Original title
Who Do You Think You Are?
Released
3/5/2010
Origin country
US
Genre
Documentary, Reality
Production companies
Wall to Wall, Is or Isn't Entertainment
Status
Returning series
Number of seasons
12
Number of episodes
85
From roots in the Deep South to the slums of New Jersey, "Who Do You Think You Are?" follows the journeys of some of the most well-known names in American popular culture. Watch as celebrities discover unknown details about themselves and their families while researching their ancestry with the help of historians and genealogical experts.
Sarah Jessica Parker is a celebrated icon in film and television as well as fashion, who recently served as a producer and reprised her Emmy Award-winning role as Carrie Bradshaw for the screen adaptation of the hit HBO series "Sex and the City." The actress took an emotional journey from coast to coast in search of her family's roots, crossing paths with the California Gold Rush and the Salem Witch Trials.
Emmitt Smith is an NFL Hall of Fame running back who, since retirement, has devoted himself to business and giving back to the community. But recently, he decided to embark on a journey inward, tracing his family's past. It was a journey that took him beyond his wildest expectations, discovering not only his African roots, but his connections to slave owners in Virginia.
Lisa Kudrow journeys to the small Jewish town of Ilya where she discovers how her great-grandmother died in the Holocaust. Yet, Lisa finds hope when she uncovers a 60-year old family mystery.
On his journey to learn more about his paternal roots, Matthew Broderick discovers the heroic story of his grandfather during World War I and finds the final resting place of his great-great-grandfather who fought in the Civil War.
Brooke learns a tragic secret about her grandmother and then discovers a connection to royalty through her paternal roots.
Susan leads an emotionally charged search for her family roots. Starting with her estranged grandmother Anita who abandoned Susan's mother in early childhood, Susan's journey takes her all the way to Tuscany, Italy. Back in America, Susan discovers a surprising connection to her grandmother.
Spike begins his journey in Atlanta, Georgia, where his grandmother Zimmie worked in the segregated Southern systems for many years. Here, Spike follows the trail of his ancestors dating back to the Civil War and discovers a shocking family connection.
Vanessa Williams sets out on a journey to find out if her ancestors were also trailblazers.
The country music superstar uncovers his father's heritage among the Founding Fathers.
The search for her mother's roots takes Rosie to Ireland, and uncovers a new branch of the family.
Kim Cattrall travels to her native England to discover what happened to her grandfather, who abandoned his family to poverty when Kim's mother was only eight years old.
Lionel Richie sets out to unlock the mystery of the man his beloved grandmother never spoke about - her father, John Louis Brown.
Steve Buscemi seeks a compelling story on his mother's side of the family, and finds it in his great-great-grandfather Ralph B. Montgomery.
Gwyneth Paltrow's exploration of both sides of her family shows her the importance of teaching her kids that where they come from is important.
Actress Ashley Judd discovers a connection to the first American settlers while investigating her ancestral past.
Actor Martin Sheen traces his family tree, hoping to find his ancestors shared his love of activism; Martin discovers a family secret from the 1700s.
Actress Marisa Tomei travels to Italy to uncover the truth about her great-granddather's death.
Actor Blair Underwood utilizes a DNA test to dig deeper into his family's roots, where he discovers the secret of his family's origin.
Country music star Reba McEntire heads to Raleigh, North Carolina as she explores her mother's ancestry.
Former professional football player Jerome Bettis travels to Kentucky to learn about his mother's side of the family.
As actress Helen Hunt looks into her paternal family history, she uncovers missing information about her ancestors.
Actress Rita Wilson travels to Greece and Bulgaria to learn more about her late father.
Actress Edie Falco's journey to learn more about her mother's side of the family leads her to Milwaukee and England.
Actor Rob Lowe examines his family history.
Actress Rashida Jones learns about her family history on her mother's side.
Actor Jason Sudeikis heads to Chicago to research the life and death of his paternal grandfather and makes a discovery about his great great grandfather in Pennsylvania.
Chef Paula Deen investigates her family history and learns about an event that affected her ancestors during the Civil War.
Singer Kelly Clarkson explores her lineage and uncovers an ancestor deeply rooted in American history; she comes face-to-face with her 3x great grandfather's wartime bravery and sacrifice.
