Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2012, TV-PG,
Black Rating : 4.0/5
Standard Rating : 4.4/5
- Genres: Documentary . Biography . History .
- Release Date: 2012-03-25 (USA)
- Director:
- Writers:
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Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Self - Host / ... 96 episodes, 2012-2024
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CeCe Moore
Self / ... 11 episodes, 2014-2024
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Anita Hill
Self 3 episodes, 2022-2023
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Ty Burrell
Self / ... 2 episodes, 2016-2019
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Sterling K. Brown
Self - Guest 2 episodes, 2020-2023
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Kehinde Wiley
Self / ... 2 episodes, 2019-2020
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Cory Booker
Self 2 episodes, 2012-2020
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Sally Field
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Angela Bassett
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Tina Fey
Self 3 episodes, 2014-2021
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Sting
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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George Stephanopoulos
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Aarón Sánchez
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Tony Kushner
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Anderson Cooper
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Nas
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Derek Jeter
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Alan Dershowitz
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Tom Colicchio
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Valerie Jarrett
Self 2 episodes, 2014
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Julianne Moore
Self / ... 2 episodes, 2016-2020
Plot:
Before the popularity of AncestryDNA, journalist and cultural critic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. divulges the family trees of various celebrities, many times with stunning revelations.
Awards:
Awards, 2 nominations
Production Companies: Ark Media, Kunhardt Films, McGee Media
Pictures
Box office
- Budget:
- Opening weekend US &
Canada:
- Gross US &
Canada:
- Gross
worldwide:
Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis 25 Mar. 2012
Actor and musician Harry Connick, Jr. and legendary jazz musician Branford Marsalis share their love of jazz and New Orleans itself, but they both also have European immigrant ancestors who blazed unconventional trails in America.
Cory Booker and John Lewis 25 Mar. 2012
Two African-American politicians from different generations and opposite backgrounds, legendary civil rights leader John Lewis, and Democratic senator Cory Booker, learn about black and white slavery era ancestors they never knew about.
Barbara Walters and Geoffrey Canada 1 Apr. 2012
Prof. Gates unearths missing links in the family histories of legendary broadcast journalist Barbara Walters, and equally notable activist and educator Geoffrey Canada, as they try to learn the original last names of their fathers.
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick 8 Apr. 2012
What do husband and wife Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick have in common? Other than being famous Hollywood actors in their own right, they both also come from old abolitionist families. But that's just the beginning.
Angela Buchdahl/Rick Warren/Yasir Qadhi 15 Apr. 2012
Family roots of Baptist evangelical Christian megachurch founder, pastor Rick Warren, Angela Buchdahl, the first Asian-American Rabbi, and American Muslim scholar Yasir Qadhi unearth a story about the spiritual foundations of America.
Robert Downey, Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal 22 Apr. 2012
Actors Robert Downey, Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal are textbook examples of Americans with a rich medley of European immigrant stories in their family trees.
Samuel L. Jackson, Condoleezza Rice and Ruth Simmons 29 Apr. 2012
Actor Samuel L. Jackson, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Brown University president Ruth Simmons were all once second-class citizens in the Jim Crow south. Where in Africa do they come from and who are their white ancestors?
Sanjay Gupta/Margaret Cho/Martha Stewart 6 May 2012
Comedienne Margaret Cho, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and TV personality Martha Stewart are all children of first or second-generation immigrants and share the peculiar burdens of that heritage.
John Legend/Wanda Sykes/Margarett Cooper 13 May 2012
Musician John Legend and comedienne Wanda Sykes, as well as Professor Gates himself and his 98-year-old friend Margarett Cooper, discover the extraordinary stories of the free black ancestors they never knew about.
Michelle Rodriguez/Adrian Grenier/Linda Chavez 20 May 2012
Actress Michelle Rodriguez, actor Adrian Grenier and Republican analyst Linda Chavez all share Spanish colonial roots, yet each views their own identity very differently.
