Roma people History
Famous Roma People: Two of Hollywood’s most iconic figures and their Romani roots How the preservation of cultural heritage is shaping both countries mutual understanding today by Kaity Leivaditi Charlie Chaplin
One of the most iconic personas in the histo-
ry of cinema, known for his unique sense of humor and his innovative acting methods, Charlie Chaplin, was of Romani descent.
Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin was born on the
16th of April 1889 in England, to Hannah Chaplin and Charles Chaplin Sr, both music hall entertainers. Chaplin’s childhood was rough, with
extreme poverty, his mother’s struggle with her mental health and his father’s alcoholism being only a few of the problems he had to deal with. Despite all those struggles, he started pursuing his acting career at a very young age, and he first performed on stage when he was just nine years old. Soon, he realized that acting was his passion and he registered with a theatrical agency in West End. After a very successful period of theatrical plays and highly acclaimed performances, Chaplin decided to try his luck in cinema, in the era of silent film. Once he entered the American film industry, his fame exploded and he soon became a global phenomenon. Some of his most famous movies are “The Great Dictator”, “The Tramp” and “Modern Times”, while his enormous cinematic legacy is still influencing today’s actors, directors and screenwriters.
“One of the most iconic personas in the history of cinema, known for his unique sense of humor and his innovative acting methods, Charlie Chaplin, was of Romani descent.”
Charlie Chaplin
Although it was said from the beginning of his career that Chaplin had some Romani roots
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