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Home · Celebrity

31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent

Though there are some you may already know, we bet there are more than a few who will surprise you. 
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
By Ni'Kesia Pannell · Updated August 11, 2021

It’s no secret that singers Rihanna and Bob Marley are from the islands—Barbados and Jamaica, respectively—but there is a host of other celebrities who are of Caribbean descent.

This list of actors, musicians and models from the United States and the United Kingdom were either born in the Caribbean or their parents or grandparents were. Though there are some you may already know, we bet there are more than a few who will surprise you. 

*This article was originally published on September 8, 2017

01
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith has Jamaican and Bajan ancestry on her maternal side.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
02
Estelle
Estelle’s mother is from Senegal and her father is from Grenada.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
03
Romany Malco
Another celebrity who holds a Caribbean background is actor Romany Malco. The Think Like A Man alum is Trinidadian.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Universal Pictures
04
Jackée Harry
Jackée Harry’s mother is Afro-Trinidadian.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
05
Tia and Tamera Mowry
Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry may be known for their biracial background, but did you know they are also of Caribbean heritage? The two—as well their actor brother Tahj and college football star brother Tavior—are of Bahamian descent.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Getty Images
06
Naomi Campbell
Though Campbell is most notably known as being from South London, many may not be aware that the famed model and actress is also of Afro-Jamaican descent. Her mother, who was a professional dancer, was born in Jamaica.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Andrew Toth
07
Sidney Poitier
Legendary actor and director Sidney Poitier was born in Miami to Bahamian parents. Shortly after his premature birth, the family moved back to the Bahamas, where the actor lived until he was 15 years old.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Getty Images
08
Lenny Kravitz
Though it’s well known that musician and actor Lenny Kravitz was born to a Black mother and a white father, many are not aware that he is also of Caribbean descent. His mother, actress Roxie Roker (The Jeffersons), was half Bahamian.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Josh Brasted
09
Laz Alonso
If knowing that Laz Alonso’s full first name is Lazaro made you assume he had a Caribbean background, you were absolutely right. The veteran actor was born to Afro-Cuban parents.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Getty Images
10
Maxwell
Born Gerald Maxwell Rivera, the gorgeous singer is the offspring of a Haitian mother and a Puerto Rican father.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Fred Lee/2016 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
11
Melanie Fiona
Wonder why Canadian singer Melanie Fiona infuses reggae sounds into most of her songs? It’s most likely because she is Guyanese.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Johnny Nunez
12
Nia Long
Famed actress Nia Long is another celebrity who is of Caribbean descent. The Love Jones alum’s grandmother was from Grenada and she also has roots in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
Kevin Winter
13
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph’s mother is a Jamaican fashion designer and she split her time growing up between the island, Mandeville, and Long Island, N.Y.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
14
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington’s mother, Valerie Washington, is Jamaican.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
15
Selita Ebanks
Model Selita Ebanks was born in the Cayman Islands to a Jamaican father and a Caymanian mother.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
16
Derek Luke
Derek Luke’s father is from Georgetown, Guyana.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
17
Garcelle Beauvais
Garcelle Beauvais was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
18
A$AP Rocky
A$AP Rocky’s father is from Barbados.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
19
LL Cool J
The Queens rapper’s grandfather immigrated to the United States from Barbados.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
20
Lorraine Toussaint
Actress Lorraine Toussaint was born in Trinidad and Tobago.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
21
Doug E. Fresh
“Human beatbox” Doug E. Fresh was born in Barbados but raised in Harlem.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
22
Trina
The Miami rapper’s mother is from the Bahamas while her father is from the Dominican Republic.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
23
Busta Rhymes
Both of Busta Rhymes’s parents are from Jamaica.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
24
Tatyana Ali
Tatyana Ali’s mother is Afro-Panamanian while her father is Indo-Trinidadian.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
25
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj proudly reps her Indo- and Afro-Trinidadian roots and incorporates the sound into her music.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
26
Amanda Seales
Amanda Seales’s mother was born in Grenada and they both hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and the island nation.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
27
Sandra Denton
Pep of rap group Salt-N-Pepa was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
28
Deborah Cox
Canadian singer Deborah Cox was born to Afro-Guyanese parents.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
29
Persia White
Persia White was born in Nassau to an Irish-American mother and Bahamian father.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
30
Alfonso Ribeiro
Both of the actor’s parents are Afro-Trinidadian.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent
31
Colin Powell
Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell’s parents were Jamaican immigrants of mixed African and Scottish heritage.
31 Celebrities Who Are Of Caribbean Descent

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