In Search of Our Fathers: Stephen King, Gloria Reuben and Courtney B. Vance 23 Sep. 2014
Henry Louis Gates explores the paternal ancestry of famous horror novelist Stephen King, actress Gloria Reuben and actor Courtney B. Vance. Shocking discoveries are made.
Born Champions 30 Sep. 2014
The families of three of America's greatest athletes, former MLB star Derek Jeter, former world tennis champion Billie Jean King, and former WNBA star Rebecca Lobo, are explored by Henry Louis Gates.
Our American Storytellers 7 Oct. 2014
Three iconic American storytellers, journalist Anderson Cooper, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, learn about their southern ancestors' role in the Civil War, and in Burns' case, the Revolutionary War.
Roots of Freedom 14 Oct. 2014
Actor Ben Affleck, NAACP president Ben Jealous and actress Khandi Alexander discover that their families' long established principles to fight for freedom and civil rights were passed down through generations of ancestors.
The Melting Pot 21 Oct. 2014
Tom Colicchio of "Top Chef", Ming Tsai of "Simply Ming" and Aaron Sanchez of "Chopped", three celebrity chefs who cook the food of their ancestors, discover family members who have shaped their lives - and America's cuisine.
We Come from People 28 Oct. 2014
Actress Angela Bassett, President Obama's political advisor Valerie Jarrett and hip-hop artist Nas discover that there is no singular narrative or preconception about the people who suffered through the era of slavery in America.
Our People, Our Traditions 4 Nov. 2014
Playwright Tony Kushner, songwriter Carole King and lawyer Alan Dershowitz share not only a Jewish heritage but also a history of perseverance in the face of withering opposition, and as it turns out, so did their ancestors.
The British Are Coming 11 Nov. 2014
The ancestry of actress Sally Field, New Age guru Deepak Chopra and British rock star Sting reveals the extraordinary global influence of the British Empire during the 18th and early 19th century.
Ancient Roots 18 Nov. 2014
Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the Greek ancestry of comedienne Tina Fey, comedian and radio host David Sedaris and journalist and TV host George Stephanopoulos.
Decoding Our Past Through DNA 25 Nov. 2014
Deval Patrick, the first African American Governor of Massachusetts, and actress Jessica Alba learn incredible new facts about their rich heritage. Dr. Gates and some of his previous guests also unlock the secrets of their own DNA.
The Stories We Tell 5 Jan. 2016
Dr. Gates explores the mysteries buried in the family stories of his guests, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, actor and comedian Ty Burrell and artist Kara Walker, using both the records left behind and DNA.
The Irish Factor 12 Jan. 2016
Explore the shared Irish ancestry of journalist and anchor Soledad O'Brien, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly and comedian, political commentator and TV host Bill Maher, and how they have been deeply influenced by their Irish roots.
In Search of Freedom 19 Jan. 2016
How ancestors of comedienne Maya Rudolph, TV producer Shonda Rhimes and comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans struggled for freedom, and how each of these cultural trailblazers gain a new understanding of how they fit into this proud trajectory.
Tragedy + Time = Comedy 26 Jan. 2016
Three of America's funniest men, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, TV producer Norman Lear and comedian Bill Hader, uncover a history of tragedies and triumphs in their families and learn how comedy truly has its place in all aspects of life.
Visionaries 2 Feb. 2016
Discover how the ancestors of business mogul Richard Branson and architects Maya Lin and Frank Gehry took audacious risks to create opportunities, and how their luck, ingenuity and chutzpah was passed on to these three visionaries.
War Stories 9 Feb. 2016
Senator John McCain and Oscar winning actresses Julianne Moore and Patricia Arquette sit down with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to look at the military service in their families.
Family Reunions 16 Feb. 2016
Uncover family mysteries about two legends of hip hop, Sean Combs and LL Cool J, through the use of DNA technology that reveals information that shakes their very foundations.
The Pioneers 23 Feb. 2016
Discover how comedian Neil Patrick Harris, feminist icon Gloria Steinem and author Sandra Cisneros are connected to pioneers who broke new ground and paved the way for their modern day descendants to continue shaping our culture.
