Justin Theroux Moved to Learn About Orphan Ancestor Who Should Never Have Survived (Exclusive)

Justin Theroux is delving into the darker corners of his family history. 

In the PEOPLE exclusive clip above from the March 2 episode of the new series No Taste Like Home, host Antoni Porowski takes Theroux on a journey to learn about an orphan ancestor named Alessandro.

In the episode, the Queer Eye food expert, 40, and the Leftovers star, 53, meet with historian Nick Terpstra at a former foundling home to learn more about the actor’s past.

“I can see that he’s abandoned within hours of being born, and that usually indicates that the child is illegitimate,” the historian tells the two of Theroux’s ancestor. “And this is the thing about these homes. They’re charitable homes, but they’re also a way that, if I can put this nicely, wealthy men can carry on extramarital liaisons and not have to worry about the outcome.”

As Terpstra describes the tragic account, Theroux, in a dark green shirt and a black fedora, watches thoughtfully. 

“It allows them to know that [a child is] going to be taken care of,” the historian continues. “And in a sense, ‘It’s off my hands.’ ”

Both Theroux an Porowski look shocked at the reveal, with the celebrity chef whispering, “Woah.”

A voiceover of Porowski plays, explaining, “So we have a pretty good idea why Alessandro may have been given up. But what about the other details passed down through Justin’s family?”

The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star then adds, “We’ve also heard that he was a tailor and that he was very good at working with silk.”

Terpstra explained that Alessandro was likely a child laborer.

“It’s interesting because silk is one of the biggest industries in Italy at that time,” he says. “But the thing about that is a lot of these orphanages were set up by silk merchants, both to care for those children, but also then to provide a labor force that would allow them to get some of their own work done. So it was child labor.”

The story grows more tragic as the historian explains the unhealthy diet often seen in the orphanages during the 19th century. He says that during the time, impoverished people typically ate mostly polenta, which “can cause dietary problems” if not mixed with other things.

“Conditions within the orphanages were horrendous,” he said. “It was such malnutrition, the death rates for those children who stayed in the orphanage were phenomenal.”

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But there is one silver lining. “So, to survive in the orphanage,” Terpstra explains of the ancestor, “he is one lucky kid.”

Theroux, hearing the positive message, offers a sad smile. 

The episode, titled “Justin Theroux’s Italian Quest,” documents Porowski and Theroux on an Italian road trip as they seek the origins of a family pasta dish. “From chasing chickens to harvesting clams, they sample the region’s finest food and uncover how Justin’s Italian ancestry relates to a family dish that made its way across the Atlantic,” the synopsis teases.

The new National Geographic series sees the Antoni in the Kitchen author exploring the heritage of an array of global celebrities through their ancestors’ food. Guests in the debut season also include Florence Pugh, Awkwafina, James Marsden, Issa Rae and Henry Golding.

New episodes of No Taste Like Home air Sundays at 9/8c.