The 2018 Camp Fire in California was the most devastating wildfire of all time, destroying three towns, including Paradise, CA. That tragedy has inspired two movies that are both trending on different streaming platforms: The Lost Bus, which you can watch with an Apple TV subscription, and Faith In The Flames: The Nichole Jolly Story, available with a Netflix subscription. The two movies have some similarities, but the differences are much more obvious, and I definitely have one I like more than the other.

It’s Not Really Fair To Compare, But I’m Going To

Faith In The Flames and The Lost Bus are two very different movies. The former is a Lifetime movie with a fairly limited budget, starring This is Us star Chrissy Metz as the real-life nurse Nichole Jolly, who worked tirelessly during the fire, risking her own safety to make sure her patients were safe. The former is a big(ger) budget thriller starring Matthew McConaughey as a real-life bus driver named Kevin McKay who rescued a busload of school children during the horrible fire.

There are some similarities between the two films. Both feature parents who are having a difficult time connecting with their teenage sons (McConaughey's own son Levy stars as his son in the movie), for example. In both movies, our heroes are trapped on different roads during the fires. We all remember the video footage of people trying desperately to escape the flames around them, and in both movies, shots like that play heavily in the plots. In a bit of irony, Nichole, played by Metz, is trapped on Pearson Road, which Last of Us fans will recognize as the last name of her character on the hit NBC show.

The Differences Are Stark

The Lost Bus has some absolutely incredible sequences, with special effects that have earned it an Academy Award nomination. The scenes of the fire are insane, and I’m still not sure how they did all of them, as it’s a mix of practical effects and CGI. Combined with director Paul Greengrass’ typical fast cuts and handheld camera work, the movie is a true spectacle to watch.

On the other hand, Faith In The Flames is a much smaller movie. Though there are limited effects, it’s really more about hospital personnel, especially Nichole, and how they navigated the fire as it took out the town and their hospital. It’s far less flashy, as clearly reflected in the budget. While The Lost Bus is Hollywood at its flashiest, Faith In The Flames is very much a made-for-TV movie.

On a more practical level, Faith In The Flames follows someone I would consider a likely hero. A nurse with years on the job, putting her experience and training to work in the best possible ways. The Lost Bus’ McKay is an unlikely hero. McKay is a bit of a screwup who is trying to get his life together and finds himself in an impossible situation.

In the end, The Lost Bus, though hardly a perfect movie, is a better one, and I enjoyed it much more. It’s not one of the best movies of 2025, despite the Oscar nomination, but it is thrilling and very well made. So I have to give the edge to the Hollywood spectacle.

This Is Us may have ended in 2022 (although it's available streaming on your Netflix subscription), but Chrissy Metz is embarking on a new chapter in her life. Not only does she have her upcoming Starz series Hunting Wives, but she's ready to trade in her Hollywood lifestyle for Nashville. Just like Nicole Kidman before her, Metz gets real on why she left L.A. to live down south, and it makes a lot of sense.

While living in Hollywood can be beneficial if you want an entertainment career, it’s not necessary. There are a lot of Hollywood stars who don’t live in California, like Nicole Kidman, who moved to Nashville with her country singer husband, Keith Urban, in 2007. This Is Us cast member Chrissy Metz made the same move, and she explained to People why:

I understand how nice and convenient it is for everything to be close by to you. Especially since Florida and L.A. are on opposite sides of the country, I’m sure Chrissy Metz is happy she’s closer to them.

For the actress, the decision to trade Hollywood glitz for the heart of Nashville isn’t just about living driving distance from her family. She also couldn’t help but praise the southern state for its chill environment:

Another big reason for Chrissy Metz’s decision to move to Nashville is to be near the music. They don’t call the Tennessee capital “Music City” for nothing. Like Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman, Jessica Simpson left Hollywood for Nashville, seeing it as the perfect environment for her to write new music. The American Horror Story alum feels the same way, with Nashville being a great environment to go back to her musical roots.

Chrissy Metz has shown her incredible singing talents on This Is Us and her musical performance at the 2020 Oscars, singing her Breakthrough movie’s song “I’m Standing With You.” Music clearly means a lot to the actress who previously spoke proudly of not letting the stigma of actors pursuing singing careers get to her. Metz said her love of singing and writing songs will continue. I hope this means we’ll soon get an upcoming country album from her.

Just like Nicole Kidman and many other celebrities before her, Chrissy Metz has made the bold transition from Hollywood to Nashville. Being surrounded by so much country music is bound to inspire a deeper connection not only to her songwriting but her storytelling talents that first put her in the spotlight.

