| faq | ||
 |
Ancestry Childhood Siblings Parents Being a Husband and Father Sherman Children ANCESTRY Chris's roots are Italian and French (Dec 8 1999). On his father's side, Chris's ancestry is Genovese Italian (Mar 28 2000), but he doesn't know if his earlier ancestors might have been Meloneys from Ireland. He says, "I believe my great-grandfather was adopted, so…maybe I ain't really a Meloni at all" (Feb 26 2004). On his mother's side, Chris's ancestry is French-Canadian (Mar 28 2000). He doesn't know where exactly his mother's family is from (Aug 10 2000), but does know that they're Québecois, not Acadian (Oct 19 2000). CHILDHOOD Chris is the youngest of three children. When asked whether he received special treatment from his parents as the baby of the family, Chris says, "I think maybe perhaps. My sibs will say yes" (Apr 21 2000). When a fan asked Chris to divulge what thing he did that resulted in a phone call home from school (and that his family still talks about), he replied, "Oh shit, pick a day, pick a youthful indiscretion" (Aug 21 2000). He describes his family as having been "very religious," a fact that has contributed to his spiritual evolution (Apr 24 2000). His best childhood memory of the holiday season is of "throwing the football around with the ol' man" and of his "mother's cooking" (Jan 14 2002). A football was his greatest Christmas gift as a child (Dec 8 1999); apparently, it was his first pro football (June 12 2000) and he got it when he was 10 (Dec 29 2000). SIBLINGS Chris is "very close" to his siblings (Mar 28 2000) and describes them as being "content with themselves," "awesome" and "very cool, very happy" (Dec 8 1999; Mar 28 2000). Chris says he doesn't know whether actors are more sensitive than non-actors, explaining, "My sister is a social worker and she is very sensitive to behavior and emotions - hers and others. That's why she's good at her job" (Feb 26 2004). However, his sister did some acting in her childhood; Chris says she was "big in high school plays" (Aug 10 2000). As of February 12, 2001, Chris had six nieces and nephews. On December 19 2001, he said that they ranged in age from eight to two years old and that he didn't think that they cared that their uncle is famous. PARENTS When he decided to become an actor, Chris says that his parents' reaction was: "You can do it…we think" (Mar 28 2000). He also says that he thinks his parents are "old enough to see me act badly" (June 12 2000). Chris says that, in reaction to his nudity and homosexual relationship on Oz, he imagines that his family was "oh…a little shocked at first (if they’ve seen it at all), but they recognized I’m a big boy and can make my own choices" (May 8 2001). In response to whether his wife and family recognized Chris in his performance as Keller and whether they were "amazed" by his acting on that show, Chris said, "I don't know, I never asked and I've never been told. They just tell me I done good" (May 22 2000). BEING A HUSBAND AND FATHER A fan asked whether it was difficult to maintain a good marriage, when Chris and Sherman were living in different parts of the country. Chris answered, "Love needs space sometimes" (May 8 2001). They soon resolved the problem by settling the family in New York (Apr 29 2001). Now, Chris gets to spend "maybe 1.5 hours a day" with his family and "lots on the weekend" (Apr 2 2004). When a fan asked Chris's opinion on the one thing that keeps a marriage together and what Sherman does to be "a wonderful wife," Chris responded, "Lotta luck, lotta patience and we dated a lot of different people before we met, so we knew what was out there and weren't so worried about what we'd be missing" (Jan 31 2005). Chris considers himself an "O.K. husband" and a "real good Da" (Dec 6 2001). He also says that "fatherhood…takes a lot of my focus, but that’s O.K. There’s a lot of love in that focus" (Apr 19 2001). Between Sophia and Sherman, Chris says Sophia comes first, "a little" (Dec 19 2001). When one fan commented that "having a girl teaches a man tenderness in a whole new way," Chris agreed, "I think yer right" (Oct 25 2002). Chris has said that his work "will not be influenced by how I interact with Sophia. It'll be a kick to have her watch Oz when appropriate. She shall remain a virgin until she's married. We already have her in a wonderful pink burka" (Sept 29 2003). More seriously, Chris has said that he will not spoil Sophia, but that he will "slather" her with love (Dec 19 2001). Christopher says that filming the SVU episode "Shaken" was "pretty tough. Having kids brings the pain of many of these crimes closer to home, closer to the bone" (Apr 8 2004). His favourite thing about being a new daddy was "being awakened by a pawing, gurgling baby" and his least favourite thing was "when she's sick" (Jan 14 2002). His favourite sound to fall asleep to is of his "wife and baby breathing" (Nov 9 2001). At Mariska Hargitay's wedding, "the most beautiful women in the room" were Sherman, Sophia and Mariska (Nov 16 2004). If his house were on fire and his family safe, Chris would want to save "just the pictures of the family" (Aug 1 2004). When he was asked that question before he had children, Chris had said that in that situation, he would save his rugs (June 9 2000). When asked what he likes to do to spoil himself, his wife and his children, Chris said, "All of us together? That's