Julia Roberts has been a household name in Hollywood for decades, but her recent appearance on PBS’ “Finding Your Roots” with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovered some shocking information about her family history. In the episode that aired on January 12, 2023, it was revealed that Julia’s family line was not what she had thought it to be.
The show’s team of genealogists conducted extensive research into Julia’s family history and discovered that her great-great-grandfather Willis Roberts had actually died ten years earlier than she had previously believed. This revelation meant that Julia’s great grandfather John Roberts was not a biological descendant of Willis, but of another person entirely.
To delve even deeper into her genealogy, Julia, her father Walter, and one of her cousins agreed to take a DNA test. The results were compared to a public DNA library, and the team discovered a match with a certain Henry McDonald Mitchell Jr.
Gates delivered the surprising news to Julia, stating, “You’re Julia Mitchell. You are not a Roberts, biologically.” The actress could only respond with a big laugh, stunned by the revelation that her family name was not her biological name.
The discovery left Julia with a mix of emotions, including shock, disbelief, and curiosity. She expressed a desire to learn more about her newfound lineage and to better understand the history of her biological family.
The episode of “Finding Your Roots” offered viewers a glimpse into the complex nature of genealogy and the surprising secrets that can be uncovered through DNA testing and research. Julia’s experience serves as a reminder that our family histories are often more complex and mysterious than we may realize, and that there is always more to learn about our ancestors and ourselves.
Meanwhile, fans of the iconic actress shared her sentiments and said they felt her feelings during the reveal.
“I’m sorry to Julia here, who found out about this kind of information while you were filming. I did my family genealogy for 10 years, and I couldn’t trace anything else back to my father’s line because both of his great-grandparents were illegitimate so I did a DNA test and found out it wasn’t.” “My dad really is and I grew up with the wrong name just like Julia. It was cool to discover, yet devastating at the same time. But it makes you realize that ‘family’ has nothing to do with your DNA,” one fan commented.
Best wishes to Julia on her journey to get more answers to the questions I am sure she has by now… Good luck Julia! You are one of my favorite actresses, whether you are Roberts or Mitchell!
