James Gunn
James Gunn – “Guardians of the Galaxy” European Premiere – Arrivals – Empire, Leicester Square – London, UK, 2014 – Photo Credit: Landmark / PR Photos
Birth Name: James Francis Gunn, Jr.
Place of Birth: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 5, 1966
Ethnicity: Irish, Bohemian/Czech, English, German
James Gunn is an American filmmaker, actor, producer, novelist, and musician. He has written and directed the films Slither and Guardians of the Galaxy, among others.
He is the son of Leota and James Francis Gunn. Among his siblings are screenwriter Brian Gunn, actor and political writer Matt Gunn, actor Sean Gunn, and producer and film executive Patrick Gunn. His cousin is screenwriter and producer Mark Gunn. James is married to actress Jennifer Holland.
James’s paternal grandfather was Donald Joseph Gunn (the son of Joseph Francis Gunn and Jessie Allen). Donald was born in Missouri, and was President of the Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis, for the span of nine years. Joseph was the son of Peter Wilson Gilgunn/Gunn, who was Irish, and of Catherine Ludlum. Jessie was the daughter of Joseph Allen and Kate M. McAllister.
James’s paternal grandmother was named Loretto Agnes Hennelly (the daughter of James J. Hennelly and Catherine/Katherine A.). Loretto was born in Missouri. James was Irish. Catherine was born in England, of Irish descent.
James’s maternal grandfather was Charles M. “Duke” Hynek (the son of Charles William Hynek and Anna B. Sladek). James’s grandfather Charles was born in Missouri, the grandson of three Bohemian Czech immigrants. Anna was the daughter of Charles Albert Sladek and Barbara Gahn.
James’s maternal grandmother was Helen Irene Seng (the daughter of George Killian Seng and Elizabeth Grace Phillips). Helen was born in Missouri. George was the son of George K. Seng and Francis Fais. Elizabeth was the daughter of George W. Phillips and Lulu J. Freeman.
James has referred to having some degree of Jewish heritage, perhaps from having taken a DNA test that showed him to have a percentage of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
Sources: James’s paternal grandfather, Donald Joseph Gunn, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
James’s paternal grandmother, Loretto Agnes Hennelly, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of James’s maternal grandfather, Charles M. “Duke” Hynek – https://www.newspapers.com
James’s maternal grandmother, Helen Irene Seng, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Is he actually part Jewish as his own tweet suggests?
~ https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/736640431031779329
It does not seem so from this genealogy.
Given the tweet’s mention of DNA, perhaps Gunn took a DNA test and saw that he was 1.1% Ashkenazi Jewish or something.
How common is that?
Agree with Follers theory.
An example: https://ethnicelebs.com/lothar-matthaus
Thanks for acknowleding his tweet and adding that to his profile, although I think it would be more comprehensive to edit it to ‘Ashkenazi Jewish/Sephardi Jewish’ since we can’t actually know for sure which one he got.