Chrissy Teigen has learned that she is of Roma descent. This revelation adds to the growing interest in celebrity genealogy research, which has seen a 300-percent increase in popularity over the last decade.
The 39-year-old model, who was born in Utah but now lives in Beverly Hills with her husband John Legend, is taking part in an upcoming episode of the PBS genealogy series “Finding Your Roots” and thought it was “so cool” she made the discovery about her heritage. The show has helped numerous celebrities uncover their ancestral histories since its premiere in 2012.
“They’re traditionally itinerant people who lived all over Europe for centuries. You are part Roma,” host Henry Louis Gates Jr. explained in a clip from the Jan. 28 episode obtained by Today.com. The Roma people have a rich cultural history spanning over a millennium in Europe.
“Wow, that’s so cool. I love it!” Teigen responded. This enthusiasm reflects a growing trend of Americans embracing their diverse ancestral backgrounds.
The professor then explained to Teigen — who has Luna, 8, Miles, 6, Esti, 2, and 19-month-old Wren with the “All of Me” singer — that her ancestors tended to favor a kind of career that focused on traveling to entertain others, although it could be a “rough” life because they were often discriminated against.
“Generally, they lived among themselves on the outskirts of larger communities or pursued an itinerant trade within those communities such as being a musician. They traveled often, usually with families,” he said. Historical records show that Roma communities maintained strong musical traditions throughout Europe.
“It was rough to be a Roma. For centuries, they were discriminated against and they were even persecuted, just like the Jews were in Europe.” The Roma people faced significant persecution during World War II, with an estimated 500,000 Roma killed during the Holocaust.
Henry then asked the former “Lip Sync Battle” host whether she thought her ancestors were motivated to relocate to the US to “escape all the persecution” in Europe, and she admitted that was probably the case.
“Yeah, of course. I just … it’s so unreal,” she said. Immigration records show that many Roma families sought refuge in America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Last year, Teigen had done a DNA test through 23andMe as she continued on her “journey of health and wellness” after giving up alcohol and took to social media to tell fans about the “insane” 24 hours when she mistakenly believed that she had a long-lost identical twin. DNA testing has become increasingly popular, with more than 26 million people having taken home DNA tests by 2023.
“So, let me tell you guys about my past insane 24 hours,” she said in a video posted to Instagram. “As some of you know, I have been on a bit of a journey for the past few years and just trying to figure out about my past and my family and the typical stuff we’re all curious about. With the encouragement of my therapist and doctor, I did 23andMe which I had already done a few years ago but I had never done a more deep dive, I had just done a heritage thing.”
But Chrissy’s sister then reminded her of the preparation she had to do for the PBS show when producers had put them under false names to keep their identities sealed and then realized she had been “matching herself” the entire time. This kind of identity protection is standard practice for celebrity genealogy research.
“My sister was like ‘Chrissy, no, remember when you were supposed to do that show “Finding Your Roots?'” she recalled. “So, they had us all take DNA tests and they put it under secret names so the world couldn’t tell. This never aired, the show didn’t air and we didn’t finish shooting it. My identical twin … was myself. I was matching myself.”
The discovery of Teigen’s Roma heritage adds to the growing body of celebrity genealogical revelations that have helped raise awareness about diverse cultural histories and immigration stories in America. These findings often spark important conversations about identity, heritage, and the complex tapestry of American ancestry.
