Before my first introduction to this cast This Is UsI had already viewed the pilot episode three more times, all the way back on Monday July 25, 2016, for a special screening. This was nearly two months before the show premiered on NBC, but I remember telling anyone and everyone who would listen—my colleagues, my parents, my friends—that this was going to be a hit show.
It wasn’t just the twist at the end of the first episode (to this day, one of the best surprises in a television series), but more so that it was a much-needed compelling family dramedy that would fill a hole in the TV landscape. Parenthood had ended 18 months earlier, and streaming services weren’t as robust as we see now. (Don’t forget: HBO Max, Disney+, and Apple TV+ didn’t exist back in 2016.) This Is UsIt was written with all of the emotion and gravitas that viewers need to stay invested week after week. The storylines were so personal that you felt like you were being pulled from your own lives. Mandy Moore, Milo Ventigimila and Sterling K. Brown were all part of the magnetic cast. Chrissy Metz was also a part of it.
As I entered the first meet-and-greet cocktail event, I knew something was different about this particular group. The cast’s vulnerability on screen made me feel like I knew them already—and I was curious to see how that would translate off screen. I wasn’t disappointed. I can remember Mandy Moore, her friends Minka Kelley and Wilmer Valderrama. I was too shy to introduce my self. It was funny, now that I see how warm and welcoming she is. Justin Hartley told me the story of Kevin when he spoke to me. His friend Michael Rady told him, “You should totally read this role. It’s so you.” So he did—and couldn’t believe the similarities. Hartley called his agent and was told that they were already trying to get him in for auditions. I also recall telling Chrissy Metz that I was so excited for Kate Pearson to meet fans thanks to her. She sweetly admitted she couldn’t believe she was on a billboard for the show, so much so that she drove around L.A. in a loop so she could see it a few times. Her joy at being Kate was palpable–something that has never wavered in the years since. Susan Kelechi Watson impressed me so much at that event, that I emailed my New York colleagues to praise her. I was most amazed to learn that she isn’t afraid to drive her Toyota Camry around New York City. Considering how notoriously chaotic the city’s traffic is, I thought it was a remarkable demonstration of her bravery and confidence.
Source: Glamour