Maya Rudolph, who plays Maya on Saturday Night Live (SNL), has always felt like an outsider. For white people, the actress stated she was a “Black kid,” while for Black people, she was culturally marginalized.
Maya Rudolph was born in 1972 to Minnie Riperton, a black mother, and Richard Rudolph, a white father. “I grew up feeling a little orphaned by the idea of my heritage,” the actress acknowledges.
Rudolph had to deal with being an outcast as a child. The comedienne grew up in a Los Angeles neighborhood where the majority of the residents were “either black or white-slash-Jewish.”
She could not identify with any race as a mixed-racial child. Because they could relate to her the most, the actress felt closer to other mixed persons, regardless of race. Rather than feeling social with the children she grew up with, the actress revealed that being with other mixed children made her feel like she was a member of a hidden society.
I’ve always felt closest to other mixed people – regardless of ethnicity — more than to black or white folks. Meeting other mixed-race children has always had an impact on me. It felt like I was a member of a secret group.
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Rudolph found a resonating figure in the form of biracial actress Lisa Bonet on television when he was a child. The beauty and performance of Bonet astounded her. Rudolph benefited from his shared multiracial heritage with Bonet. She could finally admit she was mixed because of their shared race.
I was a huge fan of ‘The Cosby Show,’ but it was mostly because of Lisa Bonet. ‘I’m mixed, too,’ I’d say. As if she were Lisa Bonet!
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The SNL star went to a school where the majority of the kids were white. She mentioned that actress Gwyneth Paltrow was a classmate of hers in elementary school. As a result, she didn’t feel at ease in the place.
She too felt loved but not accepted, especially among her Black family.
She stated, “I never felt like my black cousins.” “I felt cherished, but not culturally loved.” was a Californian kid who didn’t spend his childhood with his family.
Maya’s parents were progressive, despite the times and circumstances. They wanted their daughter to be confident in herself and not defined by her race. Rudolph’s mother died when she was just seven years old. Rudolph was going through a difficult time, not just because she was a different-looking kid, but also because she had lost her mother.