The Long Way Home 1 Mar. 2016
Discover how actress Julianna Marguiles, author Azar Nafisi and chef Lidia Bastianich are bound together by their ancestors' singular and deeply human desire to preserve their most cherished traditions.
Maps of the Stars 8 Mar. 2016
Actor Dustin Hoffman and actress Mia Farrow, who last shared the screen together in 1969, also share a history of tragic deaths in their families that played major roles in the shaping of their parents.
The Impression 3 Oct. 2017
Comedian Larry David and leftist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, whom David famously impersonated on Saturday Night Live (1975), learn about the horrors their ancestors faced. They also discover that they have more in common than they thought.
Unfamiliar Kin 10 Oct. 2017
In an episode filled with incredible twists and turns, actor Christopher Walken, singer Carly Simon, and comedian Fred Armisen, each learn about a grandparent whose real identity and background had been a mystery to them.
Puritans and Pioneers 17 Oct. 2017
Actors Ted Danson, his wife Mary Steenburgen, and William H. Macy, are three mainstays of modern-day Hollywood, who discover that their family legacies predate the United States, itself.
The Vanguard Oct. 2017
Three guests, journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates, film director Ava DuVernay and transgender activist Janet Mock, find their identities challenged. By placing their ancestors' lives in the context of history, they gain an appreciation for their family narratives and see how those narratives illustrate the diversity of the black experience.
Immigrant Nation 31 Oct. 2017
Three guests, actress Scarlett Johansson, comedian Paul Rudd and actor John Turturro, explore the tremendous challenges faced by their immigrant forebears.
Black Like Me 7 Nov. 2017
Three African-American guests, TV host Bryant Gumbel, producer Tonya Lewis-Lee and CNN journalist Suzanne Malveaux, delve deep into their family trees, discovering unexpected stories that challenge our assumptions about black history.
Children of the Revolution 14 Nov. 2017
Three guests, actress Lupita Nyong'o, NBA star Carmelo Anthony and Republican strategist Ana Navarro, explore how their family trees were shaped by political turmoil and violence, discovering sometimes unexpected ancestry along the way.
Relatives We Never Knew We Had 21 Nov. 2017
Actresses Téa Leoni and Gaby Hoffman, two guests whose lives have been shaped by family mysteries, are introduced to biological ancestors they never knew they had thanks to genetic detective work.
Southern Roots 12 Dec. 2017
Musician Questlove, TV personality Dr. Phil and journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, three guests of disparate backgrounds, dig into their Southern roots, where slavery and its aftermath shaped families both black and white.
Funny Business 19 Dec. 2017
Humorist Garrison Keillor (replaced by earlier Maya Rudolph story), comedienne Amy Schumer and comedian Aziz Ansari, who have found fame mining their family stories for comedy, learn about ancestors who overcame immense suffering.
Grandparents and Other Strangers 8 Jan. 2019
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his team use both DNA testing and detective work to uncover the history of a grandparent line and try to find missing relatives for actor Andy Samberg and author George R. R. Martin.
Mystery Men 15 Jan. 2019
Actors Felicity Huffman and Michael K. Williams learn about the biological fathers they know little about.
Reporting on the Reporters 22 Jan. 2019
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his team uncover the family stories of journalists Christiane Amanpour, Ann Curry and Lisa Ling.
Dreaming of a New Land 29 Jan. 2019
Actress Marisa Tomei, business woman Sheryl Sandberg and actor Kal Penn learn about the challenge faced by their ancestors who immigrated from Italy, Russia and India to America.
Freedom Tales 5 Feb. 2019
TV host Michael Strahan and actress S. Epatha Merkerson learn about the unusual circumstances surrounding their ancestors' success and suffering.
Roots in Politics 12 Feb. 2019
Republican politicians Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio and Democratic politician Tulsi Gabbard learn surprising facts about their ancestors including how their own choice of career may have been unwittingly inspired by them.
No Laughing Matter 19 Feb. 2019
Stand up comedians and TV stars Seth Meyers, Tig Notaro and Sarah Silverman learn about their ancestors' hardships, flaws, successes, reinventions, and how all this indirectly affected them as well.
