Jordana Brewster

Brewster in 2011, photo by Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

Place of Birth: Panama City, Panama

Date of Birth: April 26, 1980

Ethnicity:
*father – English, some Scottish and Irish
*mother – Portuguese-Brazilian

Jordana Brewster is an American actress and model. She is known for starring as Mia Toretto in The Fast and the Furious universe, the sister of Vin Diesel and John Cena’s characters; and for her roles in the films The Faculty, The Invisible Circus, D.E.B.S., Nearing Grace, Annapolis, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, American Heist, Home Sweet Hell, Random Acts of Violence, Hooking Up, Simulant, and On Our Way, and on television’s As the World Turns, Dallas, American Crime Story, Secrets and Lies, and Lethal Weapon.

Jordana was born in Panama City, Panama, grew up in London, England and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, until the age of ten, and then moved to New York City. Her father, Alden Brewster, is an American-born investment banker, and has English, and some Scottish and Irish, ancestry. Her mother, Maria João Leão de Sousa, is Brazilian, and was a Sports Illustrated cover model. She is of Portuguese ancestry. A picture of her parents can be seen here. Jordana’s grandfather, Kingman Brewster, Jr., was an educator and diplomat, who was President of Yale University and U.S. Ambassador to the U.K.

Jordana talked about her Brazilian heritage in an interview with Craig Ferguson. Jordana is married to Mason Morfit, who is the CEO of ValueAct Capital. She has two children with her former husband, producer Andrew Form. Her sister, Isabella, was married to professional basketball player Baron Davis.

Jordana’s paternal grandfather was Kingman Brewster, Jr. (the son of Kingman Brewster and Florence Foster Besse). Jordana’s grandfather Kingman was born in Longmeadow, Hampden, Massachusetts, and served as the 8th Provost of Yale University, from 1960 to 1963, President of Yale University, from 1963 to 1977, U.S. Ambassador to the U.K., from June 3, 1977 to February 23, 1981, and Master of University College, Oxford, from 1986 to 1988. Jordana’s great-grandfather Kingman was the son of Charles Kingman Brewster and Celina Sophia Baldwin. Florence was the daughter of Lyman Waterman Besse and Henrietta Louisa Seger/Segee, who was born in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick, Canada, to American parents, from Massachusetts, her father from Wareham, Plymouth and her mother from Falmouth, Barnstable.

Jordana’s paternal grandmother was Mary Louise Phillips (the daughter of Eugene James Phillips and Mary L. Griffin). Jordana’s grandmother Mary Louise was born in Providence, Providence Co., Rhode Island. Eugene was the son of Riley E. Phillips, who was born in Connecticut, and of Frances L., who was Scottish. Jordana’s great-grandmother Mary L. was the daughter of John H. Griffin, whose parents were Irish, and of Kate.

Jordana’s maternal grandfather was Fernando Manuel Ramos de Sousa (the son of Anibal Marques de Sousa and Aurora da Silva Ramos). Fernando was born in Lisbon, Portugal.

Jordana’s maternal grandmother was Marieta Correia Leão (the daughter of Alfredo Artur Leão and Carminda Reis Correia). Marieta was born in Cascais, Portugal. Alfredo was born in Vila Real, the son of Albertina de Jesus. Carminda was born in Cascais, the daughter of João Raimundo Esteves Correia and Mariana dos Reis.

Jordana’s patrilineal line traces to William Brewster (c. 1566-1644), a Mayflower passenger and noted Pilgrim. Among many of William’s other descendants are actors Paget Brewster, Austin Butler, Chevy Chase, Taylor Lautner, Seth MacFarlane, and Elisabeth Shue, actors and models Noah Mills and Brandon Routh, director, producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer Zack Snyder, singer Buffy Sainte-Marie, soccer player Clint Dempsey, Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, U.S. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, and Governor of Arkansas Winthrop Rockefeller. Branches of Jordana’s family have been in the United States, and, specifically, in New England, since the 1600s.

Sources: Genealogies of Jordana Brewster (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
http://famouskin.com

Jordana’s paternal grandmother, Mary Louise Phillips, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Immigration record of Jordana’s maternal grandfather, Fernando Manuel Ramos de Sousa – https://www.familysearch.org

Immigration record of Jordana’s maternal grandmother, Marieta Correia Leão – https://www.familysearch.org