Hayden Christensen

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

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

35 Responses

  1. passingtime85 says:

    Just a question. Does anyone know how and/or why Hayden’s grandmother is listed as Rose Schwartz sometimes?

    • follers says:

      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.

  2. cwm85 says:

    Cool mix and a bit usual no united kingdom ancestry at all…

  3. Capricious says:

    I can see the Italian side in him.

  4. celebfan says:

    Not long ago, he designed some clothing for RW & Company. I hope he designs some more, they sold out before I could buy any.

  5. andrew says:

    He stated in an interview that his grandmother came from Capri that is the wonderful island in front of Naples

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