We aren't even two months into the year, and the 2025 TV schedule has already been filled to the brim with great shows and networks have been taking notice and handing out renewals. In fact, CBS renewed nine shows on Thursday, including Justin Hartley’s hit drama Tracker, while Hulu picked up Sterling K. Brown’s Paradise for a second season. With the This Is Us stars sticking around on their respective shows, their former NBC co-stars are showing all the love, and I'm thrilled to see it!

The Members Of This Is Us’ Big Three Respond To Paradise’s Renewal

Paradise, which comes from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, dropped early on streaming services on January 26, two days before it was scheduled to premiere the first three episodes. Since then, the show has become quite a hit, leading Hulu to renew it with just six episodes under its belt.

Brown dropped the good news via the Paradise Instagram account, with “Season 2” written on his hand to celebrate, take a look:

Many fans took to the comments to share their happiness over the news, as well as some of the Paradise cast, including James Marsden.

But that’s not all. Brown’s This Is Us co-star Chrissy Metz couldn’t help but share some sisterly love for her on-screen brother and was as excited as ever to hear that more Paradise is on the way, commenting:

Additionally, Hartley liked Brown’s post about the show, proving that The Big Three will always be close.

Even though the NBC drama these actors worked on together ended in 2022, the cast is still like a family, and it’s so great to see, especially since we know the This Is Us cast still text each other.

Also, seeing this renewal has me thinking that since Brown is still working with Fogelman on Paradise, maybe another This Is Us reunion could happen on the show...or Hartley's series, Tracker.

The This Is Us Family Reacted To Tracker’s Renewal

Thursday was a big day for the This Is Us family when it came to renewals, because Tracker, which is executive produced by This Is Us producer and director Ken Olin, was also given a third-season pickup on CBS.

Justin Hartley posted a video to his Instagram telling the cast and crew the good news, and it’s wonderful, take a look:

The Pearson family was quick to show love to Hartley, with his on-screen mother, Mandy Moore, liking the post. Brown also took to the comments to share the love and hope that Tracker sticks around for years to come:

Tracker has had a few This Is Us reunions already, and with more on the way, it’s possible that more of the Pearson family or family friends will appear. However, fans will just have to wait and see.

At the very least, the love and support are pouring in from the cast, and I can’t get enough of it. Now, it's time to get excited about what's to come as you continue supporting these shows by streaming Paradise with a Hulu subscription and watching Tracker on CBS or with a Paramount+ subscription.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Masked Singer Season 11's "Quarter Finals: Final Four." Read at your own risk!

The Masked Singer's quarter-finals concluded, and this is always the part where the season gets difficult. Poodle Moth didn't exactly deserve to go home, but given the stage of the competition, it's inevitable someone talented is bound to. The fuzzy insect was unmasked, and surprise, it was actress Chrissy Metz, who got real with CinemaBlend about the stigma surrounding actors getting into music.

One year after desperately missing This Is Us, the actress continues to move onward and upward into new roles, and taking on new singing adventures. Metz has performed at the Grand Ole Opry and elsewhere since the end of her NBC series, but there are still people who don't know she's as passionate about music as she is acting. CinemaBlend was fortunate to spend some time talking to her about singing, and her goal as she continues to perform alongside her acting career:

Chrissy Metz's music is out on every major streaming platform and she has songs she intends to release down the road. Perhaps those who only knew her from the This Is Us cast or other roles will check it out and hear the voice that I think legitimately could've won The Masked Singer.

Of course, some readers may not take Chrissy Metz as seriously as a singer they do for her as an actor, which is a strange phenomenon she addressed. Metz, who will join the upcoming Starz drama The Hunting Wives, talked about the truth that audiences tend to have a bias when it comes to famous actors and singing:

The actress' statement felt relevant, considering I had only recently talked to Corey Feldman, who talked about the eye-opening experience he had as The Seal. Feldman felt comments about his singing were kinder when people weren't aware it was him, which could factor into what Metz says above. It's also true there are actors like Jared Leto and Will Smith who started careers in music but, for some reason, aren't stigmatized much as the other way around.

While Chrissy Metz's singing journey will continue elsewhere, The Masked Singer still has to crown a winner for Season 11. While I originally noted that there wasn't a clear frontrunner, which created a major problem for the season, I've recently honed in on Gumball being the favorite to win. My second choice was The Beets, but since they were unmasked and revealed as American idol pals Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, I'm back on Team Gumball!

