Minnie Driver Discovers Her Half Uncle Was An Actor | Who Do You Think You Are

Minnie Driver receives a copy of her grandparents birth certificates and discovers they were both previously married and widowed. She's overjoyed to discover she has a half-uncle and he was also an actor!
🚨 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE 🔔 : bit.ly/WDYTYAyt
Hollywood actress Minnie Driver is on a mission to find out more about her late father, Ronnie, and his family's background. Minnie's parents were not married, and Minnie only discovered when she was older that her father had a wife and another family all the time Minnie's parents were together. Minnie knows her father was awarded a medal for his role in the battle of Heligoland Bight during World War Two, but is shocked to discover that he apparently threw it away. She sets out to investigate why her father would relinquish such an honour. The trail leads Minnie to relatives she never knew existed, and she discovers a kindred spirit in the family.
▶ WATCH MORE WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE: bit.ly/WDYTYAClips
📺 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson 👉 bit.ly/B0RlSJ0...
📺 Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman 👉 bit.ly/0IiviaC...
📺 Chat show king Graham Norton 👉 bit.ly/GrahamN...
In each episode, one of Britain's best-loved celebrities traces their family tree to reveal the surprising, extraordinary and often moving stories of their ancestors. We publish new videos twice a week with the most memorable moments from the show. Subscribe now and click on the bell 🔔 to get notifications every time we upload a new video!
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER 👉 / wdytya_uk
CHECK OUT THE WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE WEBSITE 👉 bit.ly/WdytyaBBC

[@buzzml8123]

I love her reaction: “Finally someone else who does the same ridiculous profession as me.” She’s a lovely person inside and out

[@susanherbert3014]

I love Minnie, it’s been fascinating to watch her ancestry journey!

[@janetharris4237]

Not only an actor but evidently a very good one and so was his wife! And he was very handsome!

[@demetrisnadinethomas]

It would be nice to see the show in it entirety, and not just the snippets.

[@josephinemiller4780]

Thank you! I say that all the time! It’s annoying!

[@kellybryson7754]

Probably have to subscribe to BBC or Acorn

[@melindarozas1334]

You can, check it out on History you tube channel.

[@ppumpkin3282]

It would be nice to have a million dollars.

[@deborahbaker4770]

I totally agree it’s aggravating ‼️

[@patriciajrs46]

Interesting. One thing I have noticed, and learned is that in the 10 year span between census records a lot can happen. My uncle Walter L. Rogers only lived for 1 yr. and a month. He wasn't thought of at the 1920 census, and didn't live long enough to reach his first counting in 1930. Without routing out death records and newspaper articles, a person may completely miss their relative.

[@ppumpkin3282]

I had many ancestors back in US colonial times. There was a lot of infant mortality. What was really confusing is that when one child died, they might give the second child the same name. And if the second child died the third child might again have the same name. So there might be several birth records with different dates and the same name. Also confusing in genology because the same given name was carried on through generations.

[@aaronbeans33]

That's what happened to my great-grandmother (maternal grandmother's mother) and her brother JW had other siblings who looked to have not lived too long. There was 2 older brothers before her than her brother JW after her than 2 other brothers and a sister after him. There was probably more though.

[@priscillavelazquezs]

Her dad probably thought about his brother when Minnie stated she wanted to become an actress. 🙃

[@tammiep7946]

She's absolutely beautiful!

[@Earthsuitlife]

She is such a naturally beauiful woman both within and without.

[@felixfischer312]

I just love Minnie ❤️ she is such a beautiful Brunette . Acting is in her bloodline great..

[@ML-kx9gz]

She provides the context that her father held secrets, but you would imagine he would mention a sibling also being an actor while she was at the oscars with him. My guess is he probably didn't really know him like it was sort of suggested. But I'm just loving this content, intriguing.

[@stephw1702]

Very likely considering her father was born in 1921 while Leslie, based on tbe age listed on his marriage license, was likely born in 1908 or 1909.

