‘Finding Your Roots’ Season 12: America Ferrera Is Shocked to Learn This Filmmaker Is Family in New Trailer

The celebrity-packed reality series that uncovers the hidden truths of A-list stars and public figures returns for its 12th season on PBS, featuring a new roster of famous faces confronted with the cold, hard facts of their family lineage.

“I am thrilled to announce another season of Finding Your Roots filled with inspiring stories from our wonderful guests that further show us that at the level of the genome, we are all 99% the same despite the forces that try to divide us. It’s especially important to all of us at Finding Your Roots that our viewers know, despite the loss of federal funding for public television, our show and PBS are not going anywhere,” host and executive producer Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. shared in a statement.

“We encourage everyone to support PBS by becoming a member of your local PBS station if you aren’t already, and continuing to spread the word about the great work PBS is doing,” he continued.

Here is everything we know so far about the upcoming season of Finding Your Roots.

When does Finding Your Roots Season 12 premiere?

The 12th season of Finding Your Roots premieres on PBS on January 6.

What is Finding Your Roots about?

The official logline of the show is as follows: “For more than a decade, renowned Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has helped to expand America’s sense of itself, stimulating a national conversation about identity with humor, wisdom, and compassion. Professor Gates has explored the ancestry of dozens of influential people from diverse backgrounds, taking millions of viewers deep into the past to reveal the connections that bind us all.”

Over the years, the series has explored the family histories of some of America’s most celebrated figures, uncovering their connections to the past. Sometimes shocking, sometimes heartbreaking, but always compelling, PBS invites viewers to join the journey through the lives and lineages of these influential people.

Past guests of Finding Your Roots have included Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Julia Roberts, Jeff Goldblum, Kerry Washington, Questlove, Nas, Bernie Sanders, Glenn Close, and many more.

Who stars in Season 12 of Finding Your Roots?

The celebrity guest roster for Season 12 includes actors Lizzy Caplan, Kristin Chenoweth, Liza Colón-Zayas, Darren Criss, Danielle Deadwyler, America Ferrera, Sanaa Lathan, Tracy Letts, and Delroy Lindo.

The series will also profile businessman Barry Diller, musicians Flea, Rhiannon Giddens, Wiz Khalifa, and Lizzo, filmmaker Spike Lee, athletes Brittney Griner and Chris Paul, journalist Sara Haines, and comedian Hasan Minhaj.

Season 12 guest pairing will be:

January 6: “American Dreams” – actors Darren Criss (Glee) and America Ferrera (Barbie)
January 13: “Great Migrations” – musician Wiz Khalifa and actor Sanaa Lathan (Love & Basketball)
January 20: “Caribbean Roots” – actor Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) and Delroy Lindo (Sinners)
January 27: “The Road We Took” – actor Lizzy Caplan (Mean Girls) and comedian Hasan Minhaj
February 3: “Love & Basketball” – basketball superstars Brittney Griner and Chris Paul
February 10: “Westward Bound” – journalist Sara Haines and actor Tracy Letts (Lady Bird)
February 17: “Family Harmonies” – musicians Flea and Lizzo
February 24: “Artistic Roots” – filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked)
April 7: “Song of the South” – actor Danielle Deadwyler (Till) and musician Rhiannon Giddens
April 14: “Rags to Riches” – businessman Barry Diller and actor Kate Burto (Scandal)

*Guests, pairings, and episode order subject to change.

Who is behind Finding Your Roots Season 12?

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a production of McGee Media, Inkwell Media, and Kunhardt Films, in association with WETA, Washington, D.C.

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Henry Louis Gates Jr. serves as writer, host, and executive producer of the series. Executive producers also include Dyllan McGee and Peter Kunhardt, with Sabin Streeter as senior producer and Natalia Warchol as series producer. Deborah Clancy Porfido is supervising producer, and Kevin Burke is producer.

The series is directed by Sabin Streeter, Krista Whetstone, and Natalia Warchol

Is there a trailer for Finding Your Roots Season 12?

Yes! The trailer highlights the surprise and emotion of the celebrities featured in Season 12, as they uncover their family histories and explore how those revelations shape their sense of identity. The trailer switches between touching moments of when participants learn about their family to absolute shock when they discover their “DNA cousin.”

In the trailer, one of the reveals was America Ferrera discovering that filmmaker Ava DuVernay, who directed Selma and When They See Us, is a distant cousin.

“It’s like learning there’s a new room in your house that you’ve never seen,” said Ferrera.

Finding Your Roots, Season 12 Premiere, January 6, PBS