John David Ratajkowski is the father of popular actress-turned-model Emily Ratajkowski. Keep reading to know more about him.
Emily’s talent as a creative came as no shock to many as her father is a visionary artist with an impressive career spanning over four decades.
Who Is John David Ratajkowski?
John David Ratajkowski is the multitalented father of Emily Ratajkowski. He is known majorly for his artistic talents and style, which include painting and sculpting. The details of his date of birth are unknown except that he was born in 1947 in Coronado, San Diego, where he has lived most of his life.
He made a life for himself by selling his wonderful art pieces and continues to do so to date. He also taught art in schools for decades as he loved to pass on creative knowledge.
John married Emily’s mum, Kathleen Balgley, sometime in 1990 when they found out that Kathleen was pregnant with Emily. Their relationship was already off and on before the tumultuous marriage, and Emily was the “glue” that held her parents’ marriage together.
Speaking about her parents in her autobiography “My Body,” Emily Ratajkowski revealed that the relationship was strained, affecting her as a child. She wrote:
“I knew that my parents had been on again, off again for years before my mother became pregnant with me, and they decided to get married. I understood that even before I was born, my existence was the essential glue of their relationship.”
However, it wasn’t all bad, as Emily was loved dearly by both her parents, especially her dad, who raised her in art and allowed her to be herself and explore her creativity. John and his family also moved around a couple of times because of his work, exposing Emily to the different people and possibilities in life.
John David Ratajkowski’s Ethnicity and Nationality
The celebrity father holds an American nationality but has Polish roots, as he is originally from Poland. He is Roman Catholic and still practices his faith to date. Emily’s mum, Kathleen, is Jewish and is originally from Israel. Therefore, Emily identifies as Polish-Israeli even though she has been in the US for much of her life.
During a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, the model revealed that people in Hollywood often encouraged her to change her last name because it was seemingly difficult to pronounce. However, her father encouraged her to stick with her original surname.
“People have told me to change it over the years, but my dad is always saying: ‘Never change your name!'” Emily admitted. “My middle name is O’Hara, so it’s a pretty epic name. Emily O’Hara Ratajkowski.”
The name ‘Ratajkowski’ has a Polish origin and is one of the most unique things about the model.
John David Ratajkowski’s Paintings
John grew up in the seaside town of Coronado, California, across the bay from San Diego, where his creative side could be explored to the fullest. As a child, he remembers “being able to draw anything I could see.” As a young boy, he developed an early fascination with all types of materials and started to make art.
He dabbled in drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, and lithography. John earned a living through his artworks, appearing in more than 25 US and European exhibitions. John and his family also stayed temporarily in Mallorca, Spain, and Southwest Ireland when John had his shows.
In a father-daughter interview, John and Emily had with Culture Magazine, he spoke about his diverse artistry. He said:
“Maybe it’s a question of boredom, but my art moves around a lot. I’ll do these almost photorealistic portraits and then snap back into Abstract Expressionism. I don’t like being stuck — I never have. That’s kept me in the art world all these years.”
John David Ratajkowski
Additionally, John taught art for over four decades in San Diego. He spoke about his love for passing on his artistic knowledge: “Mentoring generations of art students who have established themselves as serious artists and continue to stay in regular contact with their teacher.”
John David Ratajkowski’s Parents
There is currently no information about John’s parents. Most of his private life and background is not known as well. However, his father was reportedly Polish, while his mother was of Irish descent.
John David Ratajkowski’s Net Worth
The painter and art teacher reportedly has a net worth of $1 million. He amassed his net worth through his numerous art sales and teaching jobs. His daughter, Emily, has an estimated net worth of $8 million thanks to her exceptional talents as an actress and model.
Her highly successful modeling career has earned her numerous praises and brand deals like her industry colleague, Gigi Hadid. John David Ratajkowski might be a celebrity father, but not much is known about him beyond that. It is unclear if he remarried or has other children apart from Emily.