Ep 9. The Eye of the Beholder

In the ninth episode of season five of the popular genealogy series Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. guides three famous guests on a journey to discover their family histories. In "The Eye of the Beholder," Gates delves into the ancestral roots of fashion industry trailblazer Diane von Furstenberg, renowned economist Paul Volcker, and award-winning filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

The episode begins with Gates sitting down with von Furstenberg, who rose to fame in the 1970s with her iconic wrap dress and has since become a household name in the fashion world. While von Furstenberg has always been open about her European heritage, Gates uncovers surprising details about her family's past. He traces her lineage back to both Jan van Riebeeck, a Dutch colonial administrator who founded Cape Town in South Africa, and Kliment Voroshilov, a Soviet military commander who fought alongside Joseph Stalin during World War II. As Gates and von Furstenberg discuss the complexities of these familial connections, viewers get a glimpse into the ways in which personal history can shape one's identity.

Next, Gates turns his attention to Volcker, who is best known for his work as the chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1979 to 1987. Despite his groundbreaking achievements in the world of economics, Volcker is curious to learn more about his ancestors' lives before his own birth in 1927. Gates delivers on this front, uncovering tales of Volcker's German great-grandfather who immigrated to the United States in the 1800s, as well as his more distant relationship to a prominent figure in the French Revolution. Through archival records and interviews with relatives, Gates pieces together a picture of Volcker's family tree that is rich with historical significance.

The third guest on "The Eye of the Beholder" is Iñárritu, the Mexican filmmaker behind critically acclaimed works such as Amores perros, Birdman, and The Revenant. Iñárritu tells Gates about his experiences growing up in Mexico City and his early years working in television and advertising. But as Gates reveals through his genealogical research, Iñárritu's roots are more varied than he might have imagined. The episode includes visits to both Mexico and Spain, where Gates uncovers surprises about Iñárritu's family background. From a great-grandfather who fought in the Mexican Revolution to an ancestor who was a knight of the Order of Calatrava, Iñárritu's family history is anything but ordinary.

Throughout the hour-long episode, Gates skillfully weaves together the stories of these three diverse individuals, showing how their personal histories intersect with larger historical events. He demonstrates the ways in which genealogy can shed light on our shared human experience, and how understanding the lives of our ancestors can lead to a deeper appreciation of our own place in the world. For fans of the series and newcomers alike, "The Eye of the Beholder" is a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of the past and its impact on the present.