Steven Soderbergh
Soderbergh in 2012, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Steven Andrew Soderbergh
Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Date of Birth: January 14, 1963
Ethnicity:
*father – Swedish, Irish
*mother – Italian
Steven Soderbergh is an American director, writer, producer, cinematographer, and editor. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Traffic (2000).
Steven is the son of Mary Ann Mitchell “Midge” (Bernard) and Peter Andrew Soderbergh, a dean and professor at Louisiana State University College of Education. For his work as editor, Steven is credited under his mother’s name, Mary Ann Bernard. Steven is married to television personality Jules Asner. He has two children, including one with his former wife, actress Betsy Brantley.
Steven’s paternal grandfather was Sven Eric Berkov Soderbergh (the son of Johan August Söderberg and Ida Paulina Arvidsson). Steven’s grandfather Sven was born in Stockholm, Jakob och Johannes, Stockholms län, Uppland, Sweden. Johan was the son of Per Söderberg and Maria Sofia Bertström. Ida was the daughter of Johannes Arvidsson and Anna-Maja Olsdotter.
Steven’s paternal grandmother was named Mary Margaret McGowan. Mary Margaret was born in New York.
Steven’s maternal grandfather was named Anthony James Bernardo/Bernard. Anthony was born in New York, to Italian parents.
Steven’s maternal grandmother was Clara Venturine (the daughter of Salvatore Venturine and Marie/Maria Rosa Cocomello). Clara was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents. Maria was born in Spigno Saturnia, Latina, Lazio, Italy, the daughter of Tommaso Cocomello and Cattarina Vaccarello.
Steven has also said that his mother had “a little Irish” ancestry. It is not clear if this is accurate.
Sources: Family history of Steven’s father (in Swedish) – http://aforum.genealogi.se
Genealogy of Steven Soderbergh (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Obituary of Steven’s father – http://files.usgwarchives.net
Steven’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Steven’s mother – http://www.findagrave.com
Maternal grandmother was Clara Venturine whose parents were indeed Marie and Salvatore Venturine. Marie’s birth name was Maria Rosa Cocomello (1861-1933). Maria was born in Spigno Saturina, Italy to Tommaso Cocomello and Cattarina Vaccarello, both also born in the same part of Italy.
This: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spigno_Saturnia
Even though many people think of DeNiro as the quintessential Italian, he is only about 1/4 Italian. Leonardo DiCaprio too.
Dicaprio doesn’t look italian at all, DeNiro looks very italian
http://www.vulture.com/2013/01/steven-soderbergh-in-conversation.html
“My father was Swedish and Irish and my mother was Italian with a little Irish in there as well”
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=124919734
@ follers
I had no clue Steven Soderbergh was part Italian when I submitted him, I just knew “Soderbergh” was a Swedish surname. As far as we know he has more Italian ancestry than Robert De Niro.
Yes, he clearly has more Italian ancestry than DeNiro.