Hayden Christensen
Christensen in 2010, image via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Place of Birth: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Date of Birth: April 19, 1981
Ethnicity: Danish, Swedish, one quarter Italian
Hayden Christensen is a Canadian actor and producer. He is known for playing Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars franchise, beginning with Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones; and for his roles in the films The Virgin Suicides, Life as a House, Shattered Glass, Factory Girl, Awake, Virgin Territory, Jumper, New York, I Love You, Takers, Vanishing on 7th Street, Outcast, American Heist, 90 Minutes in Heaven, First Kill, and Little Italy, and on television’s Higher Ground, Goosebumps, and Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Hayden is the son of Ali, a speechwriter, and David Christensen, a computer programmer and communications executive. His father has Danish ancestry. His mother has Swedish and Italian, including Sicilian, ancestry, with family in the U.S. His brother, Tove Christensen, is also an actor and producer, and his sisters Hejsa and Kaylen have also acted. Hayden has a daughter with his former partner, actress Rachel Bilson.
Hayden’s maternal grandfather is named Kenneth E. Nelson (the son of Sven Nelson and Nicoline “Nina”). Kenneth was born in New Jersey, to Swedish immigrants.
Hayden’s maternal grandmother is Rose H. Rao (re-marriage name Rose Schwartz; the daughter of Enrico Henry Rao and Concetta Greco). Rose was born in Pennsylvania. Enrico was Italian, the son of Joseph Rao and Rose Conti, who was born in Messina, Sicilia. Concetta was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents.
Source: Hayden’s maternal grandmother, Rose H. Rao, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Just a question. Does anyone know how and/or why Hayden’s grandmother is listed as Rose Schwartz sometimes?
Hayden’s grandmother goes by the name Rose Schwartz now. While I hope I’m wrong, I’m guessing “Schwartz” is Hayden’s grandmother’s re-marriage surname, rather than the surname of Hayden’s maternal grandfather.
Hayden’s mother is sometimes listed as having the surname “Nelson”, and I suspect that’s probably Hayden’s maternal grandfather’s surname.
I looked them up, and there’s no question that Hayden’s grandmother’s “Schwartz” relatives are Jewish, though.
Cool mix and a bit usual no united kingdom ancestry at all…
I can see the Italian side in him.
Capri is in southern italy most southern italians look nothing like Hayden, you’d have to look in the most northern areas of northern italy to find a few that look like Hayden at best.
wow. do you look down on souther europeans? bitch pelase
Not long ago, he designed some clothing for RW & Company. I hope he designs some more, they sold out before I could buy any.
He stated in an interview that his grandmother came from Capri that is the wonderful island in front of Naples