Top 10 Heartwarming Moments on Who Do You Think You Are

Top 10 Heartwarming Moments on Who Do You Think You Are

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most touching and uplifting moments on the American version of “Who Do You Think You Are?”.

#10: Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel comes from a famous family of artists and entertainers. She also descends from human rights activists, including her paternal grandmother Anna Ward Orr. Tracing her Quaker roots, the actor-singer learns about ancestors from Pennsylvania who heavily contributed to the fight for racial equality. Deschanel discovers that her four-time great-grandmother Sarah Pownall, the daughter of a slave owner, was a vocal abolitionist and later owned property that aided the Underground Railroad. She had the opportunity to read a document from 1848 detailing Sarah’s vital role as a member of an anti-slavery committee. Deschanel was moved by her bravery and compassion, especially when speaking out about having such beliefs was dangerous.

#9: Spike Lee

Legendary filmmaker Spike Lee appeared on “Who Do You Think You Are?” to learn more about his maternal ancestry, something he wished he did sooner. During his research, he found that his grandmother, Zimmie Reatha, had a grandfather named Mars Jackson. In his first feature film, 1986’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” Lee played a character called Mars, a name suggested by his grandmother. He was pleasantly surprised by the connection and wanted to know more about the life of his great-great-grandfather. Mars was a farmer born into slavery, who went on to own more than 80 acres of land after emancipation. Inspired by his story, Spike Lee visited Mars’ former land, honoring his ancestor along with his fictional namesake.

#8: Marisa Tomei

Marissa Tomei turned to genealogical research to find the truth about the murder of her maternal great-grandfather, Francesco Leopoldo Bianchi. Growing up, she heard that he was killed due to his philandering ways, leaving his widow Adelaide to raise two children on her own. She confirmed he met a tragic end, shot by a man named Terzilio Lazzareschi. However, Leopoldo's murder was over a business deal gone wrong, not because of any misdeeds. Researchers also found a living relative named Rosetta Vanucci, daughter of Leo’s sister Bruna Bianchi, making her Tomei’s first cousin twice removed. In a letter, Rosetta explained how Adelaide married a good man who provided for the family, painting a much happier picture than what Tomei’s family believed for decades.

#7: Molly Shannon

At a very young age, “SNL” alum Molly Shannon lost her mother, youngest sister, and cousin in a car accident. Growing up, she never knew her maternal grandparents, Owen Keating, formerly Cattigan, and Mary Madden. On her episode of “Who Do You Think You Are?” Shannon travels to Ireland to trace her mother’s side of the family and visits her grandfather’s hometown of Cloughmore on the island of Achill. There, she meets two cousins who share their fond memories of Owen, including how proudly he spoke about his daughter. Shannon tears up hearing about the love her grandfather had for her mother — two people she tragically lost too early in life.

#6: Julie Chen Moonves

Julie Chen Moonves knew her maternal grandfather, Lou Gaw Tong, had a rags-to-riches story with the impression that he was a wealthy playboy-type. However, in her ancestry research, she discovered that he made a great impact in China, providing relief to refugees during the War of Resistance. He was also a philanthropist. In 1937, Lou Gaw Tong and his brother, Lou Jinzi, co-founded the Anshan Primary School in their village of Penglai, China. Moonves felt proud of her grandfather’s humanitarianism and heroism, especially after visiting the school, where she saw first-hand how he empowered youth through education.

#5: Christina Applegate

Throughout her life, Christina Applegate’s paternal grandparents were a mystery. Her father, Robert, was raised by his grandparents and grew up knowing hardly anything about them. Diving into the complicated family tree, Christina learned the ugly truth about the troubled lives of her grandparents, Lavina Shaw and Paul Applegate. In the 1940s, the two divorced and fought over custody of their son. Between Paul’s alleged abuse of his wife and Lavina’s substance use, it’s a heartbreaking story. Christina shares the unpleasant details with her father, and he’s able to finally have closure. She reminds him that he didn’t continue the cycle of pain. Instead, he gave his kids a great childhood full of love and care despite not having one himself.

#4: Jason Sudeikis

Similar to Christina Applegate, “SNL” alum Jason Sudeikis went on a genealogical journey to find answers for his father, Dan, who never knew his father. Stanley and Edna Sudeikis married on September 25, 1945, in Chicago. On the same day, he abandoned his pregnant wife and their daughter, never providing financial support. In 1948, Stanley, unhoused and often under the influence of substances, died on a sidewalk. When he was young, his father, Stanley Sr., left to start another family. Jason relays these harrowing discoveries to his parents and siblings. And in a touching moment, he praises his dad for being present and giving their family a fortunate life.

#3: Regina King

On her genealogical journey, Regina King learned about her maternal great-great-grandfather Moses Crosby, aka Moses Hughes, and the racial injustices he faced. In 1868, he was targeted by the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama after an altercation with a white man, and a group of them broke into his home and killed his wife. Moses was later charged with assault and attempted murder of the white man and sentenced to two years in prison. Soon after his release, the educator and activist became a pastor, co-founding Morning Star Association. The organization paved the way for Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a pastor. Regina was overjoyed and inspired to discover that Moses continued working to create a better world.

#2: Lisa Kudrow

One of the first episodes of the US version of “Who Do You Think You Are?” featured executive producer and actor Lisa Kudrow tracing the Eastern European roots of her father. He recalled being young when a Polish relative named Yuri Barudin visited the family in New York to deliver terrible news. Meri Mordejovich, Lee’s grandmother, was among the 750 to 900 Jewish villagers who were killed in the 1942 Ilya massacre. Lee never saw him again and Yuri was presumed dead. Kudrow traveled to Belarus to get the full story and learned the tragic, horrifying details. But to her surprise, Yuri was still alive. Having the chance to meet Yuri and his family was a positive end to a bleak episode.

#1: Rita Wilson

Rita Wilson’s father Allan never liked to discuss his past. So, two years after he passed away, the actor set out to learn more about his early life. Wilson travels to Greece, where Allan was born Hassan Halilov Ibrahimoff, and then to Bulgaria, where his family later moved. She unearths painful secrets, including that his previous wife and child died within months of each other. Wilson meets with Hassan’s 96-year-old half-brother Ferhat, still living in Bulgaria. Both are moved to tears as they share a heartfelt hug. Ferhat talks about the emotional reunion with his brother at a labor camp before Hassan escaped and he had to stay behind. The tears keep flowing when he gives her a letter her father wrote from America.

Which of these moments warmed your heart? Let us know in the comments below.