Jennifer Tilly

Tilly in 2007, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Jennifer Ellen Chan

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: September 16, 1958

Ethnicity:
*father – Chinese
*mother – Finnish, English

Jennifer Tilly is an American/Canadian actress and poker player. Particularly associated with the Chucky character and franchise, her roles include the films Let It Ride, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Made in America (1993), The Getaway (1994), Bullets Over Broadway, House Arrest, Bound, Edie & Pen, Liar Liar, Music from Another Room, Bride of Chucky, and its sequels including Seed of Chucky; Stuart Little, Dancing at the Blue Iguana, Monsters, Inc., The Cat’s Meow, The Haunted Mansion (2003), Home on the Range, and Tideland, and the shows Family Guy and Chucky. She has won a World Series of Poker Ladies’ Event bracelet, and the World Poker Tour Ladies Invitational Tournament in 2005. Her live tournament winnings have exceeded $1 million.

She is the sister of actress Meg Tilly. Her father, Harry Chan, a car salesman, was born in California, of Chinese descent. Her mother, Patricia Ann (Tilly), an Illinois-born teacher and actress, was of Finnish and English descent. Jennifer’s birth surname was Chan, but after her parents’ divorce, her name was changed to her mother’s maiden name Tilly. Jennifer was raised mostly in British Columbia, Canada, on rural Texada Island, and then in Langford, Victoria. Her nephew, sister’s son, is actor William Joseph Firth.

Jennifer’s sister Meg has said:

My mother was Irish/Finnish. Unfortunately, we were not raised to respect our Chinese history and tradition. My mother and father divorced in 1963, when I was three. My mother was quite bitter… We were told that we must never tell anyone that we were half Chinese, because if people knew they wouldn’t let their children play with us… for many years, I had my mother’s warnings echoing in my ears. I didn’t tell anyone. I was grown, but still, I was scared. Thought it would limit me, the roles I would be offered. It wasn’t until I was in my late twenties that I started to tell the people closest to me. When they didn’t run in horror, I got braver and spoke of it more. What a relief it was to finally acknowledge all of me.

It is not clear if Jennifer’s mother had Irish ancestry. She is also sometimes reported as having had First Nations/Indigenous Canadian roots. This is not accurate.

Jennifer’s paternal grandfather was named Harry Chan. Harry was born in Guangdong, China.

Jennifer’s paternal grandmother was Enna/Emma/Eva Lum (the daughter of Bohim Lum and Gam Y. Lee). Enna was born in Taiwan, to Chinese parents.

Jennifer’s maternal grandfather was Ray Virgil Tilly (the son of Van Buren/Vanburen/Vanburin Tilly/Tilley and Elizabeth Tucker). Ray was born in Illinois.

Jennifer’s maternal grandmother was Ellen Anna Flinkman (the daughter of Jacob Flinkman and Josephine/Justina Adalina Maki). Ellen was born in Issaquah, King, Washington, to Finnish parents.

Sources: The Independent – http://www.independent.co.uk

Jennifer’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Jennifer’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Jennifer’s maternal grandparents, Ray Virgil Tilly and Ellen Anna Flinkman, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Obituary record of Jennifer’s maternal grandfather, Ray Virgil Tilly – https://www.familysearch.org

Social Security record of Jennifer’s maternal grandmother, Ellen Anna (Flinkman) Tilly – https://www.familysearch.org

Washington death record of Jennifer’s maternal great-grandmother, Josephine/Justina Adalina (Maki) Flinkman – https://www.familysearch.org

Tilly in 2002, photo by Prphotos.com