The Masked Singer airs on Fox on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Season 11 is quickly winding down, so be sure to get current and prepare for what should be an exciting finale.

This year’s Super Bowl Sunday was a major occasion for several reasons. Obviously, it was a night filled with football, as the Kansas City Chiefs triumphed over the San Francisco 49ers. And there were plenty of funny SB LVIII commercials. On top of all that though, the night marked the debut of CBS’ Tracker, which stars Justin Hartley. The drama series premiered after the big game, and it would seem that said programming placement paid off. That’s because Hartley’s 2024 TV schedule entry has already been renewed for a second season and, of course, some of his This Is Us peeps showed support.

News of Tracker’s renewal arrived this week, and the leading man himself marked the occasion. He did so by taking to Instagram to share a post that included the official announcement. The actor also included a brief caption through which he expressed gratitude to the fans for making the freshman series a hit. You can check out the post in its entirety down below: 

I have to say, this is very impressive. It’s not often that a show gets picked up for Season 2 less than a month after its premiere. But, then again, one could definitely attribute at least part of this buzz to the time slot that the first episode aired in. The Super Bowl typically garners significant viewership, so a series – whether it be old or new – can definitely benefit from all of those eyes if it airs later in the night. So it would seem that congratulations are definitely in order. 

The former Kevin Pearson actor’s announcement is lovely enough, but it’s made even sweeter by the fact that some of his co-stars from This Is Us commented. One person to do so was his on-screen brother, Sterling K. Brown, who played Randall Pearson. The Oscar-nominated star provided a jovial response, which began with a question that fans were probably wondering as well:

The other star who reacted to the big news was Kate Pearson actress Chrissy Metz. She conveyed nothing but excitement when acknowledging her former cast member’s good fortune: 

I’m not surprised that the bonds amongst the This Is Us family still appear to be strong, and I’m also not shocked that this renewal happened. It centers around a lone-wolf survivalist named Colter Shaw (Justin Hartley), who helps private citizens using his extensive tracking skills. Critics were high on Tracker, as they lauded its direction as well as Hartley’s performance. CinemaBlend’s own Laura Hurley also praised it while making a case for why viewers should stick around after the Super Bowl to watch it. 

It would seem that the Eye Network definitely has a hit on their hands and, if you ask Justin Hartley, TIS deserves credit for helping to bolster it in that regard in addition to the Super Bowl slot. As Season 1 continues, fans are sure to have a sense of comfort knowing that another season is on the way. And I’d also imagine that Hartley’s colleagues will continue to cheer him on as it all plays out.

New episodes of Tracker air on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS, and you can also stream the show using a Paramount+ subscription. Those who want to see the lead star and his co-stars on their former show can also check out all six seasons of This Is Us using a Netflix subscription.

The 2024 Oscar nominations were announced this week and, while there were some notable snubs, there were also some extremely exciting developments. One is the fact that Sterling K. Brown received his first Academy Awards nod for his work in American Fiction. The star is more than deserving of the honor, which has honestly been a long time coming for him. Unsurprisingly, fans are incredibly excited and happy for him, and his former collaborators from This is Us are as well. A few of them sent some love but, amid that, we've learned that one of his kids hasn’t been all that impressed by certain aspects of his awards season run.

Like so many of his fellow nominees, the 47-year-old actor shared a reaction to his Oscar nomination. He shared a video to his Instagram, in which he recounted just how he discovered the news. That morning, as he was preparing to take his children to school, he realized that he had around 126 messages on his cell. The slew of texts are what ultimately alerted him to the fact that he was among the Academy’s honorees for Best Supporting Actor. From there, the A-lister discussed a funny anecdote involving his son and explained how it connects to his most recent accomplishment:

The people closest to us can definitely be our sharpest critics, in the funniest ways. A part of me kind of loves the fact that Sterling K. Brown – a three-time Primetime Emmy winner – still gets his chops busted by his son. (Maybe if Brown lands that Green Lantern role, his son will be impressed.) Based on the video the actor shared though, he finds the feedback delightful. You can check out his post, which also includes sentiments of gratitude over his momentous achievement:

A slew of celebrities reached out to the Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. star and, while all of the messages are sweet, the ones from the This is Us cast and crew are particularly sweet. Mandy Moore, Susan Kelechi Watson and Chrissy Metz reacted in the comments of the post, while series creator Dan Fogelman responded on X. Check out their sentiments below: 

