Fans of This Is Us bid a tearful farewell to the Pearson family this spring, but as big a loss as that was for our TV schedules, it might have been even more emotional for the actors who became accustomed to slipping into those beloved characters. As with all big losses in life, the grief comes in waves, and the six-season NBC drama was a phenomenon worth grieving, especially for Mandy Moore. Her character of Rebecca Pearson battled Alzheimer’s and ultimately reunited with her late husband Jack in the afterlife.
The reality of This Is Us actually being over hit Mandy Moore again recently, she told THR, since this is typically the time of year when the ensemble cast would be gathering to start work on a new season. The realization that that wasn’t happening again was a “such a bummer,” the actress said:
It’s strange. I drove by Paramount the other day and just had this, ugh, long sigh and a little bit of heartbreak thinking that for six years, normally would be going back to work right now at this time of year. I really miss my friends. I miss the work. I realized, oh, we said goodbye to the Pearsons. We don’t get to hang out with them anymore. That’s such a bummer. I’m sad about that. But I’m also excited about figuring out what’s next while I try to enjoy a little bit of downtime.
Downtime is something Mandy Moore definitely deserves, and she’s likely getting more of it than she expected. The end of This Is Us came right as the singer released her new studio album In Real Life and set out on tour for the first time in years. However, life on the road proved to be a bit too demanding, given that she’s also expecting her second child with husband Taylor Goldsmith, and Moore was forced to cancel her remaining tour dates.
While the past six years afforded the actress the comfort of job security, it also took time away from her family, and now that she’s not on tour or returning to the Paramount lot for filming, Mandy Moore said she’s finally free to “turn off” and enjoy her home life. She continued:
The great thing about job security is that for these last six years, we were pretty sure where we were spending the majority of our work lives. But it also means the machine never gets turned off, in a way. I feel like I never got to turn off even when we had our hiatus. I got to go climb a mountain or do this or do that with the little spare time that I had but then you just jump right back in. You never fully turn the burner on the stovetop off. It’s kind of nice to actually take a deep breath and be a mom and hang out while I’m getting ready to have a baby in a couple of months. I’m enjoying life and enjoying the summer.
While there may not be a show to film anymore, the This Is Us cast had hoped to be celebrating again at the Emmy Awards this fall. But despite Sterling K. Brown’s tearful plea for Mandy Moore to garner an Emmy nod for her performance in the series’ final chapter, she was not among the nominees. Moore was classy in defeat, however, as she’ll still be able to support her husband: Taylor Goldsmith and Siddhartha Khosla were nominated for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for their work on This Is Us.
Mandy Moore may be taking time to enjoy life after This Is Us, but we certainly don’t have to. You can relive all of the Pearson drama over and over, as all six seasons are available for streaming with a Hulu subscription. And be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule to find your next primetime tearjerker!