Emily Ratajkowski is of mixed heritage, with Polish, German, Irish, and British descent. She was born in London, United Kingdom, and grew up in San Diego, California. Her mother, Kathleen Balgley, is a professor of English, as well as a writer and political activist, with roots in Ireland, Germany, and the United Kingdom, while her father, John David Ratajkowski, is a painter and art teacher who was born and raised in Poland. Her parents raised her with both a Polish and Irish identity, with her father often speaking to her in Polish. She identifies as mixed race.
