Jimmy Kimmel recently shared in an interview that he has acquired Italian citizenship, stirring mixed reactions among the public.
Kimmel, known for his comedy and as a late-night TV host, explained that he obtained Italian citizenship through his maternal grandmother. He mentioned that his mother’s grandparents had emigrated from Ischia, Naples, to the United States, with his grandmother hailing from a town called Candida in Campania.
In June, Kimmel attended the Italian Republic Day event in Los Angeles, where he spoke about his Italian roots and his newly obtained citizenship.
“I have just obtained citizenship, thanks to my beloved grandmother Edith, whose family came from Candida, in the province of Avellino. She used to repeat to me, ‘You have the brain of a hamster!'” he shared with the audience (via The Guardian).
Recently, during a conversation with fellow comedian Sarah Silverman on her podcast, The Sarah Silverman Podcast, the two discussed the state of the United States under President Donald Trump’s leadership.
Kimmel, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, has often commented on the Republican president even before his time in office began.
Silverman remarked on how many Americans have tried to secure citizenship in other countries following Trump’s reelection, prompting Kimmel to say: “I do have… I did get Italian citizenship.”
He added: “What’s going on [with Trump] is as bad as you thought it was gonna be. I feel like it’s probably even worse than [Trump] would like it to be.”
The online reaction was varied, with some expressing support for his choice.
One Reddit user expressed understanding, saying they ‘don’t blame him at all’, while another commented: “Good for him. If I could, I’d be outta here in a heartbeat.”
On the other hand, some criticized Kimmel’s privilege in having the ability to obtain a second passport, with one person noting: “Must be nice to pack up and relocate internationally with ease.”
Another remarked: “I’m kinda bitter about all of these rich people who are able to just jet off to a different country to avoid the consequences of Trump but will swoop back in when its convenient lol.”
Following Trump’s second term in office, some US celebrities have sought to relocate to other countries.
Rosie O’Donnell, who has had several public disagreements with Trump, moved to Ireland, with Trump even threatening to ‘take away her citizenship’.
In contrast, Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, decided to move to the UK. DeGeneres shared with the BBC from their Gloucestershire home: “We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in.’
“And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here’.”
Eva Longoria, star of Desperate Housewives, mentioned in 2024 that she and her family were dividing their time between Mexico and Spain. She indicated that the decision was influenced by the US’s ‘changing vibe’ post-pandemic, high taxes in California, and Trump’s reelection.
Longoria recognized to Marie Claire that she was fortunate to have the option to move, noting: “Most Americans aren’t so lucky. They’re going to be stuck in this dystopian country.”