• No one more deserving SKB. - Mandy Moore
• Yes SKKKK!!! I'm one of those 120 [messages] lol - Susan Kelechi Watson
• C’mon!!!!!🎉❤️🙏🎉❤️🙏 - Chrissy Metz
• Proof that I knew him when, and that I could always make him pretend laugh.  Congrats @SterlingKBrown on your OSCAR NOMINATION!  Wow! - Dan Fogelman

The TiU cast and crew have always seemed close, and those bonds don’t seem to have waned since the acclaimed family drama series finished its six-season run on NBC in 2022. They seem to have no problem sharing in joy, as is the case with this moment and sharing in sorrow as was the case when they paid tribute to Ron Cephas Jones after his passing months ago. All in all, it’s just lovely to see them show support to one of their own during this major moment.

Sterling K. Brown has received much praise for his performance as Cliff Ellison in American Fiction. In addition to the Oscar and SAG nominations, he also received a Critics’ Choice Awards nod for Best Supporting Actor. The star continues to solidify himself as a bonafide force in the realm of cinema, though his TV days aren’t behind him. Brown is reuniting with Dan Fogelman for a new thriller on Hulu, and the actor seems excited to be working on a show that’ll see him play a character far different from Randall Pearson. I’d like to think that Brown and Fogelman’s former colleagues will lend support amid that endeavor as well. Though he’ll have to wait and see whether the Brown’s son gives his seal of approval or playfully throws a bit of a shade.

As American Fiction continues to play in theaters, all six seasons of This is Us are streaming with a Netflix subscription. Those who are Hulu subscribers will also want to keep their eyes locked on the 2024 TV schedule so they’ll be aware of when Sterling K. Brown’s new show premieres.

As soon as news of actor Ron Cephas Jones’ death at the age of 66 reached social media, fans began to share their sadness over his passing. It didn’t take long for those who knew him personally, including former showrunners and actors, to also jump online and share their memories of the beloved star. Mandy Moore and Sterling K. Jones were just two of the co-stars who opened up about how much Ron Cephas Jones meant to them – and everyone who has spoken up so far has had similar things to say about the This Is Us alum and the impact he had on their lives. 

To most, Ron Cephas Jones is best known for his unforgettable portrayal of William Hill in NBC’s beloved drama This Is Us, for which he won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. After news of Jones’ passing, the series’ resident matriarch, Mandy Moore, reflected on Jones’ irreplaceable contributions to not only the series, but also to her own life journey. On Instagram, she shared a still from the penultimate episode of the hit show, in which William guides Moore’s character Rebecca through a metaphorical train that leads her to the end of her life. The photo was accompanied by a lengthy message about the legacy Jones left behind: 

It was sweet of the actress to send her love to her friend and colleague's beloved daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones. The pair shared more than just a talent for performing and a love of the arts – they even made history in 2020, becoming the first father-daughter duo to take home Emmys during the same presentation – the elder for This Is Us, and the younger for #FreeRayshawn. 

While the Hamilton and Blindspotting actress has, understandably, not made any public statements about her father's death, several of her father's other This is Us co-stars have come online to share their grief at his passing. Sterling K. Brown, who played William Hunt’s biological son Randall, posted a beautiful Instagram tribute to the actor he also called a friend: 

It seems that so many people who knew and worked with Ron Cephas Jones were struck by not only his undeniable talent as an actor but also by his kindness and spirit. That was also the case for This Is Us’ Chrissy Metz, who shared her own memories of the actor on Instagram and thanked him for the impact he had on her life: 

On X, This Is Us showrunner Dan Fogelman also shared a heartfelt ode to the actor and reminisced about what an honor it was to work with him. Here’s what he had to say about what it was like to know the Luke Cage alum both in front of and behind the screen: 

Dan Fogelman really said it all -- Ron Cephas Jones had the kind of talent you don't come across every day. Prior to his death, he completed work on the upcoming Genius: MLK/X, in which he portrays real-life Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad, which will be available to Disney+ subscribers upon release. While Jones’ performance in This Is Us will be the one that so many of us remember best, he had an incredible career that spanned the stage and screen. Perhaps more importantly, he touched the lives of so many people who knew him, loved him, and will so clearly miss him. 

It’s been nearly a year since This Is Us aired its series finale and gave fans all the feels. Yet in some ways, it feels like we only just said goodbye to the Pearson family. Much of the cast has been busy since the heart-wrenching NBC drama came to a conclusion, which has been nice to see. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t miss the acclaimed series. As a matter of fact, Kate Pearson herself, Chrissy Metz, is "desperately" missing her on-screen family.

