Henry Louis Gates Jr. Explores Ancestries & Family Mysteries in ‘Finding Your Roots’

Today’s most compelling personalities discover the surprising stories buried within their own families in the sixth season of the critically acclaimed PBS series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

The new season premieres Tuesday, October 8, and will feature 27 fascinating new guests who are game-changers in their fields, with family histories that illustrate the power and diversity of the human experience.

Among them are actors Jeffrey Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Melissa McCarthy and Sterling K. Brown; groundbreaking director Jordan Peele, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; acclaimed journalists Gayle King and Norah O’Donnell.

Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. with journalist Terry Gross / Photo: Stephanie Berger for McGee Media/Ark Media

Also featured will be musicians Queen Latifah and Jon Batiste; legendary fashion designers Diane von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez and Zac Posen; as well as a host of other luminaries, including Jeff Goldblum, Anjelica Huston, Isabella Rossellini, Terry Gross, Marc Maron, Eric Stonestreet, Issa Rae, Amy Ryan and Justina Machado.

Some of the guests whose stories we will revisit this season include actors Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore and Marisa Tomei; journalist Lisa Ling; radio talk show host Joe Madison; musician Questlove; and late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

The season premiere will feature Isabella Rossellini, Anjelica Huston and Mia Farrow. In sharing their stories, the series uses every tool available, from cutting-edge DNA research to old-school genealogical sleuthing, to reveal long-buried secrets. Spanning the globe, the series compiles family trees that trace throughout the United States and Canada; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Germany, Poland, Ireland, Russia and more.

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season Premiere, Tuesday, October 8, 8/7c, PBS (Check your local listings)