The Emmy-winning documentary series Who Do You Think You Are? will profile soap opera alum Bradley Whitford in this week's episode.
The series, which has returned to NBC for the first time in nearly a decade, helps celebrity guests trace their family tree with the help of genealogists, historians, and experts. The series utilizes cutting-edge research tools and billions of digitized records from Ancestry, the global leader in family history and consumer genomics.
In the August 7 episode, actor and political activist Bradley Whitford meets with a genealogist to learn about his grandmother's heritage, discovering why his ancestors immigrated to the United States in 1846. His journey takes him to Washington, DC, where he learns that his great-great-grandfather, along with his siblings, fought in the Civil War. Whitford learns which side his ancestors fought on and whether they survived the brutal warfare.
While Whitford is best known for his work in primetime, like many other actors, Whitford kicked off his career in daytime. His first TV role was in an episode of the original Equalizer series. From 1985 to 1987 he landed a recurring role as "Jason" on All My Children. In 1988, Whitford had a two-episode stint as Dr. Jones on Guiding Light.
In 2001, Whitford won a Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Primetime Emmy for his work on the critically acclaimed series The West Wing. He has won two other Emmys -- in 2015 as Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Transparent and in 2019 as Guest Actor in a Drama Series for The Handmaid's Tale.
This season of Who Do You Think You Are? will also feature As the World Turns alum Allison Janney, Zachary Levi, Nick Offerman, Billy Porter, and Zachary Quinto.
Who Do You Think You Are? airs Sundays at 7 pm ET/PT on NBC.
Have you ever researched your own family tree? Do you find it fascinating to watch others learn about their ancestors? We want to hear from you -- and there are many ways you can share your thoughts.
