20 Famous Cubans (PHOTOS)

1. Eva Mendes

Actress and model Eva Mendes was born to Cuban parents in Miami, Florida. After her parents’ divorce Mendes was raised by her mother in Los Angeles.

2. Soledad O'Brien

Before becoming a hugely successful broadcast journalist and producer, Soledad O’Brien was raised on Long Island by her Cuban immigrant mother and Australian immigrant father. Interesting Fact: Her parents married in 1958 when interracial marriage was still illegal in the United States. They only became legally married in 1967.

3. Rosario Dawson

Actress Rosario Dawson’s mother is Cuban-Puerto Rican writer and singer Isabel Celeste. Interesting Fact: Dawson grew up in abandoned building on New York’s Lower East Side and often describes her experience as hugely character building.

4. Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz is the first Hispanic-American to serve as U.S. Senator for Texas. His father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz, was born in Cuba and eventually relocated to the U.S. in 1957.

5. Christina Milian

Singer/actress Christina Milian was born to Cuban parents in Jersey City, NJ. Interesting Fact: Milian is actually her mother’s maiden name which she adopted as her stage name to help further her career.

6. Pitbull

Armando Christian Pérez, better known as rapper Pitbull, was born and raised to Cuban parents in Miami, FL.

7. Vida Guerra

Sexy model Vida Guerra was born in Cuba before her parents relocated to New Jersey.

8. Marco Rubio

Politician Marco Rubio like a lot of our famous Cubans was born in Miami, FL to Cuban parents.

9. Cameron Diaz

Actress Cameron Diaz has Cuban roots on her father’s side of the family. Her ancestry can be traced back to Spain and Cuba before the family moved to the U.S.