Maya Rudolph is one of the most beloved entertainers working today. She’s one of the rare talents who can shine just as bright in dramatic and comedic fare. She also possesses the ability to lead an entire show, or pop up for five minutes in a scene-stealing cameo.
Rudolph won a Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Kamala Harris in 2020, and she has been tapped to return as Harris on Saturday Night Live‘s 50th season. Given Harris’ ethnic background, however, there has been some speculation as to Rudolph’s too.
Here’s what you need to know about Maya Rudolph’s family tree.
Maya Rudolph is African American and Jewish
Maya Rudolph came from a show business family. Her father, Richard Rudolph, is a noted Jewish-American composer who rose to fame during the 70s. Her mother, Minnie Riperton, was an African American singer who worked alongside Richard Rudolph. Together they wrote the R&B song “Lovin’ You,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.
Maya Rudolph admitted that the disparate ethnicities of her mother and father shaped the way she viewed herself growing up. She told Forward that she struggled to forge a concrete identity as a child because she wasn’t sure which cultural group she belonged to:
Being mixed, I kind of grew up feeling orphaned by the idea of my heritage. I know I’m from peoples, but I don’t know who they are.
Rudolph has played different ethnicities on SNL
Rudolph experienced this identity crisis well into adulthood. She told New York Times Magazine that she struggled to wear wigs during her initial appearances on Saturday Night Live because of the thickness of her hair. Despite this setback, the comedian relished the fact that she got to play different ethnicities on the show.
“I just never felt like that was the first place to go, to define myself by race,” Rudolph explained to the outlet. “I didn’t feel like I was hired to be the black lady, which can happen a lot.” Maya Rudolph left Saturday Night Live in 2007, but her recent appearances as Kamala Harris have reframed her legacy as a biracial performer. “I’m thrilled to be associated with it,” she told Variety. “And I’m also glad that I’ve played her.”
Published: Sep 25, 2024 06:21 am