Chrissy Teigen Discovers Her Roma Heritage on ‘Finding Your Roots’
In an upcoming episode of “Finding Your Roots,” Chrissy Teigen discovers her Roma ancestry.
In a sneak peek shared by TODAY.com for Season 11, the television personality meets with Henry Louis Gates Jr. to explore her family history.
While Teigen’s mother, Vilailuck “Pepper” Teigen, hails from Thailand, this insight pertains to her father Ron Teigen’s lineage.
Before revealing the genetic results, Gates provided context about the Roma ethnic group.
Henry Louis Gates described them as, “They’re traditionally itinerant people who lived all over Europe for centuries.”
According to a 2012 genetic study reported by NBC News, the Roma migrated from northern India into Europe approximately 1,500 years ago. Currently, about 12 million Romani people can be found throughout Europe, in countries such as Romania, Turkey, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, and France.
Then, Gates dropped the significant news: “You are part Roma.”
Teigen responded, “Wow, that’s so cool.”
Gates followed up with, “What’s it like to see that?”
The 39-year-old replied, “I love it.”
“This is your heritage,” Gates noted.
He explained that this discovery clarified some previously puzzling aspects of Teigen’s paternal ancestry, including their migration patterns and educational background.
“That’s why they were moving around so much. That’s why they were illiterate,” Gates stated.
Gates informed Teigen that the Roma developed a language derived from Sanskrit, the classical language of India.
He elaborated, “Generally, they lived among themselves on the fringes of larger communities or engaged in itinerant trades, like music. They traveled frequently, usually with their families.”
The episode also shed light on the historical discrimination faced by the Roma people, which they still endure. Since their arrival in Europe, the Roma have faced various forms of persecution, as noted by the Council of Europe.
Gates reflected, “It was challenging to be Roma. They faced discrimination and persecution for centuries, much like the Jewish communities in Europe.”
During the 1930s and 1940s, Nazi Germany targeted the Roma. The United States Holocaust Museum estimates that between 250,000 to 500,000 Roma were killed during WWII, although the true number remains uncertain.
Gates asked Teigen if she believed her relatives migrated to the U.S. to “escape all the persecution” they encountered in Europe.
“Yes, absolutely. It’s just… it’s so surreal,” Teigen reflected.
Previously, Teigen garnered attention when she shared a story about taking a DNA test and mistakenly thinking she had an identical twin.
After a moment of confusion, Teigen’s sister reminded her that she had already taken a DNA test for her appearance on “Finding Your Roots.”
“My identical twin was actually me,” Teigen joked. “I was matching myself.”
Teigen’s episode, titled “Dreamers One and All,” is set to air on January 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on PBS.
