10 Popular Ethiopian Celebrities You Must Know
Ethiopia is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is the second most populous country in Africa after Nigeria and also the most populous landlocked country in the world. The nation has a wide variety of customs, languages and histories. Unless a person lives in Minneapolis or Washington DC, they may not know many people from the country. However, Ethiopian celebrities represent the states, although they are not heavily represented in Hollywood. Here’s a look at 10 popular Ethiopian celebrities working in the entertainment and sports worlds as models, athletes, musicians and even chefs.
A List of Popular Ethiopian Celebrities You Didn’t Know
1. Liya Kebede
Even those who don’t know her name must have seen Liya Kebede’s gorgeous face and body in one of the best-selling beauty and fashion magazines of modern times. If you flip through a magazine, you will see this Ethiopian-born beauty model for J.Crew, H&M and also for Estee Lauder as the official spokeswoman. Unlike many other supermodels, the mother of two hasn’t limited herself to modelling. She has dabbled in acting, owns a clothing line inspired by Ethiopia, and has founded her own philanthropic organization to help reduce newborn, maternal and child mortality.
2. Marcus Samuelson
Marcus Samuelsson is one of the world’s most popular chefs at the moment. Ironically, it was his Scandinavian cuisine that brought him to the culinary world. This is because the Ethiopian-born Harlem resident was raised in Sweden and was adopted by Swedish parents as a young child following the death of his biological mother due to tuberculosis. At just 24, he became the youngest chef to receive a 3-star rating from the New York Times while working at Aquavit restaurant. Today, Samuelsson owns and operates Harlem Spot Rooster and continues to make rounds as a top chef.
3. Angel Lola Luv
It can be difficult to imagine a popular video vixen from the Horn of Africa. Half Trinidadian and half Ethiopian, Angel Lola Luv has found fame as a dime in many rap videos. Lately she has focused on starting her own rap career. Considering she’s better off as a videographer, it’s not clear how far her rap career will take her.
4. The weekend
This camera-shy singer and artist was born and named Abel Tesfaye but is better known by an odd stage name The Weekend. The 22-year-old Canadian has garnered a lot of praise from the entertainment industry despite not yet releasing a full-length album. Little is known about his personal life, but in one of his music videos he shows his Ethiopian roots for all to see. The video, titled The Knowing, features many historical images from Ethiopia, including that of Haile Selassie.
5. Haile Gebrselassie
Haile Gebrselassie is widely regarded as the greatest long-distance runner of all time. He has had a career in which he has broken numerous world records and earned a reputation as an exceptional athlete who has taken long-distance running to a whole new level. The Ethiopian legend won gold medals in the 10,000 meters at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics and set a marathon record in the 2008 Berlin marathon.
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More Famous Ethiopian Celebrities You Didn’t Know
6. Hibret Fekadu
Hibret Fekadu is an Ethiopian celebrity , model and beauty pageant. Born and raised in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, she represented her nation at Miss World 2008.
7. Hiwot Assefa Tesfaye
Hiwot Assefa Tesfaye is an Ethiopian beauty queen who represented her country at Miss World 2010. She was crowned Miss World Ethiopia 2010, was the first runner-up at Miss World Ethiopia 2009 and also competed at Miss Intercontinental 2009.
8. Joy Suzanne Grazer
An Ethiopian model became a scientist.
9. Tirunesh Dibaba
Tirunesh Dibaba is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who has won a total of three Olympic gold medals in the 10,000m and 5,000m races. She set the 5,000m world record in 2008 and became the first woman to win a 10,000m race in a row.
10. Kenenisa Bekele
Kenenisa Bekele is an Ethiopian long-distance runner, considered by many to be one of the greatest distance athletes of all time. He has won three Olympic gold medals in 10,000m and 5,000m races and holds the world records for these races.