Hard Times 26 Feb. 2019
Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore and actresses Laura Linney and Chloë Sevigny learn the tragic truth about their ancestors' hardships including imprisonment, generational family trauma and child marriage.
The Eye of the Beholder 2 Apr. 2019
Celebrated filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu learns how his ancestors fought for the rule of law in Mexico, world famous performance artist Marina Abramovic learns how wars and conservative Balkan upbringing scarred both her and her troubled parents for life, and renowned African American painter, Kehinde Wiley, learns about his heroic ancestors who fought for freedom only to face racism and injustice at home later on.
All in the Family 9 Apr. 2019
Comedian and Modern Family (2009) star Ty Burrell, and notable radio talk-show host and civil rights activist Joe Madison learn about their roots, which leads to many unexpected twists, shocking turns, and surprising similarities.
Hollywood Royalty 8 Oct. 2019
Three actresses who come from Hollywood royalty, Anjelica Huston, Mia Farrow (whose segment is taken from Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.: Maps of the Stars (2016)) and Isabella Rossellini, learn their family histories.
Off the Farm 15 Oct. 2019
Melissa McCarthy and Eric Stonestreet, two comics who moved away from their homey family farms to pursue a career in fashion and clownship only to find unexpected success in Hollywood, learn what they have in common with their ancestors.
Homecomings 7 Jan. 2020
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actor Sterling K. Brown, comedian Sasheer Zamata and musician Jon Batiste discover the unexpected places their ancestors once called home, providing new insight into the people and places that made them who they are today.
This Land Is My Land 14 Jan. 2020
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals to his two guests, musician Queen Latifah and actor Jeffrey Wright, how their ancestors' uncommonly well documented experience in America reflects on their success.
Beyond the Pale 21 Jan. 2020
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the Jewish heritages of actor Jeff Goldblum, radio host Terry Gross, and comedian Marc Maron, previously unknown stories that show each share much more with their ancestors than a religious tradition.
Secrets & Lies 28 Jan. 2020
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actors Sigourney Weaver, Justina Machado, and Amy Ryan unearth surprising revelations about their family histories, forever altering how they see themselves.
Science Pioneers 4 Feb. 2020
Three esteemed science pioneers are featured: Francis Collins, Shirley Ann Jackson and Harold E. Varmus.
Slave Trade 11 Feb. 2020
Clip show episode compiling three previous stories about people whose families' lives were forever changed in shocking and surprising ways by the slave trade: Ava DuVernay, S. Epatha Merkerson and Questlove.
Italian Roots 18 Feb. 2020
Clip show episode compiling three previous stories about famous people with Italian roots whose families were forced to flee Europe due to poverty, disaster and intolerance: Jimmy Kimmel, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro.
Criminal Kind 25 Feb. 2020
The family histories of Laura Linney, Lisa Ling and Soledad O'Brien reveal tricksters, scoundrels and criminals.
Fashion's Roots 13 Oct. 2020
Designers Diane van Fürstenberg and Narciso Rodriguez and actor RuPaul Charles learn about their ancestors.
DNA Mysteries 20 Oct. 2020
DNA detective work is used to solve mysteries in the family trees of Ann Curry, actress Téa Leoni and radio host Joe Madison.
War Stories 10 Nov. 2020
Kehinde Wiley, Julianne Moore and Bill Hader research their family's military service.
Flight 17 Nov. 2020
The families of Lupita Nyong'o, Lidia Bastianich and Scarlett Johansson crisscross the globe to escape oppression and find opportunity.
Breaking Silences 5 Jan. 2021
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family secrets of journalist Gayle King, film director Jordan Peele, and comedian Issa Rae, introducing them to ancestors who raise profound questions about the shape and meaning of their family trees.
Coming to America 12 Jan. 2021
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps Nancy Pelosi, Norah O'Donnell and Zac Posen explore their immigrant roots, retracing the journeys of their ancestors who arrived in the United States with little more than a dream.
