Nané Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 Michael Vartan: A Face That’s Hard to Forget by Hrag Vartanian Michael Vartan, aka Agent Vaughn of ABC’s hit show Alias, is slowly creeping onto the radar screens of Hollywood bigwigs, eager to make the cross over to superstardom. If you haven’t heard about the popular star, then you may be the only one. A quick search on popular internet auction site, Ebay, tells you that there are people eager to own Michael Vartan wall clocks, pillowcases and even a t-shirt plastered with the words “Marry Me! Michael Vartan.” Sure, the six-foot 190 lbs. actor with the “boy next door” look is appealing, but internet message board posts have a “OH MY GOD!” quality that tells you what everyone knows—he’s an international heartthrob. His biggest unofficial website “The Safe House” (www.vartanho.com) has over 3000 registered members and there is an official site in the works to celebrate the talents of the enigmatic Mr. Vartan. People Magazine is onboard the Vartan fan club and chose him as one of the Sexiest Men Alive for 2003. The green-eyed hunk joked at the honor, “It’s amazing how much better looking I’ve gotten since I’ve been on Alias. I didn’t have that many female fans when I was 19 years old and working as a waiter.” Born in France, Vartan was raised in both France and America. His American mother and French-Armenian father—brother of famed French singer, Sylvie Vartan—split when he was only five. A high school dropout, he permanently settled in L.A. at the age of 18—to avoid French military service—and took acting classes to hone a talent family and friends already spotted. Now 35 years old, Vartan’s career spans two continents and he’s got a knack for working with some of the most celebrated names in the biz. His first lucky break was in the Italian film, Fiorile (1993) which garnered him a French Caesar award nomination as best up-and-coming actor. Stateside he played a minor role in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), but his breakthrough came with The Pallbearer (1996) starring David Schwimmer and Gwyneth Paltrow. That initial exposure paved the path to roles in Never Been Kissed (1999) opposite Drew Barrymore, The Next Best Thing (2000) as Madonna’s prickly first husband, and even One Hour Photo (2002) with Robin Williams, where his nude scene had The Straits Times of Singapore declare, “Vive le Vartan!” Vartan is climbing into the upper strata of Hollywood celebrity doing all the right projects and even dating the right people—in his case Alias co-star, Jennifer Garner. The Michael Vartan frenzy is certainly only beginning, but the real test will be if he can pull off the challenge of a complex role considering he is being typecast in endless pretty boy roles. Until that day, Vartan will just have to be satisfied with the admiration of his fans the world over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kakachik77 Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 ok Michael Vartan has very little Armenian blood left in him, 1/4 only. His dad is half Armenian and half-Bulgarian and mother is American. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nané Posted January 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 ok Michael Vartan has very little Armenian blood left in him, 1/4 only. His dad is half Armenian and half-Bulgarian and mother is American. style_images/master/snapback.png True ... but every 1/4 counts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamavor Posted January 13, 2005 Report Share Posted January 13, 2005 ok Michael Vartan has very little Armenian blood left in him, 1/4 only. His dad is half Armenian and half-Bulgarian and mother is American. style_images/master/snapback.png His dad is Half Hungarian - Half Armenian, born in Bulgaria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakharar Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Is his dad the famous producer Eddie Vartan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) Is his dad the famous producer Eddie Vartan? style_images/master/snapback.png Consider this in re to Sylvie Vartan; http://hyeforum.com/index.php?act=Search&C...e=sylvie+vartan "His American mother and French-Armenian father—brother of famed French singer, Sylvie Vartan—split when he was only five". Yeah - but there are MANY on this forum that would consider Mr Vartan as anything but Armenian Edited January 17, 2005 by Arpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakharar Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 Would Michael Vartan be flattered that he is even considered a famous "Armenian" in this forum? Or could he care less? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) Would Michael Vartan be flattered that he is even considered a famous "Armenian" in this forum? Or could he care less? style_images/master/snapback.png You mean more or less than Grigor Ipeck-ian, Jack(-ob) Palanjian or Yeghisabeth Terzakian? :) Whoever said that Palanji-ian is an ARMENIAN surname, or for that matter-Ipek-ian? Don't we have words for "palan" and "ipek" like "tamb" and "metaks" respectively? If anything they would both be better described as Turks since both "ipek" and "palan" are Turkish words. Edited January 17, 2005 by Arpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakharar Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 I was getting to that. Plus considering the fact that there is absolutely no proof that these three individuals Jack Palance, Gregory Peck and Liz Talyor are remotely Armenian. I remember my aunt saying something that Gregory Peck has the good looks of an Armenian. Ahhh... Wishful thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) I was getting to that. Plus considering the fact that there is absolutely no proof that these three individuals Jack Palance, Gregory Peck and Liz Talyor are remotely Armenian. I remember my aunt saying something that Gregory Peck has the good looks of an Armenian. Ahhh... Wishful thinking. style_images/master/snapback.png Why do we take such pride of people whose surnames end in -ian? Is not "Ian" a celtic name as in Ian(John/Ivan/Hovanes) Fleming? Would a surname like Turk-ogli-ian or Kurd-ogli-ian (a real and existing surname even today) make one, based on the simple fact that it ends in -ian a REAL Armenian? How about all these people. Kill-ian, Sebast-ian, Bulgar-ian, Hungar-ian, Norweg-ian, Ital-ian, Ind-ian, Idone-sian, and Zimbabwe-ian!! Edited January 17, 2005 by Arpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arpa Posted November 11, 2006 Report Share Posted November 11, 2006 I was getting to that. Plus considering the fact that there is absolutely no proof that these three individuals Jack Palance, Gregory Peck and Liz Talyor are remotely Armenian. I remember my aunt saying something that Gregory Peck has the good looks of an Armenian. Ahhh... Wishful thinking. Yet another friend of Hagarag goes to that big Armenia up there. We will watch his obituary, jut as we did that of Gregory Peck to see which part of him was Armenian. Even if it turns out he in fact had Armenian, I will forever disown him for having such Turkish surname as “palan-ji-oghlu-IAN. Oscar-Winning Actor Jack Palance Dies http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/11/...D8LAROM80.shtml Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annannimusss Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Since my name is Yaacoubian would you say that I am not Armenian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vahan79 Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Arpa, since I am new here, I didn't realize just how off the deep-end you are. Lots of Armenians have "Turkish" roots in their names because they represent the profession of they had when they lived under Ottoman rule (around the time the names came about). It's not because they are Turkish, my friend. For example, if you were a jeweler in your village, or in Turkish "kugumci," around the time when surnames came about, you would be "kugumciyan" (often spelled "kuiumdjian" or "kuyumjian" etc.). This is because you lived in a Turk-occupied area, not becuase you are less Turkish. Also, you shouldn't be confused by the fact that people have "turk" or "kurd" or "arap" in their names, oftentimes this was used because the people were perceived to look like that race or group, or maybe they have an grandpa that is Turkish that assimilated into the general Armenian community. Either way, the person is Armenian by any standard especially so many years later. Your "hungarian", etc. examples are just silly. I think you know that the "ian" in those is not what we are talking about...we are talking about surnames/last names, not how you describe people from certain countries in ENGLISH. The difference is that "Nersesian" is "Nersesian" because "ian" is an ARMENIAN word that we have transliterated into English, not an English ending. If you want to be critical, you should point to the Persians and Indians that have "ian" in their last names that we sometimes confuse for Armenian...because that is even more common.... (I can't believe I actually have to explain this...I hope you were kidding) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anoushik Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 ok Michael Vartan has very little Armenian blood left in him, 1/4 only. His dad is half Armenian and half-Bulgarian and mother is American. Even so, my mom says that he's got the typical Armenian looks. She remembers the handsome guys from her youth in Armenia looking like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vahan79 Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Even so, my mom says that he's got the typical Armenian looks. She remembers the handsome guys from her youth in Armenia looking like him. Yeah, I mean, he doesn't look Armenian if you just look at him, but once you know, you can totally see it. He looks half to me, like my cousins who are mixed. So, I can see what your mom is saying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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