Joe Manganiello recently discovered that he is 7% Sub-Saharan African, which has completely changed his understanding of himself. The actor’s DNA reportedly did not match Manganiello’s name, and his father’s DNA was traced to a black man.
Manganiello’s DNA was traced to his ancestor, Plato Turner, who was born in Africa and became a child slave. He says the discovery has changed his sense of identity, and now he sees himself “clearly for the first time.”
The actor is part of PBS’s “Finding Your Roots” series. Other celebrities have also participated in genealogy shows, including Edward Norton, Julia Roberts, and Claire Danes.
Read on to learn more.
Joe Manganiello Discovers His African Heritage
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During an episode clip of the PBS documentary series “Finding Your Roots”, shared with Rolling stone (Ex Insider) Manganiello and host Henry Louis Gates delve into his lineage. Gates revealed that the actor is actually 7% Sub-Saharan African, which means someone in his family was once a slave. Manganiello also learned that he had no DNA match to anyone from the Manganiello family.
The discovery means the “Magic Mike XXL” star is not actually related to the man he thought of as his grandfather all his life, Emilio Manganiello. The actress’ father also underwent a DNA test, which revealed that her grandparents were actually Nellie Alton, a white woman, and William Henry Cutler, a black man.
During the episode, Manganiello learns some shocking truths about his mother’s side. Gates discovered that his ancestor Terviz “Rose” Darakjian was an Armenian refugee whose husband and seven of his eight children were killed by the Turks. Darakjian ended up in a refugee camp and was later impregnated by a German officer named Karl Wilhelm Beutinger.
Joe Manganiello Opted Not To Pull Out Of The Show
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Due to the show’s shocking revelations, it has an “ethical protocol”, which allows celebrity contestants to withdraw from the episode. The show would later keep the discovery of their ancestry a secret from the world. Gates is relegated to Rolling stone that there are “some people who have withdrawn” from their episodes over the years.
He said, “We gave them the option to exit the series if they wanted to. Then no one would know except me and some producers.” However, Manganiello rejected that option, choosing to share his family’s secret with the world. The actor said, “It makes sense now. I come from survivors.”
The first two episodes of this season “Finding Your Roots” also featured celebrities such as Edward Norton, Julia Roberts and Claire Danes. Norton discovers she is a direct descendant of Pocahontas, Roberts learns her last name is actually Mitchell, and Danes discovers her ancestor was branded a witch during the Salem Witch Trials and executed.
Joe Manganiello Talks About His Ancestor’s Journey
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follow rolling stone, Manganiello’s real grandparents, Cutler and Alton, were married in 1887, long before interracial marriage was legalized in America. His fifth great-grandfather, Plato Turner, was also reportedly an African slave brought to the US during the height of slavery.
Later in his life, Turner served as a soldier during the Revolutionary War, fighting for the Continental Army. During the episode, Manganiello talked about Turner’s long journey coming “from West Africa in chains, on a ship, and to come to the United States and get your freedom.”
The “True Blood” actor also pointed out how “retarded” it was that Turner was a soldier under the lie that “all men are created equal,” only for slavery to finally be abolished 100 years later through the Civil War.
The Discovery Has Changed His Sense of Identity
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Manganiello talks about how learning the truth about his ancestry has changed his sense of identity. From believing as a child that his father was “full-blooded Italian” to now discovering that he has African ancestry. He said their family had always assumed that their black ancestry could be traced back to them as Sicilians.
Manganiello said, “Suddenly, I could see myself clearly for the first time.” He also admitted that he always felt like he was looking at a mirror that was “completely out of focus” until now.
The actor’s “Finding Your Roots” episode premiered on PBS on February 9.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
