Merle Dandridge's Parents: Her Japanese-Korean Mother and Black-American Father Inspire Her

Merle Dandridge's parents played a significant role in shaping the actress's optimistic nature. They gave her a biracial, multi-ethnic, and spiritually rich identity that she has embraced and taught her how to stand tall in a world that wasn't ready to accept her.

As part of a small percentage of mixed Black-Asian people, Merle Dandridge encountered many who treated her poorly because of her biracial identity. Similarly, those experiences mirrored her mother's, who is also of bi-ethnic descent.

Speaking of her rejection, it appeared the actress had moved past it and proudly talked of her heritage. She credited that pride, strength, and optimism to her mother, but the source of the qualities ran deeper.

Merle Dandridge's Mother Faced Much Tragedy

Dandridge's mother was born to Korean and Japanese parents but was never entirely accepted in both cultures. She was eight years old when the war that tore Korea into two separate countries led to her losing her home and her family.

Her daughter revealed this information in a heart-tugging letter she penned in April 2020. Dandridge's mother's first husband was a Korean man with whom she had children. It's unclear how many kids she ultimately had, including the actress, but two of them died as infants.

When she moved to the US, Dandridge's mother put herself through nursing school while simultaneously learning to speak English. She persevered through many trying times, yet they didn't dim her light, as Dandridge wrote:

"You can still take time to listen to what the trees have to say to you when the wind blows them and makes them talk. You can still dance and sing at the top of your lungs. You still hold the magic that makes all the deer in the neighborhood come out at dusk and wait to nuzzle you goodnight."

It's also unknown when she met and married Dandridge's father, but they raised the actress in a predominantly white town in Nebraska. With her understanding of rejection, Dandridge's mother prepared her for the world's lack of acceptance.

She taught her that she was more than her ethnicity and race. The actress's lessons from her mother and her mother's life experiences make her mother her hero and sunshine.

Merle Dandridge's Father Taught Her to Stay Grounded

Dandridge's father is an African-American who recently reached his 80s. The "Greenleaf" star hasn't spoken extensively about her dad but has shown great appreciation for his presence in her life. Alongside an old childhood photo, on Father's Day in 2017, she tweeted:

"Father. You taught me to stand and built the floor so I could dance. #HappyFathersDay to Andrew Dandridge and all you wonderful daddies."

Merle Dandridge's Parents Influenced Her Spirituality

Dandrige's parents were consistent churchgoers. Her mom attended a Korean Catholic church, while her dad went to the non-denominational, no-instrument Church of Christ.

With this background, the actress said she found her spiritual path and practice. Still, her parents' religions were helpful when she received her first leading role in OWN's drama series "Greenleaf."

After the show ended in 2020, she appeared in "Flight Attendant," opposite Kaley Cuoco, Rosie Perez, and Zosia Mamet. The actress began playing Zarina in "Truth Be Told" alongside Octavia Spencer and Gabrielle Union the following year.