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16 celebrities who are Czech or of Czech origin

The small country of Czech Republic has given the world more than a few famous actors, sportsmen and politicians. Some of them have only Czech blood flowing in their veins and speak Czech, other are partially of Czech origin. Here are 16 of such Czech and “Czech” celebrities.

William Zabka

Bill Zabka is the ultimate Hollywood teen bully when it comes to acting. He was one of the main characters in the movie Karate Kid and plays the main carater in the movie’s spin-off Cobra Kai. But have you known that he also produced an award-winning short movie called Most (The Bridge) played by Czech actors? Zabka whose surname is originally written Žabka and means “little frog” is in touch with his Moravian origins. He speaks fluent Czech and after filming Most he told the press than after he travelled to Prague he felt at home there.

Karolína Kurková

Karolína Kurková i sone of the most successful models ever. She is a former Victoria’s Secret Angel and also acted a little. She was born in Děčín, Czech Republic.

 

 

Miloš Forman

This world-renowned movie director sadly passed away in 2018. He was born in the town of Čáslav and emigrated to the US as an adult. He directed such movie hits as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Amadeus or Goya’s Ghosts. A fun fact: he had 4 sons – 2 pairs of twins.

Here’s Forman talking about his encounter with some geese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1RSHxR7ek0&ab_channel=BioIllusion

Sissy Spacek

The most famous “Carrie” ever is Czech from more than one side of her family. Her surname would be written Špaček in Czech and it doesn’t have anything to with space, it means “starling”.

 

 

Brendan Fraser

Who would have thought that the Canadian George of the Jungle has Czech blood in his veins! Well, he has although he’s only partially Czech and probably has no connection to his Czech origin.

 

 

Ivana Trump

Ivana Trump was from the Czech city of Zlín and came to the US as an adult. She was the first wife of Donald Trump and as you could probably guess, she belongs to the Czech speaking celebrities. Subsequently, her children Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka (meaning “little Ivana” in Czech) are half-Czech.

And here she is speaking Czech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp0um3TZbdY&ab_channel=denikblesk

 

Madeleine Albright

Born Marie Jana Korbelová in Prague, the first female United States Secretary of State came to the US in her early teen years. Not only does she speak perfect Czech but curiously enough, it is said that it’s thanks to her and her father that Condoleeza Rice (also a US Secretary of State) understands Czech.

Madeleine Albright in one of the most popular Czech shows: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1_tTPmcpxo&t=172s&ab_channel=ShowJanaKrause

Martina Navrátilová

The multiple Grand Slam winner was born in Prague where she spent her childhood. She asked for political asylum in the USA when she was 18 and was stripped of her Czech citizenship by the Czechoslovak communistic regime. She acquired Czech citizenship many years after the fall of communism.

 

Milan Kundera

The Unbearable Lightness of Being or The Book of Laughter and Forgetting are just some of the works of this French writer. Except he wasn’t really French…Milan Kundera was naturalized in France in his 50ies

 

 

Eva Herzigová

Do you remember the gorgeous babe from the Wonderbra ad? She’s the Czech model Eva Herzigová and she was born in Litvínov, former Czechoslovakia. This tall beauty modelled all around the world and was featured in magazines like Sports Illustrated.

 

Karel Roden

Maybe this name doesn’t sound familiar, but you definitely know this Czech actor from České Budějovice. He’s Rasputin in Hellboy, Gyorgy in Bathory and he also starred in Orphan, The Bourne Supremacy, Blade II and many more.

In case your memory needs refreshing, here he is as Rasputin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00fMhETHQME&ab_channel=MartinWrzario

Ric Ocasek

The guitarist of The Cars was indeed part Czech. His last name means “little tail” in Czech and his wife was the Czech model Pavlína Pořízková (americanized as Paulina Porizkova) from Prostějov. Ocasek’s family comes from the village of Skomelno in the Pilsen region and before moving to the USA in 1906, his ancestors emigrated to Romania in 1880.

 

Adrien Brody

This Hollywood star too has a little Czech blood in him. His mother was part Czech, therefore, he definitely belongs to the list of celebrities we can brag about!

 

 

Teri Hatcher

The desperate housewife Teri Hatcher is often said in the Czech tabloids to be of Czech origin but it seems like it’s not quite true because the one Bohemian in her family was actually her step-grandmother. Maybe we can consider Teri at least a little bit of Czech cultural descendant?

 

David Nykl

You know David Nykl if you’re a Stargate fan. He plays dr. Zelenka and you probably noticed that he sometimes speaks a “weird” language on the show. That language is Czech. Nykl comes from Prague but his family moved to Canada when he was just a baby.

Here’s the best of Nykl’s appearance in Stargate in Czech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CmaE4oILck&ab_channel=F.V%C3%A1clavek

Ashton Kutcher

Kutcher’s Czech heritage is very evident by his last name. The original Czech name is Kučera (pronounced “kutchera”) and it is a very common one. The Czech roots are on his mother’s side.

 

 

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