (Photo: WENN)
Shakira may be Colombian in paper, but the songwriter and dancer has Lebanese paternal grandparents. (Photo: WENN)
Salma Hayek was born in Mexico, has American citizenship, and is married to a French billionaire. But the beautiful actress has Lebanese paternal grandparents. (Photo: WENN)
Keanu Reeves may not have Lebanese ancestors, but he was actually born in Beirut! (Photo: WENN)
Vince Vaughn is a popular American actor, producer and comedian, but his parental grandmother was Lebanese. (Photo: WENN)
Zoe Saldana is more in touch with her Dominican and Puerto Rican roots, but she has definitely noted her Lebanese ancestry as well! (Photo: WENN)
Prison Break star Wentworth Miller is actually of Syrian and Lebanese descent from his mother side. (Photo: WENN)
Jenna Dewan-Tatum, best known for her work in the movie Step Up (and for being married to the beautiful Channing Tatum) has Lebanese ancestry from his father side. (Photo: WENN)
British singer and songwriter MIKA was born of a Lebanese mother and an American father in Beirut! (Photo: WENN)
Tony Shalhoub, famous for his outstanding acting in the TV series “Monk”, was born in Wisconsin to parents of Lebanese ethnicity. (Photo: WENN)
Shannon Elizabeth, best known for her American Pie role as Nadia, has a Lebanese-Syrian father. (Photo: WENN)
OK, this one is a stretch. Canadian diva Celine Dion was married to René Angélil, who was born to a Lebanese mother. Does that count? (Photo: WENN)
You’ve probably heard their names more than a few hundred times. They sing your favorite songs and appear in your beloved TV shows and movies. They are la crème de la crème of the entertainment industry!
But did you know that all of these A-listers hold (besides their inner talent—of course!) roots to the land of the Cedars? While some of these celebrities happen to be of “Lebanese descent” as in “possibly has a Lebanese ancestor”, some others come from traditional Lebanese families and were even born in Beirut!
Celebrating Lebanon Independence Day—because, you know, why not! —here are 12 of your favorite celebrities you’ll be shock to learn are of Lebanese origins.