Hailee Steinfeld’s family background is as rich and diverse as her career, blending cultures, races, and traditions into a story that feels almost cinematic in its depth. Born in Tarzana, Los Angeles, in 1996, she grew up in a household where identity was never a single note but a symphony of influences.
Her mother, Cheri Domasin-Steinfeld, is a striking mix of Filipino, African-American, and European ancestry, a heritage that traces back to her own father, Ricardo Domasin. He was half-Filipino, hailing from the island of Panglao in Bohol, and half-African-American, a lineage that Hailee has recently explored more deeply through her role in the hit film Sinners. The movie, set in the 1930s South, deals with themes of racial identity, something that resonated with her on a personal level as she imagined the struggles her grandfather might have faced as a mixed-race man in a different era.
Everything About Hailee Steinfeld’s Parents, Ethnicity, Race, Grandparents, and Siblings
On her father’s side, the story shifts to a different cultural landscape. Peter Steinfeld, a personal fitness trainer who has worked with high-profile clients like Madonna, comes from an Ashkenazi Jewish background, with roots in Romania and Russia. This adds yet another layer to Hailee’s identity, making her upbringing a blend of Jewish traditions from her dad and the multicultural influences from her mom’s side.
She’s spoken about celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas, a reflection of how her family embraced their dual heritage without erasing one for the other. It’s a rare thing to see someone so comfortably straddle multiple worlds, but Hailee wears it effortlessly, often describing herself as “a little bit of everything.”
Family has always been a cornerstone of her life, not just in terms of heritage but in the way they’ve supported her career. Her mother, Cheri, wasn’t just a parent but also her manager in the early days, making sure Hailee studied acting seriously before diving into the industry. That discipline paid off when, at just 14, she earned an Oscar nomination for her breakout role in True Grit.
Meanwhile, her older brother, Griffin, has been a steady presence in her life. Born in 1994, he initially pursued a career in NASCAR before shifting to the solar energy business, but he’s always been there for Hailee, even helping out on the set of Bumblebee. Their closeness is evident in interviews, where she lights up talking about him, calling him her biggest supporter.
What’s fascinating about Hailee’s background is how it mirrors the roles she chooses. Whether it’s playing a young woman navigating racial tensions in Sinners or voicing Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a character who is also mixed-race in some iterations, there’s a thread of personal connection running through her work. She doesn’t just act these parts; she understands them on a visceral level. Even her music, which often touches on themes of self-discovery and identity, feels like an extension of her own journey.
Then there’s the cultural mosaic of her ancestry. The Filipino side comes from her grandfather, Ricardo, whose life in the Philippines and later in America must have been a study in contrasts. The African-American lineage adds another dimension, one that ties into broader historical narratives of migration and perseverance. The European mix—English, Scottish, German, Irish—rounds it out, making her a living testament to the American melting pot. And yet, despite all these intersecting identities, she’s never reduced herself to just one thing. She’s as comfortable discussing her Jewish roots as she is talking about her Filipino granddad, embracing the full spectrum of who she is.
It’s rare to find someone in Hollywood with such a multifaceted background who doesn’t shy away from it. Many actors might streamline their origin story for simplicity, but Hailee Steinfeld leans into the complexity. Maybe it’s because she grew up in a family that valued all parts of their history, or maybe it’s just her natural curiosity about the world. Either way, it makes her one of the most interesting figures in entertainment today, not just for her talent but for the richness of her story.
And that story is still being written. With every role, every interview, every song, she adds another layer. Whether she’s reflecting on her grandfather’s life, joking about her brother’s failed NASCAR career, or explaining how her parents’ differing traditions shaped her, there’s always something new to discover. It’s a reminder that identity isn’t static; it’s a living, evolving thing, and Hailee Steinfeld is proof that the most compelling stories are the ones that refuse to be boxed in.