The actress, who is starring in the upcoming moving Stay Awake, spoke to People ahead of the one-year anniversary of the This Is Us finale, which is on Wednesday. The actress confessed that she misses the series, but not just because of the people she met while working on it. The star explained:

This Is Us ran for six seasons on NBC, so it’s not surprising to see that Chrissy Metz has a hard time letting go. The show, especially the series finale, had a lot of meaningful moments, whether it was Jack Pearson talking to his kids or "The Big Three" having a moment of their own. Of course, there were plenty of obstacles as well, such as Kate and Toby’s baby hurdles or Kevin’s addiction. Through its storytelling, the program was able to cover a lot of subject that clearly struck a chord with viewers. With that in mind, you can't help but understand why Metz feels the way that she does.

She does have some things to remember her time on the set by, though. After wrapping, the actress wanted take some props from set, including a piano. Ultimately, she got to take home some of Kate’s other things. Had I been in her position, I probably would've done all I could to secure some mementos for myself.

Also, though the series ended a year ago, she's still close to her former co-stars, it seems. When Justin Hartley’s new CBS show Tracker, formerly named The Never Game, was ordered to series, Chrissy Metz and other This Is Us stars were quick to celebrate Hartley’s series. It's lovely to see that the bonds between the actors remain strong and that some like Metz continue to have an appreciation for everything that the show accomplished during its six years on the air. While the star may "desperately" miss the production, I would think that she remains comforted by the memories she has from set.

It can't be said for sure just yet whether This Is Us will receive a revival or reunion in the future, so fans will just have to keep their eyes peeled for news on that front. In the meantime, though, know that all episodes are streamable with a Hulu subscription. And be sure to also check out the 2023 TV schedule, which will provide you with information about upcoming premieres.

This Is Us just left its fans wrecked after a final chapter that closed the book on the beloved Pearson family. While its sixth and final season tugged at our heartstrings because we knew the end was near, the NBC drama has really been toying with our emotions since 2016, making us cry both happy and sad tears as Jack, Rebecca, Kevin, Kate and Randall navigated life in a nonlinear story that jumped back and forth across different decades. It seems This Is Us could have been a wildly different show, however, as creator Dan Fogelman actually wrote the pilot for a different platform, and the original script included multiple F-bombs.

When Dan Fogelman first started writing the Pearsons’ story, which was fully conceptualized years before its sixth season aired, he didn’t have network television in mind. HIs story reportedly contained nudity and violence, as well as a profanity-laden pilot that had to be reworked when This Is Us landed not with a cable or streaming service, but rather on NBC. In fact, Fogelman revealed to Variety just how many “fucks” he had to get rid of from the original script:

This Is Us has often been criticized for being overly sentimental (a criticism Dan Fogelman highly objects to), but it seems like the family drama would have had a completely different vibe if the Pearsons would have been able to throw out a good “WTF?” during some of those tense moments. We know Mandy Moore’s got it in her, after her reaction last year to being harassed by a paparazzo. 

Kevin and Randall would definitely have let some good "fucks" fly during their intense Season 4 argument, where Kevin (Justin Hartley) told Randall (Sterling K. Brown) that the worst day of his life was when Jack and Rebecca brought Randall home from the hospital. 

It’s impossible to think about the first episode that we saw on NBC six years ago and not wonder where the seven F-bombs were. Being the pilot, its main purpose was obviously to introduce us to the core Pearsons whose lives we would be hopelessly devoted to for six years (oh, and blow our minds with that first timeline misdirect). We saw Rebecca giving birth to her and Jack’s babies, while the Big Three celebrated their 36th birthdays by having existential crises. 

In the original version of the script, did Kevin throw profanities when he blew up on set of The Manny and quit? Did Kate get frustrated with the fat-shaming sticky notes she’d left on all the food in her refrigerator? Did Randall go off even harder on William when he finally tracked down his birth father after 36 years? 

We may never know all the ways that Dan Fogelman tweaked that original story for more family-friendly viewing on NBC, but that’s probably for the best. Fans certainly can't argue with the product that we got, which kept us captivated for six years, and when it ended, only left some of us complaining that it didn’t continue for more seasons and there was no spinoff in the works. 

You can relive all six seasons of This Is Us on streaming with a Hulu subscription, and be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming soon to television and streaming.

