Max Minghella

Minghella in 2010, photo by PR Photos

Birth Name: Max Giorgio Choa Minghella

Place of Birth: Camden, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 16 September, 1985

Ethnicity:
*50% Italian
*28.125% Chinese
*6.25% Sephardi Jewish
*6.25% Parsi Indian
*3.125% English
*3.125% Irish
*3.125% Swedish

Max Minghella is a British actor and filmmaker. He has had roles in the films Bee Season, Syriana, Art School Confidential, Elvis and Anabelle, How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Agora, The Social Network, The Ides of March, The Darkest Hour (2011), 10 Years, The Internship, Horns, About Alex, Not Safe for Work, Into the Forest, Spiral: From the Book of Saw, and Babylon. He has also appeared on television’s The Mindy Project and The Handmaid’s Tale. He wrote and directed the film Teen Spirit, and wrote the film The 9th Life of Louis Drax. In The Social Network, he played Indian-American businessperson Divya Narendra.

He is the son of choreographer and dancer Carolyn Jane (Choa) and film director, playwright, and screenwriter Anthony Minghella. A picture of Max with his parents can be seen here. Max’s father was born on Ryde, Isle of Wight, England, and was of entirely Italian descent; his family ran an ice cream business. Max’s mother is from Hong Kong. Max’s maternal grandfather was of three quarters Chinese, and one quarter Sephardi Jewish, descent, and Max’s maternal grandmother was of approximately one quarter Parsi Indian, three eighths Chinese, one eighth English, one eighth Irish, and one eighth Swedish, ancestry.

This makes Max of approximately one half Italian, 9/32 Chinese, equivalent to 1.125/4 Chinese, 1/16th Indian Jewish, 1/16th Parsi Indian, 1/32 English, 1/32 Irish, and 1/32 Swedish, ancestry.

He is a nephew of charity executive and solicitor Loretta Minghella, who is Master of Clare College, Cambridge; and television producer and screenwriter Dominic Minghella. Max is a second cousin of Hong Kong Olympic swimmer Robyn Lamsam, through his Kotewall line.

Max’s paternal grandfather was Edward Minghella/Minghello (the son of Antonio Minghella and Carolina Maria Gargano). Antonio was born in Foresta, near Cervaro, Frosinone, Latium, Italy. Carolina was born in Glasgow, Scotland, to Italian parents, Angelo Antonia Gargano and Louisa.

Max’s paternal grandmother was Gloria Alberta Arcari (the daughter of Alberto/Albert Bernardo Arcari and Louisa Giaconelli/Jaconelli). Gloria was born in Leeds North, Yorkshire, England. Alberto was born in Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales, to Italian parents, Giuseppe Arcari and Domenica D’Ambrosio, who was born in Picinisco, Frosinone, Latium. Louisa was born in Glasgow, to Italian parents, Pietro Giaconelli and Esperanza Rossi.

Max’s maternal grandfather was George Wing Sien Choa (the son of Choa Po Sien and Maria Felicie/Felice Belilios/Bellilios). George was born in Hong Kong. Max’s great-grandfather Po was Chinese, and was the son of Choa Lap Chee and Chan Quay Neo. Max’s great-grandmother Maria’s father was Emanuel Raphael Belilios/Bellilios, a prominent banker, opium dealer, philanthropist, and businessperson. Emanuel was an Indian Jew who was born in Calcutta, India, the son of Raphael Emanuel Belilios and Salha Laniado, and had Italian Jewish roots. Max’s great-grandmother Maria’s mother, Lee Wai Yin, also known as Pearl, was Chinese. The relationship of Emanuel and Wai inspired the book The House of Wives, 2016, by their great-grandson, Simon Choa-Johnston, who is Max’s first cousin, once removed.

Max’s maternal grandmother was Maisie Nora Kotewall (the daughter of Robert Hormus Kotewall and Edith Lowcock). Max’s great-grandfather Robert was born in China, and was a businessperson and legislator who was known in Hong Kong; he was the son of Hormusjee Rustomjee Kotwaj/Kotewall and Cheung A-Cheung. Robert’s ancestry was said to be Parsi Indian on his father’s side, and Chinese on his mother’s side. Max’s great-grandmother Edith Lowcock was born in Shanghai. Edith’s father, George Lowcock, was born in Shanghai, the son of Henry W. Lowcock, from Middlesex, England, and of Annie Loftus Russell, from Wicklow, Ireland. Edith Lowcock’s mother, Max’s great-great-grandmother, who was born with the surname Johnsford, was the daughter of Alfred Jönsson/Johnsford, who was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, and of Ah Tsaw Wong, who was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Sources: Genealogy of Max Mingehlla – http://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Max’s maternal great-grandmother, Maria Felicie/Felice Belilios/Bellilios (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.farhi.org

Information on Max’s maternal great-great-grandparents, Emanuel Raphael Belilios/Bellilios and Lee Wai Yin – http://www.bukowskiagency.com

Genealogy of Max’s maternal grandmother, Maisie Nora Kotewall – http://webb-site.com