Theo Rossi
Rossi in 2015, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: John Theodore Rossi
Place of Birth: Staten Island, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 4, 1975
Ethnicity: Italian, as well as Syrian, Lebanese, and Spanish
Theo Rossi is an American actor and producer.
Theo is the son of Mary Jane and Vincent Rossi. He is married to Meghan McDermott, with whom he has two children.
He has stated:
Being of mixed ethnicity, Middle Eastern, Italian—it was just one of those weird things where I’ve never really been enough of anything? I never fit in enough, for anything? And so I’ve just gravitated towards ‘Oh my last name is Rossi, so I’ll be this.’ And I’m from New York, so that’s easier for you. Because if you wanna explain to someone that you’re Syrian, they’re like, ‘What do you mean, like the bad Syrian?’ And it’s like, no. [sighs heavily] No one knows history, no one knows anything. You can’t explain anything to people, the ignorance is at an all-time high.
Theo’s maternal grandfather was Theodore Jamil Holway (the son of Jamie/Jamil Boutros Holway and Edma/Edna Hakim). Theodore was born in New York. Theo’s great-grandfather Jamil was born in Damascus, Syria, the son of Boutrus Leon Holway and Zaynah/Hannah Hajjar/Sharit. Edma was born in Tripoli, now Lebanon, the daughter of Nicolas/Nicholas Hakim and Edna Tyson.
Theo’s maternal grandmother was Erminia/Erminie Leona Nerina/Neiina Sorrentino (the daughter of Francesco Saverio “Frank” Sorrentino and Amelia “Emily”/”Emma” D’Amora/D’Amore). Erminia was born in New York. Francesco was born in Napoli, Campania, Italy, the son of Alfonso Sorrentino and Anastasia Attanasio. Amelia was born in Salerno, Italy, the daughter of Giuseppe D’Amora/D’Amore and Antonetta/Antonietta Iorio/Torio.
Sources: http://sonsofanarchypt.blogspot.ca
http://www.dailyactor.com
Genealogies, and pictures, of Theo’s maternal grandparents, Theodore Jamil Holway and Erminia/Erminie Leona Nerina/Neiina Sorrentino – https://www.findagrave.com
Theo’s maternal grandfather, Theodore Jamil Holway, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Theodore Jamil Holway on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Theo’s maternal great-grandparents, Jamie/Jamil Boutros Holway and Edma/Edna Hakim – https://www.familysearch.org
Theo’s maternal great-grandparents, Jamie/Jamil Boutros Holway and Edma/Edna Hakim, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Theo’s maternal great-grandmother, Edma/Edna (Hakim) Holway – https://www.familysearch.org
Theo’s maternal grandmother, Erminia/Erminie Leona Nerina/Neiina Sorrentino, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
correction he is of Italian, Spanish, Syrian and North African descent https://www.gq.com/story/theo-rossi-is-finding-his-place-in-america
Is his father 100% Italian?
I don’t know. He was born in 1944 and died in 2009.
His father might be the man that married Linda Bailey in Vermont in 1993. If so, his parents were called John and Rose. No last names listed on the index.
Theo is the son of Mary Jane (Tomasino) and Vincent D. Rossi.
Theo’s maternal grandfather was Peter Tomasino.
Here you can find the obituary of Theo’s maternal step-grandmother:
http://www.legacy.com/ns/obitfinder/obituary-search.aspx?Page=2&countryid=0&daterange=all&firstname=helen&lastname=toma&stateid=0&keyword=&entriesperpage=50
This is his father’s obituary:
http://www.tributes.com/obituary/show/Vincent-Rossi-86922059
There is a Rossi-couple listed as Vincent’s relatives (I think both were Italian immigrants) on records. They aren’t his parents, but maybe they’re related in some other way.
What do these obituaries say? I think Tomasino is a re-marriage surname.
OK, I’ve figured out his mother’s side.
“Let me tell you—this is something that I’ve been getting asked a lot lately and this is—I’m going to totally answer it like this. I have probably about seven different ethnicities in me. I’m going to leave it up to people to determine what those are. My dog’s even trying to answer for me. I would say that I’ll leave it up to everybody else because it is such a huge part of this season. But, probably people would never assume a lot of the things I am. And that’s it. I am as mixed and ethnic in everything as they come. That’s where I’ll leave that”.
http://www.dailyactor.com/interview/interview-theo-rossi-sons-of-anarchy/
Just saw him on Netflix series LUKE CAGE. I wonder if Theo has any North African ancestry.