Joe Manganiello, the accomplished American actor, and producer, was in for a surprise when he decided to participate in the popular PBS docuseries, Finding Your Roots. Up until then, he had always believed that his heritage was purely Italian. But as the Harvard academic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his team dug deeper into Manganiello’s family history.
They uncovered a series of astonishing revelations that would reshape his sense of identity and give him a newfound appreciation for his ancestral heritage.
The revelation of Joe Manganiello’s true heritage
In the show, Joe Manganiello learned that he had a diverse ancestry that he was previously unaware of. The revelation came in a clip of the show that was shared with Rolling Stone, leaving the actor surprised and astonished.
According to the show, Manganiello was found to be 7% Sub-Saharan African, which he had no idea about. He also discovered that none of his DNA matches the Manganiello name, which he believed was his grandfather’s. This revelation was startling for the actor, who had never questioned his family’s origin.
The Magic Mike actor was further taken aback when his father’s DNA test revealed that his biological great-grandparents were William Henry Cutler, who was Black, and Nellie Alton, who was white. They narrowed Joe’s grandfather down to one of three Cutler sons, all of whom were light-skinned African-American men.
During their investigation, Gates and his team made another astonishing discovery about Joe Manganiello’s ancestry. They uncovered information about his fifth great-grandfather, a man named Plato Turner, whose remarkable life story was uncovered through historical records. According to these records, Turner was born in Africa and was brought to America as a child slave.
However, he eventually became a free man and fought for the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, making him one of 5,000 Black men who served in the army during that time. In recognition of his contributions, there is a monument dedicated to Plato Turner in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Joe Manganiello’s newfound identity
Manganiello’s sense of identity shifted significantly after discovering that he is a descendant of slaves. Growing up in Boston, he believed his father was “F.B.I.” or “full-blooded Italian.” The fact that he’s a descendant of slaves considerably shifted his perception of himself, and he admits that he feels like the person he saw in the mirror was
“mirror completely out of focus until now.”
He adds-
“All of a sudden, I can see myself clearly for the first time,”
This revelation has allowed the Rampage actor to see himself more clearly than ever before and to better understand his family’s history. The show has provided him with the opportunity to learn about his ancestors and the journeys they undertook to survive and thrive. He acknowledges their hardship and says
“to come from West Africa in chains, on a ship, and to come to the United States and earn your freedom.”
Related: James Gunn Reportedly Planning to Bring Back Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke to DCU
The magnitude of the revelations was so significant that the show implemented its “ethics protocol,” which allowed Manganiello to opt out of the episode if he wanted.
The host of the show, Gates says
“We give them the option of getting out of the series if they want. Then nobody will know except me and a couple of producers. And there are a couple of people that have withdrawn over the years,”
Despite the option, the Deathstroke actor decided to share his family secrets on the show. By sharing his story, Manganiello is helping to increase awareness and understanding of the complexities of personal identity and family history.
The discovery of Joe Manganiello’s connection to Turner is a powerful reminder of the diversity and complexity of American history and the often-overlooked contributions of people of color to the country’s founding.
Source: Insider