[@udntknomeXX]

Those times were something else. He was considered a 'Bachelor' while she was considered a 'Spinster'....

[@cg8397]

"Bachelor" means he was never married before, "Spinster" means she was never married before. "Bachelorette" is an Americanism.

[@heatherspence3848]

Rewatching with my husband and he’s hooked on this channel. Orlando Florida US

[@wellbokassoff1756]

Fantastic

[@irishdawn8387]

I miss this show in TV

[@EmmA-ln9he]

Correction : we have plenty of transporter bridges here in France. Two of them just in my hometown, Nantes, where the public transportation agency has re-established two daily operated lines to cross the Loire, because we lack bridges to go from one side of the city to the other, especially since there's an island in the middle, so you'd have to build 2 bridges instead of one.

[@Paul-lm5gv]

I had vaguely heard of her before finding this series. It's fascinating to see her detective work and discovery! To an extent, many of us in the U.S. don't know very much about our great grandparents who came over to America from other countries and lost touch with those they left behind. No photos of the mothers and fathers they bid farewell to. No marriage certificates. Often no family history passed on. The search goes back a few generations and then just ends. Sad.

[@thatsassyrepublican]

She was on will and Grace ❤

[@seaninness334]

LOL, here I am online with an alias and I see my actual surname in the cast @4:45. I wonder if THEY were related to me. Currently bingeing the whole series on Minnie Driver's family. Very interesting and interesting parallels to my own family. I love this show.

[@brandyramos9372]

Watching Minnie in her softer side that I didn't see in Hollywood movie.

[@cefcat5733]

Ah, she is lovely.

[@NazaQuintana]

I don't know why this videos about Minnie's family makes me cry

[@D__Lee]

Off-subject, but the transporter bridge was a revelation to me. I never knew this ever or still existed. That looks like a labor intensive way to cross a river.

[@AmyLM1990]

They've added it in just for show too. no reason at all to use the transporter between Stockton and Middlesbrough.

[@AlphonsodeBarbo]

That was very charming.

[@tjs114]

The half-uncle could have used his mother's maiden name because it sounded more 'posh' or quite possibly because a Leslie Driver was already registered with Equity.

[@janetharris4237]

Possibly so. Research reveals that the UK Equity Union was formed in 1930.

[@cmtippens9209]

Another possibility is that some families didn't want an actor in the family. It was seen as scandalous by some.

[@anndeecosita3586]

Or it could be for privacy reasons. I worked in tv news and it’s common not to use your actual last name. Crazy people and overzealous fans might show up at your house. I wish I had done it.

[@itachiwife8670]

His father cheated on his mom and had another family. I think that's reason enough to not want to keep his father name. It would also explain why her dad never talked about him because they were not in good terms. That's my theorie.

[@margaretcaldarone1005]

Oh. I Think Shes Wonderful. Ive Been a Fan a While, Then She Left the States. Im So Happy to See Her and This Adventure. I Do Hope it Worked Out and You Filmed it. It Would be Great. Ive Always Wondered about Her and Her History, I Now Know Were Not Related.

[@voicije]

this is not my history...but i can't help myself being so happy...about all dicoveries...

[@tennillepatterson5500]

Minnie makes millions of dollars per project, world known and thinks her profession is rediculous 😂. I thought I was the odd one, tending chickens.

[@Sherirose1]

I love chickens.

[@ppumpkin3282]

I wonder if she's related to Donald Driver of the Green Bay Packers.

[@marionconnell8820]

Did the Uncle have children why didnt it go on for more if he had kids

[@kellybryson7754]

It'll probably be in the next snippet.

[@wm3277]

Scandalist...... My grandma got pregnant by another man while my gramps was still in school across the states. My grandfather divorced her becsuse of that.. And I thought my uncle had the same dad as mine but we were fooled.. lol..

[@homemmpa]

None of them said jinx