Stella Adler was born in the Lower East Side of New York City.[7] She was the youngest daughter of Sara and Jacob P. Adler, the sister of Luther and Jay Adler, and half-sister of Charles Adler. All five of her siblings were actors. The Adlers comprised the Jewish-American Adler acting dynasty, which had its start in theYiddish Theater District and was a significant part of the vibrant ethnic theatrical scene that thrived in New York from the late 19th century to the 1950s. Adler would become the most famous and influential member of her family. She began acting at the age of four as a part of the Independent Yiddish Art Company of her parents.