Below is a compiled list of the most interesting facts about Alia Shawkat. Check it out!
Alia Shawkat was born in Riverside, California, to Dina Burke and actor Tony Shawkat. Her maternal grandfather, Paul Burke, was also an actor. Her father is from Baghdad, Iraq, and her mother has Irish, Italian, and Norwegian ancestry. Success arrived early for Alia. Her career began at the young age of 11 when she landed a role on the ABC Family series State of Grace (2001). She later starred as “Maeby Funke” on Fox’s Emmy-award winning Arrested Development (2003) where she portrayed a rebellious and mischievous member of a dysfunctional Orange County family trying to adjust to their loss of wealth.
Interesting Facts about Alia Shawkat
- Her great-great-grandfather, Martin P. Burke, was a New Orleans policeman in 1898.
- Her father is Iraqi; he was born in Baghdad, and moved to the United States in the 1970s. Her maternal grandfather was of half Irish and half Italian descent, and her maternal grandmother was the daughter of Norwegian immigrants. Her Italian ancestry likely includes Arbëreshë, ethnic Albanians who live in Italy.
- Step-granddaughter of Lyn Peters.
- Member of The Interstate 5 Tennis Association.
- She spends her time in both Los Angeles and her hometown of Palm Springs with her parents, two brothers, and her pet cat Max.
- Her great-grandfather, Martin Burke, was a boxer who fought Gene Tunney and sparred with Jack Dempsey. Later, he and his wife owned a string of nightclubs in the New Orleans French Quarter.
- Daughter of Dina Burke and Tony Shawkat.
- Her maternal grandparents were actor Paul Burke of Valley of the Dolls (1967) fame, and former dancer Peggy Pryor (born Alice Louise Wikan).
- Good friends with Ellen Page, her Whip It (2009) co-star.
Personal Quotes by Alia Shawkat
But I love singing, and I’ve been singing backup for friends’ bands.
Alia Shawkat
As an actress, you never know when you’re going to work again – and there’s so much dependency on working.
Alia Shawkat
I think with the whole new Internet media, I’m not necessarily Internet savvy, but I just feel that the way that art in general will be presented to the public is going to be different.
Alia Shawkat
We’re not going to dumb down for them. They have to move up. They’re the network and we’re the show.
Alia Shawkat
We don’t have a laugh track, which helped Seinfeld a lot, and did kind of tell people when to laugh. It just made it a lot easier. Our show doesn’t have that, so it’s hard for Middle America to catch on.
Alia Shawkat