Actress Christina Applegate investigates her paternal grandmother - a stranger to her and her father. Uncovering dramatic details along the way, Christina gains insight into the life and hardships of the woman she and her father loved, but never knew.
Media mogul Chelsea Handler confronts a deep family secret: her Grandfather’s rumored Nazi past. As she dives into her family’s struggle to survive in a desperate time, the details uncovered will finally confirm or deny his affiliation to the dark regime.
Actress Zooey Deschanel searches for rumored abolitionists in her father’s Ouaker family background. Her journey takes her around Pennsylvania where she uncovers, and follows, the story of a remarkable ancestor who sacrificed everything for her beliefs.
In memory of his late father, actor Chris O’Donnell investigates the paternal side of his family and finds ancestors on the frontlines of American history. Chris explores a patriotic legacy and a family devotion that extends deeper than he ever imagined.
World famous supermodel Cindy Crawford takes a journey to discover her family origins. With travels to the UK and beyond, she discovers ancestors dating back to the English Civil War, and even finds a connection linking her to early European royalty!
Since her parents passed, country singer Trisha Yearwood knows little about her paternal side of the family. Her search for a deeper family connection takes Trisha to England, where she uncovers an ancestor’s history of crime, loss, and perseverance.
In tribute to his late father, actor Jim Parsons explores the ancestors on his paternal side of the family. The journey takes Jim to Louisiana and eventually France, where he discovers generations of his forefathers who made an indelible mark in history.
Valerie Bertinelli goes on the hunt to unlock her family’s mysteries. She tracks down courageous ancestors who suffered through hardship and tragedy, and discovers a royal lineage dating back centuries that she never dreamed possible.
Kelsey Grammer takes a trip into the past to explore his beloved grandmother’s family. He uncovers the story of a woman haunted by demons, and finds a connection to family who risked everything in one of the greatest migrations in American history.
Minnie Driver unravels the deep family secrets her late father kept hidden. She discovers how the ravages of war nearly destroyed him, tracks down a long lost relative for the first time, and forms an unlikely bond with an ancestor she never knew existed.
Television personality Julie Chen uncovers a dramatic tale when she sets out for rural China to learn more about her maternal grandfather, who died long before she was born.
Singer Josh Groban traces his ancestry to Germany and discovers a relative who was a deacon, music teacher and well-known astronomer.
Actress Angie Harmon discovers an ancestor who gave up his freedom to come to America and fought for independence at a pivotal point in history.
Actor/Producer Sean Hayes searches for the cause of his estranged father's troubled past and uncovers a shocking trail of tragedy and crime that reaches back generations.
Actor Tony Goldwyn researches his maternal ancestry and discovers a heritage of political activism along with a couple who proudly fought for abolition, women's rights and westward expansion.
America Ferrera learns about her great-grandfather's pivotal role in Honduran history, and seeks a connection to the father she hardly knew.
Actor Bill Paxton searches his paternal ancestry and uncovers a war hero from a historic battle who shaped politics in the past.
Music artist Melissa Etheridge researches her French roots, discovering a scandalous lawsuit and a relationship entangled with tragedy.
In the Season 7 premiere, Ginnifer Goodwin hopes to connect her father with the grandparents he never knew, and uncovers a dark side of her family tree that includes instability and drug addiction.
JK Rowling sets off on a journey to uncover her maternal French roots. She stumbles upon a family mystery, and uncovers a harrowing tale of wartime heroism, then discovers the actions of a brave ancestor.
Alfre Woodard investigates the paternal side of her family and explores the origins of her surname.
Bryan Cranston's happy childhood shattered when his father abandoned the family when Bryan was just 11. Seeking answers, Bryan explores his paternal roots, finds a troubling pattern of desertion, a man of honor and an aunt he never even knew existed.
Television personality Tom Bergeron researches his paternal roots in France and discovers his nine-times great grandmother, Marguerite, who endured upheaval and faced going against her Protestant upbringing in order to survive.
Aisha Tyler's journey reveals an ancestor who, as a politician, struggled to keep his illegitimate son a secret. Against all odds, her 2x great-grandfather exemplifies bravery and determination during one of America's most tumultuous eras of racism.
