Photo: getty
Talent runs in her family!
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Sep 13, 2018
Everyone knows Diana Ross as the distinctive and soft voice who gave us great hits like “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Where Did Our Love Go,” and dozens of others. If you grew up in the 1960s, chances are you heard “Stop! In the Name of Love” more times than you can count. Before her solo career, Ross was the lead singer of the Supremes, the best charting girl group in US history.
She’s lived a lifetime of fame, glitz and glam, but what about her family? She was married twice and had five children, but who are Diana Ross’ kids? It turns out that each of her children has had their own successful lives and careers.
1. Rhonda Ross Kendrick
Also known as Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein, she was born in 1971 and was the first child of Ross. Ross’ first husband, Robert Ellis Silberstein, raised Rhonda as his own daughter, as Motown CEO Berry Gordy was her biological father. Though Ross, Silberstein, and Gordy all knew the true parentage, Kendrick didn’t find out until she was 13 years old who her real father was. She called Gordy “Uncle BB” all throughout her childhood.
Rhonda is an actress, public speaker, singer, and songwriter. She married jazz pianist Rodney Kendrick in 1996, and they have a child, Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick, born in 2009.
Her cousin is actress Bianca Lawson, the daughter of Gordy’s niece Denise and actor Richard Lawson. In 2015, Richard married Tina Knowles, Beyonce’s mom!
2. Tracee Ellis Ross
With Silberstein, Ross had two daughters. Tracee Ellis Ross, born Tracee Joy Silberstein, was born in 1972. Silberstein is Jewish, and Ross is African-American. Ross graduated from Brown University with a degree in theater, and later worked in the fashion industry as a model. You probably recognize her as Joan in the television series Girlfriends, and as Rainbow Johnson on Black-ish.
Though she is not married and doesn’t have children, she’s been vocal about her choice to be childless, “My worth gets diminished as I am reminded that I have ‘failed’ on the marriage and carriage counts. Me! This bold, liberated, independent woman. I mean, I work out, eat well, I mostly show up to work on time, I’m a good friend, A solid daughter, a hard worker, my credit is good, I take out the garbage before it gets smelly, I recycle and I won a Golden Globe! I’m killing it!” she said. Damn right!
She’s also no stranger to posting photos and videos of her and her father. How sweet is that?
3. Chudney Ross
Though Ross and Silberstein divorced in 1977, they had a second daughter, Chudney Ross Silberstein, in 1975. She’s graduated from Georgetown University and went on to become a producer and production manager, working on films like Mesmerized and Fame.
She’s married to Joshua Faulkner, whom she met through a mutual friend. While dating, the couple had a child in 2012, a daughter named Callaway. After dating for six years, Faulkner proposed on Ross’ birthday, and the two married in June 2015 in Maui.
4. Ross Naess
Ross Naess is Ross’ fourth child, and the first with her second husband, Arne Naess Jr., a shipping magnate and mountaineer. The couple married in 1986, with Naess being born in 1987. His mother and father divorced in 2000, and his father passed away in a climbing accident in 2004 at the age of 66. Ross called her ex-husband the love of her life.
But as for Naess, he found a love of his own and married his long-time girlfriend, Kimberly Ryan, in 2017. The couple dated for 10 years before Naess proposed! The two have two sons: Leif, born in 2016, and Indigo, who was born two months after their wedding.
5. Evan Ross
The youngest of Diana Ross’ children, Evan Ross has made a name for himself, acting in films like Pride, 96 Minutes, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, parts 1 and 2. He also had a recurring role in the 90210 reboot and Wicked City. He’s also a musician and released two singles in 2011 and 2015.
He’s currently married to singer Ashlee Simpson and the two have a daughter, Jagger, who was born in 2015. He’s step-father to Simpson’s 9-year-old son Bronx from her previous marriage to Pete Wentz. The two are planning to release a duet album together.
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.