Caplan in 2013, photo by PrPhoptos.com
Birth Name: Elizabeth Anne Caplan
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: June 30, 1982
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Lizzy Caplan is an American actress and model. Her roles include television’s Freaks and Geeks, Related, The Class, Party Down, Masters of Sex, Castle Rock, Fleishman Is in Trouble, and Fatal Attraction, and the films Mean Girls, Cloverfield, Hot Tub Time Machine, 127 Hours, Save the Date, Bachelorette, The Interview, The Night Before, Now You See Me 2, Allied, and Extinction (2018).
She is the daughter of Barbara, a political aide, and Richard Caplan, an attorney. Lizzy was born to a Jewish family, from Latvia, Austria, Lithuania, and Russia. She was raised in Reform Judaism, and said in 2005:
I had a bat mitzvah, was confirmed, went to Jewish summer camp… [Nowadays] I go to temple for the High Holy Days. I think, like most people in their early 20s, I kind of strayed away from it. I think once I have a family I’ll be back into it… I love being a Jew but I’m not Super Jew. I’m more about the traditional aspects of it rather than the religious at this point but I plan on raising my kids Jewish.
Lizzy’s great-uncle, her grandfather’s brother, was publicist Howard Bragman. Lizzy is married to English actor and producer Tom Riley, with whom she has a son.
Lizzy’s paternal grandfather was Leslie Caplan (the son of Morris/Movsha Leyb Caplan and Celia Rosenman/Roseman). Leslie was born in Illinois. Morris was a Latvian Jewish immigrant, the son of Rivka Wolpe. Celia was an Austrian Jewish immigrant.
Lizzy’s paternal grandmother was Janet/Jeanette Glick (the daughter of Nathan Glick and Anna Schaefer/Schaffer). Janet was born in Illinois. Nathan and Anna were Jewish immigrants from Vilna, Lithuania.
Lizzy’s maternal grandfather was Benjamin Bragman (the son of Louis Bragman and Anna Miller). Benjamin was born in Michigan. Louis and Anna were Russian Jewish immigrants. Louis was the son of Michael Bragman and Bessie. Anna was the daughter of William Miller and Bessie.
Lizzy’s maternal grandmother is Anita June Meadow/Medow (the daughter of Abraham Lewis Meadow/Meadows and Vera Gorn). Anita was born in Illinois, to Russian Jewish parents.
Sources: Lizzy’s paternal grandfather, Leslie Caplan, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Lizzy’s paternal grandmother, Janet/Jeanette Glick, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Lizzy’s paternal grandmother, Janet/Jeanette (Glick) Caplan – http://articles.chicagotribune.com
Genealogy of Lizzy’s maternal grandfather, Benjamin Bragman – https://www.geni.com
Lizzy’s maternal grandfather, Benjamin Bragman, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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