Tracing his patriotic roots, Scott Foley finds a relative who risked his life for one of America’s founding fathers, and an ancestor who suffered unspeakably during one of this nation’s darkest times.
Katey Sagal has an emotional and insightful meeting with her mother's friend and fellow USO performer. Katey also finds a surprising link to the Amish and uncovers the harrowing story of her relative's daring escape from attackers.
Molly Ringwald explores family lore of Swedish royalty, which uncovers her ancestors' harrowing lives and reveals women who suffered through unspeakable tragedies, and one brave immigrant who forever changed her family's fate.
Chris Noth discovers the suffering endured by his ancestors in America, and tracks a relative from Spain to Ireland who eventually became a war hero.
Lea Michele digs into her Jewish roots and finds a heartbreaking story about her great-grandmother in addition to a family reunited after being separated for decades.
Courteney Cox traces her maternal line back to ambitious and ruthless relatives who plotted and murdered their way to power in medieval times; and she's shocked to discover an ancestor who's one of European history's most famous characters
Julie Bowen makes a shocking discovery that a beloved relative lead a nefarious organization that triggered a dark chapter of U.S. history; and uncovers another ancestor who risked everything to fight for the lives and freedom of African Americans.
Jennifer Grey discovers much more about the grandfather she thought she knew as she uncovers how he survived adversity to become a beacon of his community; and discovers a great-grandmother whose devastating tragedy stopped her from making it to America.
Noah Wyle investigates his maternal family line, discovering an ancestor who was catapulted into one of America's biggest wars, and whose life spiraled out of control from remarkable success to a shocking and tragic end.
Jessica Biel hunts for the truth behind family lore surrounding the death of an ancestor. She also makes two shocking discoveries that shake everything she knows about her heritage to the core.
Motown legend and icon, Smokey Robinson tracks down a grandfather tangled in a swirl of controversy and connects to a relative's familiar struggle with oppression while coming face to face with the gruesome history he knew was inevitable.
Actor John Stamos explores his Greek heritage for the first time and discovers an explosive feud that shattered his grandfather's childhood. He also meets a relative he never knew and hears firsthand about his family's enduring strength.
Actress Liv Tyler unravels the mystery of her father Steven Tyler’s maternal family line, uncovering ancestors who took part in famous American battles. She also learns the shocking truths that will change the way she sees herself, and her family, forever.
Jon Cryer's journey takes him from America to Scotland as he uncovers the dramatic tale of an ancestor who survived a catastrophic battle, endured horrific conditions as a prisoner of war, and was forced to come to America as an indentured servant.
Actress and activist Laverne Cox pieces together the inspiring life of her African American ancestor, who challenged societal norms and bravely pushed the boundaries just years after Emancipation.
Megan Mullally explores a shocking pattern of dysfunction in her father's line; she finds her two-times great grandmother was bravely defying societal norms in order to fight for her family's survival, while struggling to hang on to her own sanity.
Actress Hilary Duff uncovers the tale of an ancestor who bravely led an American colony to battle a notorious gang of pirates; she dives centuries-deep into her Scottish roots and is shocked to discover that she descends from a heroic medieval king.
Actress Molly Shannon heads to Ireland in search of her mother’s unknown family tree. She finds desperate ancestors forced to choose between their faith and survival; uncovers a family legacy of bravery; and meets Irish cousins for the first time.
Actress Jean Smart uncovers the curious tale of an unconventional ancestor in colonial Massachusetts, who got her children entangled in her own thievery ring and later faced execution when she was accused of witchcraft.
Actress Mandy Moore is shocked to discover ancestors who lived in Australia and travels far, determined to unlock the mystery of how they got there. Moore is touched by the courage of those who made the journey and the sacrifice of those who were left behind.
Actor Josh Duhamel travels to England to investigate the extraordinary life of his twelve times great-grandfather and uncovers an astonishing, dark twist of interrogation and torture that rocks his belief system to the core.
Actress Regina King investigates her maternal family tree and uncovers an ancestor who was a passionate civil rights activist in Alabama; a man who came out of slavery, endured horrific violence, but never stopped fighting for his people.
Actor Matthew Morrison explores his American roots for the first time and is surprised to discover his family's ties to the Revolutionary War. He learns of the bold lengths his ancestor went through to protect his allegiances and the brutality he faced on the battlefield.
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