Many people have wondered if the two famous actors, Aidan Quinn and Anthony Quinn, are related by blood or by marriage. They share the same surname and have both appeared in movies and TV shows that showcase their Irish and Mexican heritage. However, the truth is that they are not related at all, and their common surname is just a coincidence.
Who is Aidan Quinn?
Aidan Quinn is an American actor who was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 8, 1959. He is the son of Irish immigrants Teresa and Michael Quinn, who moved to the US in the 1950s. His father was a professor of English literature at Rock Valley College, and his mother was a bookkeeper and a travel agent. Aidan has three brothers and a sister, one of whom is the cinematographer Declan Quinn.
Aidan grew up in Chicago and Rockford, Illinois, as well as in Dublin and Birr, County Offaly, Ireland. He developed an interest in acting when he was 19 and working as a roofer. He trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop and made his film debut in Reckless (1984). He has since starred in over 80 feature films, including Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), The Mission (1986), Stakeout (1987), Avalon (1990), Benny & Joon (1993), Legends of the Fall (1994), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994), Michael Collins (1996), Practical Magic (1998), Song for a Raggy Boy (2003), Wild Child (2008) and Unknown (2011). He has also appeared in several TV shows, such as An Early Frost (1985), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) and Elementary (2012-2019). He has received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe nomination for his work.
Aidan is married to actress Elizabeth Bracco since 1987. They have two daughters, Ava and Mia.
Who is Anthony Quinn?
Anthony Quinn was a Mexican-born American actor who was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, on April 21, 1915. He was the son of Francisco “Frank” Quinn, an Irish immigrant from County Cork, and Manuela “Nellie” Oaxaca, a Mexican woman of Aztec ancestry. His father was an assistant cameraman at a movie studio and reportedly rode with Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. His mother was a homemaker who raised him in a Catholic household.
Anthony moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was nine years old. He attended a Catholic school and briefly considered becoming a priest. He also joined the Pentecostal church of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, where he played in the band and was an apprentice preacher. He later studied architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright but decided to pursue acting instead. He made his film debut in Parole (1936) and went on to appear in over 150 films, including La Strada (1954), The Guns of Navarone (1961), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Zorba the Greek (1964), The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968), The Message (1976) and Lion of the Desert (1981). He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters marked by a brutal and elemental virility.
Anthony won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his roles in Viva Zapata! (1952) and Lust for Life (1956). He also received two Academy Award nominations for Best Actor for his roles in Wild Is the Wind (1957) and Zorba the Greek (1964). He also received five Golden Globe nominations, two BAFTA Award nominations and a Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also a painter, sculptor, writer and restaurateur.
Anthony was married three times: to actress Katherine DeMille from 1937 to 1965; to costume designer Jolanda Addolori from 1966 to 1997; and to actress Katherine Benvin from 1997 until his death. He had 12 children, including actors Francesco Quinn, Danny Quinn and Lorenzo Quinn.
Anthony died of respiratory failure on June 3, 2001, in Boston, Massachusetts, at the age of 86. He was buried at his family estate in Bristol County, Rhode Island.
Conclusion
As we can see from their biographies, Aidan Quinn and Anthony Quinn are not related by blood or by marriage. They have different parents, different origins, different careers and different lives. The only thing they have in common is their surname, which is a common Irish name that derives from the Gaelic word “O Cuinn”, meaning “descendant of Conn”.
