Profile Text
Barbaro – “Gifted” Los Angeles Premiere – Arrivals – Pacific Theatres at The Grove – Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2017 – Photo Credit: Izumi Hasegawa / PRPhotos.com
Birth Name: Monica Maria Barbaro
Place of Birth: San Francisco, California, United States
Date of Birth: June 17, 1989
Ethnicity: * father – Italian * maternal grandfather – German, as well as English, Welsh, distant Irish * maternal grandmother – Mexican
Monica Barbaro is an American actress. Her roles include the films The Cathedral (2021), Top Gun: Maverick , I’m Charlie Walker , At Midnight , A Complete Unknown , and Crime 101 ; the shows Unreal , Chicago P.D. , Chicago Justice , The Good Cop , Splitting Up Together , Stumptown , and FUBAR ; and the video game Forspoken .
Her father is of Italian descent. Her mother is of German, as well as English, Welsh, and distant Irish, descent on one side, and of Mexican ancestry on the other. Her mother is pictured here . She grew up in Mill Valley, California.
Monica has said that she is a descendant of American politician William Floyd, who was her great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. William was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York, from March 4, 1789 to March 3, 1791, and was among the 56 signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. He was of English and Welsh descent.
Monica has also stated :
I talked to my mom after visiting the Alamo once. She told me about how her textbooks portrayed the Battle of the Alamo with courageous Texans standing their ground while the savage Mexicans scrambled up the side of a wall. This among other stories she’d told me of being judged and questioned about her skin color and facial features, and her mother – who wore the finest jewelry and brands at all times so as not to have her worth questioned – being called out for her unmistakeable accent.
I talked to my mom after visiting the Alamo once. She told me about how her textbooks portrayed the Battle of the Alamo with courageous Texans standing their ground while the savage Mexicans scrambled up the side of a wall. This among other stories she’d told me of being judged and questioned about her skin color and facial features, and her mother – who wore the finest jewelry and brands at all times so as not to have her worth questioned – being called out for her unmistakeable accent.
Monica’s paternal grandfather was named Nicholas “Nickey” Barbaro (the son of Antonio “Tony” Barbaro and Florence). Nicholas was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents.
Monica’s paternal grandmother was Mary Lou Miglio (the daughter of Michele “Michael” Miglio and Aquila Gaudio). Mary Lou was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents. Michele was the son of Giuseppe Miglio, who was from Zumpano, province of Cosenza, Calabria, and of Annunziata/Annunciata Imbrogno. Aquila was also born in Zumpano, the daughter of Luigi Gaudio and Angela Gaetana Lappano.
Monica’s maternal grandfather was Eugene Phillip Wagner (the son of Clarence Edward Wagner and Sarah A. “Sadie” Floyd). Eugene was born in California. Clarence was the son of Daniel Wagner, whose parents were German; and of Katharina Scharmann, who was German. Monica’s great-grandmother Sarah was born in South Dakota, the daughter of William Floyd III and Frances Lorette V. Woodruff.
Monica’s maternal grandmother was Ela/Ella López y Zayas (the daughter of Guadalupe López Rodriguez and Ignacia Zayas). Ela was born in Mexico. Guadalupe was born in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, the son of Clemente Lopez Cisneros and Severa Rodriguez Mejia. Ignacia was born in Brownsville, Texas, the daughter of Paulino Sayas and Adelina Chamberlain.
Monica, Catalina Sandino Moreno (for Maria Full of Grace , 2004), Yalitza Aparicio (for Roma , 2018), Ariana DeBose (for West Side Story , 2021), Ana de Armas (for Blonde , 2022), and America Ferrera (for Barbie , 2023), are thus far the only actors of Latin-American descent born after 1980 to have been nominated for an acting Oscar, with Ariana having won.
Monica is a fourth cousin, once removed, of musician David Crosby and politician Bill Weld . Monica’s maternal great-great-great-great-grandparents, Nicoll Floyd and Phebe Gelston, were also David’s paternal, and Bill’s maternal, great-great-great-grandparents.
Sources: Genealogy of Monica Barbaro – https://www.geni.com
Monica’s paternal grandfather, Nicholas “Nickey” Barbaro, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Monica’s paternal grandfather, Nicholas “Nickey” Barbaro – http://www.legacy.com
Obituary of Monica’s paternal great-aunt (grandmother’s sister) – http://www.weatherheadyoung.com
Marriage record of Monica’s maternal grandparents, Eugene Phillip Wagner and Ela López y Zayas – http://www.familysearch.org