From the Manor Born 19 Jan. 2021
Actress Glenn Close and film director John Waters learn about their brave ancestors who fought to live their lives the way they saw fit for better or worse, but also those who vehemently fought against the notions of freedom and equality.
Against All Odds 26 Jan. 2021
Talk show host and TV producer Andy Cohen and journalist Nina Totenberg learn about their Jewish ancestors who fought to survive and prosper against all odds.
No Irish Need Apply 2 Feb. 2021
Actress Jane Lynch and comedian Jim Gaffigan learn about their strong-willed Irish ancestors, the extreme poverty that made them leave Ireland, and the horrific prejudice, persecution and exploitation they faced in 19th century America.
The shirts off their backs 9 Feb. 2021
Actors Christopher Meloni and Tony Shalhoub learn about their ancestors who triumphed in America despite the horrific traumas they suffered in their youth in Italy, French Canada and the Otoman Empire.
Write My Name in the Book of Life 16 Feb. 2021
Award-winning music star Pharrell Williams and Hollywood film director and actress Kasi Lemmons learn about their ancestors who suffered during slavery as well as those who had to live with its consequences after it was finally abolished.
Country Roots 23 Feb. 2021
Country stars Clint Black and Johnny Cash's daughter Rosanne Cash learn about their Italian roots as well as their ancestors' surprising experiences during the slavery era.
The New World 13 Apr. 2021
The ancestors of actor John Lithgow and journalist María Hinojosa thrive in North America long before the birth of the U.S.
Laughing on the Inside 20 Apr. 2021
Comedians Lewis Black and Roy Wood Jr. learn about their ancestors' struggle to survive the racism, violence and injustice of 19th century Europe and America. The Blacks survived the pogroms in Europe, and The Woods slavery in America.
On Broadway 27 Apr. 2021
Broadway superstar Audra McDonald learns about her proud ancestors who excelled at their line of work despite racism. The star of film, television and Broadway Mandy Patinkin learns about his Jewish ancestors who perished in Europe.
Anchored to the Past 4 May 2021
CNN journalist Don Lemon learns about his ancestors' role in the civil rights movement and the mark the slavery era left on them. Former Fox News journalist Gretchen Carlson learns about her go-getting Swedish ancestors.
Hidden in the Genes 4 Jan. 2022
Henry Louis Gates Jr. helps Rebecca Hall and Lee Daniels solve family mysteries through DNA detective work, illuminating both history and their own identities.
Children of Exile 4 Jan. 2022
Henry Louis Gates Jr. retraces the ancestral journeys of David Chang and Raúl Esparza, whose families fled their homelands, leading them to find lost parts of themselves along the way.
Activist Roots 11 Jan. 2022
Henry Louis Gates Jr. welcomes Brittany Packnett Cunningham Cunningham and Anita Hill, two guests who made profound sacrifices for social justice, and helps them discover the ancestors who made sacrifices for them.
Things We Don't Discuss 25 Jan. 2022
Henry Louis Gates Jr. works with Pamela Adlon and Kathryn Hahn, two guests whose family trees were obscured by scandals, to discover the truth about their ancestors.
Mexican Roots 1 Feb. 2022
Comedians Mario Lopez and Melissa Villaseñor learn about their Mexican heritage.
Fighters 8 Feb. 2022
Comedian Tony Danza learns about his Sicilian ancestors while comedian Terry Crews learns about his father's complicated heritage.
Incredible Journeys 15 Feb. 2022
Comedian John Leguizamo learns the incredible truth about his South American ancestors while filmmaker Lena Waithe learns about her complex heritage.
Songs of the Past 22 Feb. 2022
Comedian Nathan Lane learns about his impoverished Irish ancestors while actor Leslie Odom Jr. learns the fascinating truth about his ancestors.
Watchmen 12 Apr. 2022
Regina King and Damon Lindelof discover that they have more in common than meets the eye.
Where Did We Come From? 19 Apr. 2022
News anchor Erin Burnett, fashion journalist André Leon Talley and actress Amy Carlson trace their ancestral roots.