a tough one - I mean, they're kids, so…just spend time, I guess" (Nov 15 2004). The last word on being a dad: "Being a parent connects you to the circle of life. Make sense?" (Apr 26 2005) SHERMAN Sherman is "the best" and "is happy" that Chris is happy (Feb 9 2000). There is no age difference between Chris and Sherman (Oct 19 2000). Sherman "sometimes" looks at the questions Chris's fans ask and "she gets a kick" out of it (June 14 2000). Chris also thinks that Sherman "digs it…a lot" that so many people lust after him (Oct 25 2002). Sherman has never been uncomfortable with the things Chris did as Keller (June 8 2001). In fact, she "loved" the things he did on Oz and was "very entertained by the shenanigans" (Feb 27 2004). In raising the children, Sherman does "80%" of the work (Feb 26 2004). CHILDREN Christopher is father to Sophia Eva Pietra Meloni and to Dante Amadeo Meloni. Chris and Sherman are not planning to have any more children (Nov 15 2004). Chris had this to say to a fan who asked if she could have Chris's babies: "Sophia and Dante? Bid on eBay like everybody else" (Nov 15 2004). Sophia's first name means wisdom and comes from the Hagia Sophia, "the cathedral that was turned into a mosque in Istanbul" (Jan 14 2002; Aug 1 2004; Nov 4 2004). The mosque inspired Chris because of "when it was built, the turbulent place it had survived in and the sheer vastness and simplicity of it" (Sept 7 2004). The second of Sophia's middle names is pronounced "pee et chra. Now, put all those sounds together" (Apr 17 2001). Dante is named after the writer of The Inferno, because the name "just sounded cool and Italian and the Amadeo part means beloved of God" (Aug 1 2004; Nov 4 2004). Sherman and Chris didn't really have any other names picked out for their children, aside from "maybe Rocco for Dante, but Madonna already went there, so…" (Apr 26 2005). A fan asked whether Chris would be interested in advising other celebrities against their "trend of naming children after fruit." Chris replied, "I don't consider it my place or myself to be a role model for others, except perhaps my children, Dante Kiwi and Sophia Mango" (Jan 24 2005). Christopher was in the delivery room for Sophia's birth and "saw it all, even though I was asked three times to have a seat. I stood tall and filmed it in close-up" (Aug 13 2001). Chris soon nicknamed Sophia "pure love" (Sept 26 2002). When prompted, Chris brags about "the most perfect, beautiful, smart creature God has ever touched" (June 8 2001). He doesn't brag about Sophia very often because "to brag about perfection is a bit declassé" (Oct 30 2001). In general, Sophia is "magnificent" (Sept 29 2003) and Dante is "incredible, happy, smiling, strong" and has a "big nose" (Feb 27 2004). Before having children, Chris said he would "let 'er rip" when reading his children bedtime stories (Apr 18 2000). Now that he is a father, Chris says that he does do different voices when reading those bedtime stories, admitting, "I can't help myself" (Nov 4 2004). For Sherman's first Mother’s Day, Sophia got her mom "a full diaper and some flowers" (May 18 2001). For Halloween 2001, Chris was planning to be a "nut" and to dress Sophia as "a squirrel" (Oct 23 2001). Unfortunately, "I had the flu. She enjoyed watching Daddy whimper like a baby" (Nov 7 2001). For Halloween 2004, Chris was planning to take the children out trick-or-treating (Oct 27 2004). As of April 20, 2005, he had taken the children to the zoo once and planned to make "more trips" there. As of January 26 2001, Chris had never changed a diaper, but later said, "That'll probably change" (Apr 14 2001). By September 18, 2001, Chris confirmed that he had not yet gotten tired of changing Sophia's diapers. Christopher has been asked many times what advice he intends to pass on to his children. His most recent answer: "If you want something, it's out there for you if you commit yourself to it" (Apr 26 2005). He plans to tell his daughter that men are "only interested in one thing" (June 10 2000). If Sophia were ever bullied at school, Chris would tell her, "A swift kick to the nuts does wonders for bullies" (Dec 19 2001). The most important thing he will teach his children as they grow up: "You have to stick up for yourself, you have to share" (Nov 15 2004). The best piece of advice Chris could give his child is "You are strong, you are smart, you are beautiful" (Apr 21 2000). The most valuable wisdom he could impart to his child is that "hate is a draining bottomless pit from whence nothing good or of any value can come. Try to eat a balanced diet. Guys only want one thing" (Sept 22 2001). If his children wanted to become actors or go into the entertainment business, Chris would tell them, "If you want it, you must work for it" (Apr 26 2000) and "Follow your heart and know that your average SAG actor makes about $5000 a year" (Mar 28 2000). When asked whether he would let his children watch Oz, Chris has said that it would depend "on the age" (Jan 4 2001), but said that it would be "a kick" to have Sophia watch Oz when appropriate (Sept 29 2003). When asked what age his children would have to be before he would let them watch certain TV shows or movies, he recently replied, "Well, I don't know what the exact cut-off is - I suppose I'll know when I come to it. They ain't watching Oz or SVU for a while" (Mar 20 2005). Last updated: March 04/06 | |