Julia Roberts was told a shocking revelation about her last name. In January 2023, Roberts took part in an episode of “Finding Your Roots,” during which she spoke with professor and literary critic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. about her results from a DNA test. In this conversation, Gates stated that Roberts’ “biological great-great-grandfather” was Henry McDonald Mitchell, Jr. Through his research, Gates discovered that Rhoda Suttle, Julia’s great-great-grandmother, had an affair with Mitchell after the death of Suttle’s husband, Willis Roberts. This affair led to the birth of Julia’s great-grandfather, John Roberts.
In response, Roberts asked, “So we’re Mitchells?” Gates Jr. then said, “You’re Julia Mitchell. You are not a Roberts biologically.” The actor discussed her mixed emotions over this unexpected news. “On the one hand, truly, my mind is blown,” Roberts said. “And it is fascinating. And on the other hand, there’s part of me, that when I’m calmer, can still wrap my arms around the idea that my family is my family. And I do prefer the name Roberts.”
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As Entertainment Tonight reported, the actor also learned that she and fellow celeb Edward Norton have “a distant ancestor” in common through the DNA results.
