Candice Bergen Religion: Is She Jewish? Family Tree And Ethnicity
Candice Bergen Religion: The acclaimed actress, known for her diverse roles, has sparked curiosity about her religious background, mainly whether she follows the Jewish faith, as we delve into her family tree and ethnicity.
Candice Bergen, a renowned American actress, has been part of several remarkable films, including the campus comedy Getting Straight, Soldier Blue, and The Adventurers.
On the other hand, she received five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her performance as the main character in the CBS sitcom Murphy Brown.
Additionally, she gained recognition for playing Shirley Schmidt in the ABC drama Boston Legal.
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Candice Bergen Religion: Is She Jewish?
In her autobiography titled “Knock on Wood,” published in 1984, Candice does not discuss her upbringing in any formal religious institution.
She mentions that her father claimed to be a religious Swedish Lutheran but did not actively follow the faith.
Surprisingly, his funeral occurred at a Hollywood Episcopal church, despite his lack of attendance. Similarly, Candice’s mother had minimal involvement in practicing Protestantism.
While Candice has not openly discussed her religious convictions, numerous sources suggest that she adheres to Christianity, possibly influenced by her previous marriage to a Catholic.
The speculation surrounding her being Jewish likely originated from her second husband’s Jewish background.
Another reason for the spread of the rumor could be that her agent, Sue Mengers, intentionally minimized her Jewish heritage.
Known for her extravagant parties fueled by cocaine and marijuana and associated with celebrities, Mengers had a modest upbringing.
She was born in Hamburg, Germany, and escaped the Nazis with her parents in 1938, living a financially challenged life in upstate New York.
Consequently, some individuals might have confused her background with the actress’s religious affiliation.
Candice Bergen Family Tree And Ethnicity
Candice’s father, Edgar Bergen, hailed from Sweden and had a talent for ventriloquism, comedy, and acting.
While her mother, Frances Bergen, also known as Frances Westcott, was an actress and model with a mixed heritage of German and English origins.
Candice’s paternal grandparents, Johan Henriksson Bergren and Nilla Svensdotter Osberg, originally had the surname Berggren, which means “mountain branch” in Swedish. They were immigrants from Sweden who chose to anglicize their surname.
On the other hand, Candice’s maternal grandfather, William A. Westerman, was born in Alabama, while her maternal grandmother, Lilly Mae Howell, was born in Georgia.
Thanks to her diverse set of grandparents, Candice has the opportunity to appreciate and embrace a blend of rich cultural backgrounds.
Candice Bergen’s Married Life
Candice got married for the first time in 1978 to Louis Malle, a renowned French filmmaker.
Malle’s upbringing in a Catholic boarding school during the Nazi occupation of France influenced his critically acclaimed movie Au Revoir Les Enfants.
Together, Candice and Louis had a daughter named Chloe Françoise in 1985. They remained married until Louis Malle died from Cancer on Thanksgiving Day in 1995.
In 1998, mutual acquaintances introduced Bergen to Marshall Rose, a 71-year-old Jewish businessman and philanthropist from New York.
At the time of their meeting, Rose already had two grown-up daughters.
Known for his religious devotion, Rose has also served as the head of the board of trustees of the New York Public Library as part of his philanthropic endeavors.
After dating for two years, Bergen and Rose tied the knot in a modest ceremony held at a synagogue in Manhattan in 2000.
Remarkably, they are still happily married, each having found a second compatible life partner.
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