Who are Mace Coronel’s parents? His multi-ethnic upbringing

Fans of That ‘70s Show are probably surprised that Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis) and Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) got together and had a son named Jay (Mace Coronel). At the end of the series in 2006, Jackie was dating Fez Valderrama, and Kelso was married. 

That ‘90s Show reveals that things changed after the series finale: Burkhart and Kelso married and welcomed Jay, Leia’s love interest. The Netflix series follows Leia’s summer adventures while visiting her grandparents, Kitty and Red Foreman, in Wisconsin. Leia (Callie Haverda) falls for Jay the moment she lays eyes on him. 

Mace Coronel was born on 10th March 2004 in New York City to Grace and Marc Coronel. Marc is a personal trainer who claims to have educated or mentored more than 10,000 trainees. Grace is an acting coach with acting credits stretching back to 1987. 

Coronel’s Instagram followers know that he is fluent in Dutch. Mace didn’t just choose to learn the language – his father’s parents were born and raised in Aruba, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Mace’s childhood visits to the region turned him into an eloquent Dutch speaker. 

Mace wrote on Instagram in April 2021 that he didn’t expect to get his Dutch passport as soon as he did. Through his parents, Mace Coronel is Sephardi Jewish, Aruban, French-Canadian, and Surinamese. Coronel is a Dutch Jewish name. 

Mace told Boys By Girls that growing up under creative and artistic parents motivated him to pursue an acting career. He explained:

“My family have a fine taste and appreciation for art – my parents even once had a record label and were heavily involved with the culture of music. Having that older influence in my life played a big part in me wanting to chase my dreams at a young age.”

Coronel was seven when he began taking acting classes. He dropped out a year later to study the craft on his own. The decision paid off as he landed roles in The Bold and the Beautiful, Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn, and Pocket. 

Mace shares a close bond with his parents. In March 2018, he posted an Instagram snap of himself and Grace, writing: “My birthday is in 3 days, and I just want to thank this awesome-tough ass mother of mine. I love you so much mama.”

Grace Morley married television host Montel Williams in 1992. Some reports erroneously state that Grace was a stripper; she was a Vegas showgirl. 

Vegas showgirls were elegant dancers who didn’t strip or provide escort services. Grace, who used the stage name Bambi Jr., followed her mother, Bambi, into the profession. Grace used her earnings to pay for acting classes. She told famousinterview.com:

“Instead of being a waitress,- I’ve been lucky enough to have people behind me in Vegas who like me and my performances and this is basically what I’m doing to get up the ladder. I’m paying my dues right now.”

Williams and Grace welcomed Montel Brian Hank Williams in 1993 and Wyntergrace Williams in 1994. The couple divorced in 2000. Despite a clause in the divorce agreement preventing Grace from talking about Williams, she accused him of infidelity and neglecting his children. 

Montel Williams is currently an undefeated professional MMA fighter, and Wyntergrace is a dancer and an actress. 

Mace has seemingly grown tired of inquiries about his siblings’ ethnicity. “Fam,” the actor posted a photo of the blended family, “not adopted. These are my blood siblings. Go wonder u ignorant mfs.”

A December 2018 Instagram photo showed that he’s close to his half-siblings’ extended family. “Love seeing my great grandma every year,” he captioned the post. “Such a gangster.”