Actress and singer Chrissy Metz knows all type of family is forever, including her beloved fictional family, The Pearsons, from “This Is Us!”
Nearly a year after the series finale for “This Is Us” aired after six seasons, Metz, who played the only sister of the ‘Big Three’ Pearson kiddos, is still attempting to form her identity as an actress.
“This Is Us” viewers saw the Pearson family’s life story unfold over four decades, and Metz played the adult version of Kate. Kate spends her life coming into the ultimate version of herself, away from the shadow of comparison to her brothers, her conventionally beautiful mother Rebecca (Mandy Moore), and societal views surrounding her image.
Although her character eventually finds her footing after years of searching, Metz, 42, is still going through the same process in her career after “This Is Us.”
The “This Is Me: Loving The Person You Are Today,” author recently shared some details about her process with People magazine and gave a sneak peek into her latest project.
The ‘This Is Us Cast Was Already Reflecting On The End Of The Pearsons’ Story Before Its Finale Aired
The Blast covered several aspects of the series’ final days, including how various cast members about the show’s final episodes
The ending of the series was just as emotional for Mandy Moore, who played Rebecca. The beginning of “This Is Us” came at a personal crossroads for Moore; she divorced her first husband, musician Ryan Adams in 2016, the same year the series began.
Moore spoke to The Guardian last summer and revealed the lessons she had learned from playing Rebecca for six years.
“This is a woman who has experienced immense tragedy. She lost a child in childbirth and a spouse and gets a debilitating diagnosis later in life, all the while navigating it with grace, composure, grit, and joy,” Moore told writer Ilana Kaplan. “I try to look at that as a model of how I want to choose to live my life.”
Series creator Dan Fogelman joked about Moore’s reaction to the final storylines of “This Is Us” during a panel the cast did last year. “I will tell you one thing,” Fogelman said. “the second to last script made Mandy throw up. Hopefully not ugly throw-up,” he joked. (via The Blast)
“[It was] a beautiful throw-up,” Moore added. “It was so beautiful and upsetting that that was my physical reaction.”
Milo Ventimiglia, who played Rebecca’s husband and Kate’s father, Jack Pearson, also shared his thoughts about the conclusion of the Pearsons’ story.
“It was whole and full,” Ventimiglia told Deadline (via Us Weekly) of the finale’s storyline. “I was happy to end the show with Mandy in a scene together because that’s how we started it. It felt good and accomplished; we were allowed to close things out respectfully and wholeheartedly for the characters. I was grateful,” Ventimiglia concluded. (per The Blast)
During the PaleyFest above panel, Metz told the audience how playing Kate had been a personal revival; she joked she was both “broke” and “broken” before landing the part.
“Through Kate’s healing, I was healed,” Metz said. (per The Blast)
Metz Shares How ‘This Is Us’s Influence Has Shaped Her Professional Future
Metz simultaneously acknowledged the nostalgia she feels from playing Kate and the personal influence the series’ legacy has had on how she approaches future projects.
“You don’t always get to have one of those, let alone multiple of those,” she tells People of “This Is Us” once-in-a-lifetime influence. “I just try to be cognizant and intentional with my projects.”
Metz also explored the difference between having the chance to play a character for years, which allows an actor to get the full scope of who the character is, and the shorter time being on a film set, which enables an actor to bond with their nature.
“It’s tricky when you’ve done something for six years because you know that character, and even though you’re still discovering more about them, you still have a grasp,” she explained. “Whereas with a movie, you have maybe a month if you’re lucky from prep to finish. And that way it’s like, ‘Oh boy, I wish I had more time with’ whatever character you’re portraying,” Metz continued.
Metz’s upcoming film “Stay Awake” will be released in Los Angeles theaters on May 25th!
