“It Ends With Us” actress Jenny Slate is Ashkenazi Jewish and about one-eighth Sephardi Jewish. Moreover, through her grandmother, she has traces of Cuban and French roots.
Key Takeaways
- Jenny Slate’s background includes Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jewish roots, along with Cuban and French influences.
- Her Jewish identity shapes her work, from voicing diverse characters to co-writing a book about her family’s history.
- She is facing social media controversies and negative labels related to the cast of It Ends with Us (2024).
Jenny Slate, born on March 25, 1982, is an American actress, comedian, and writer celebrated for her work on Saturday Night Live and for co-creating the beloved character in “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.”
Her breakout role in Obvious Child (2014) earned her critical acclaim. She’s also known for voicing characters in animated films like Zootopia and The Secret Life of Pets.
Recently, Slate found herself in social media discussions, where she was labeled as a “mean girl” and a “minion” of powerful actors following drama within the cast of “It Ends with Us” (2024), a romantic drama directed by Justin Baldoni.
Despite this controversy, her work continues to resonate with audiences.
Jenny and her parents’s ethnicity reflects a rich and diverse Jewish heritage, blending Ashkenazi Jewish roots from Russia, Poland, and Austria with Sephardi Jewish ancestry from Turkey.
One of her grandmothers was born in Havana, Cuba, to Jewish parents of Russian and Turkish descent and was later raised in Paris, France.
This unique mix of Eastern European and Mediterranean Jewish cultures, along with her grandmother’s Cuban and French upbringing, adds cultural diversity to Slate’s background and identity.
Jenny has openly embraced her Jewish heritage throughout her life and career.
Her connection to her roots informed her decision to play Missy Foreman-Greenwald, a biracial and Black-Jewish character on the Netflix series Big Mouth.
In 2020, however, Slate chose to step down from voicing the character, believing that a Black actress should take on the role. She remained involved in the show in other capacities.
Her cultural identity has also influenced her creative work, including About the House, a book she co-wrote with her father, Ron Slate.
The book explores the history and memories of their family home, a grand colonial built in 1898 in Milton, Massachusetts.
The home stands as a physical embodiment of the Slate family’s history, stories, and cultural ties.
Jenny’s rich cultural background and Jewish identity continue to influence her work, making her one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary entertainment.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Jenny Slate was married to Dean Fleischer-Camp (2012-2016) and is currently married to Ben Shattuck (married in 2021).
- Her grandmother passed away on September 9, 2022.
- She recently wrote a book titled LifeForm, a collection of humorous essays.
