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Brody in 2011, photo by s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Adam Jared Brody
Place of Birth: San Diego, California, United States
Date of Birth: December 15, 1979
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Adam Brody is an American actor, writer, musician, and producer. He is known for starring on the shows The O.C. and Nobody Wants This . His roles also include the series Undressed , Once and Again , The Sausage Factory , Grounded for Life , Gilmore Girls , Good Vibes , Burning Love , House of Lies , The League , Billy and Billie , StartUp , Single Parents , Curfew , and Fleishman Is in Trouble ; the films According to Spencer , The Ring (2002), Grind (2003), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Thank You for Smoking , In the Land of Women , Smiley Face , The Ten (2007), Death in Love , Jennifer’s Body , Cop Out , The Romantics , Damsels in Distress , The Oranges , Scream 4 , Seeking a Friend for the End of the World , Revenge for Jolly! , Lovelace , Some Girl(s) , Welcome to the Jungle (2013), Baggage Claim , Growing Up and Other Lies , Life Partners , Think Like a Man Too , Sleeping with Other People , Showing Roots , Yoga Hosers , CHiPs (2017), Big Bears , Isabelle (2018), Jay and Silent Bob Reboot , Shazam! , and its sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods ; Ready or Not (2019), The Kid Detective , Promising Young Woman , The Last Blockbuster , My Father’s Dragon , River Wild (2023), American Fiction , and The Gutter (2024); and the made-for-tv movie Growing Up Brady .
He is the son of Valerie (Siefman), a graphic designer, and Mark Brody, an attorney. His parents are both Jewish, and are both originally from Michigan. Adam had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony. He is married to actress Leighton Meester , with whom he has two children.
Adam’s paternal grandfather was Bernard W. “Bernie” Brody (the son of Jacob Brody and Minnie Klein). Bernard was born in Michigan. Jacob was born in either Poland or Russia, to Jewish parents, Boric Brody and Minnie. Adam’s great-grandmother Minnie was also a Jewish emigrant, also from either Poland or Russia; her father’s name was Samuel.
Adam’s paternal grandmother was Lenore/Lee Yovitz (the daughter of Max Yovitz and Fanny Yovis). Lenore was born in Michigan. Max was a Russian Jewish immigrant. Fanny was also born in Russia, to Jewish parents, Meyer Yovis and Anne.
Adam’s maternal grandfather was Harold W. “Harry” Siefman (the son of Jacob “Jack” Siefman/Seifman and Lillian ). Harold was born in Michigan, to Jewish emigrants from Eastern Europe, either Poland or Russia, depending on the census.
Adam’s maternal grandmother was Beatrice Ceceile/Ceceille Waxman (the daughter of Louis Waxman and Clara Weinsweig). Beatrice was from a Canadian Jewish family. Clara was the daughter of Moishe/Morris Weinsweig/Wienzweig and Esther Toba Klein/Kleinman. Adam’s great-great-grandmother Esther was the daughter of Moshe Aron Kleinman/Kleinmitz and Celia Lilian Fleishman, who was born in Ostrowiec, Ostrowiec County, Swietokrzyskie, Poland.
Adam’s matrilineal line can be traced to his great-great-great-great-grandparents, Israel Chaim Fleishman and Kayla.
Sources: https://www.nytimes.com
Adam’s paternal grandfather, Bernard W. “Bernie” Brody, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Adam’s paternal grandmother, Lenore/Lee Yovitz, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Adam’s paternal great-grandmother, Fanny (Yovis) Yovitz – http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com
Genealogies of Adam Brody (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://familypedia.wikia.com https://www.geni.com
Adam’s maternal grandfather, Harold W. “Harry” Siefman, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Adam’s maternal great-grandparents, Jacob “Jack” Siefman/Seifman and Lillian/Lily/Lillie Weinswhite/Weinzweig/Weinsweig, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Adam’s maternal great-great-grandfather, Moishe/Morris Weinsweig/Wienzweig – https://newspapers.lib.sfu.ca