SPOILER ALERT: We're about to get into major spoilers from the series finale of This is Us. 

This Is Us’ series finale opened with Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) saying, “Hey,” to each other in a flashback scene from a lazy Saturday for the young parents. That mirroring of the husband and wife’s afterlife reunion was the first of many beautiful moments we got from This Is Us’ ending. As the Big Three honored their mother at her funeral, fans got a hint of what the future held for the Pearson family and how the seemingly insignificant moments can become the most enduring. 

The NBC drama had audiences hooked back in 2016 when it pulled its first timeline misdirect in the series premiere. As Rebecca gave birth to triplets, 36-year-old Kevin, Randall and Kate’s stories each played out simultaneously, and it wasn’t until the end of This Is Us’ pilot that we realized they were actually the children born to Rebecca and Jack in 1980, setting us up for six seasons of traveling back and forth in time to stitch together the Pearson family saga. Let’s take a look at where the series finale left the Big Three, and those wonderful little moments from the episode “Us.”

What’s Next For The Big Three?

Back at Kevin’s house following Rebecca’s funeral, the grown Pearson children revealed their plans for their next steps. Kate (Chrissy Metz) revealed that she was going to continue opening music schools for the blind, as she apparently had gone international with her passion. 

Kevin (Justin Hartley) took most of the series to grow into himself and finally reunite with Sophie, who had been The One all along. He told his brother and sister that he was going to focus on his Big Three Homes nonprofit and spend time with his wife and kids.

Randall (Sterling K. Brown) seemed to be making some big moves, as he and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) had been weighing the pros and cons of his attending the Iowa State Fair with the Democratic National Committee to “shake some hands and eat some deep-fried Oreos,” hinting that there might be a big advancement in his political career…

Randall Pearson For President?

It’s just the beginning of a hint of a possibility that Randall Pearson will run for president. If he does — and if he wins — is a secret Dan Fogelman is playing close to the vest. The creator told TVLine:

In a scene from Randall’s episode of the Big Three Trilogy, he told a police officer he might be president one day, and he also told Rebecca that if he ran for Senate, he’d win. But if Dan Fogelman insists this is a Sopranos ending, I guess we’ll leave it at that.

The Little Moments Are Everything

We’ve seen it time and again over the course of the show’s six seasons, but those little moments — especially the unplanned ones or the mundane — end up being the strongest memories that get passed down. The series finale showed Rebecca and Jack making an impulse buy of a Pin the Tail on the Donkey game because the kids on the box resembled their own family. That game continued to be played after Rebecca’s funeral, and Kate’s childhood strategy — “As long as I know where you are, I always know where I’m going.” — speaks volumes about the siblings’ relationship.

The final episode also showed the Big Three’s children playing Foursquare, just as Randall, Kate and Kevin had done on that lazy Saturday afternoon, and Jack and Rebecca’s flashback conversation about how they were doing as parents was a nod to a similar conversation in Season 1, when Jack gifted Rebecca a moon necklace — the same one she was wearing when she reunited with Jack on “The Train.”

Kate And Toby’s Love Will Endure

KaToby fans can rest easy. Even though Kate and Toby’s marriage didn’t last, Toby assured Kate at Rebecca’s funeral that he loves her. Fans are safe to assume they remain close, as a previous flash forward showed the former couple with their new partners together at one of Jack Damon’s shows. 

Kevin Gets One Last Good Moment With Uncle Nicky 

Nicky Pearson (Griffin Dunne) brought the comic relief when he was promoted to a series regular in Season 4. Curmudgeonly as ever in the final episode, he sarcastically railed on Kevin for reuniting him with his brother’s family, thus causing him the pain he felt at losing Rebecca. He said his parents would be ashamed if they knew what he did to a “sweet and sensitive old man like me.” It was fun to see Nicky end the series the way he started it — pissed at Kevin.

Beth Crushes Final ‘Worst Case Scenario’ Game

Speaking of comic relief, Susan Kelechi Watson often got the show’s best moments as Beth. The series finale featured one last round of the couple’s trademark “Worst Case Scenario” game, where Beth vocalized her concern for what would happen to Randall now that his parents were all gone: 

It’s a dark game, but it sure made a grouchy Randall smile and made fans very happy.

The Series’ Final Words, And That Beautiful Last Shot

The series’ final shot — young Randall looking at Jack as the Pearson patriarch looks on lovingly at his family — followed a similarly touching exchange between adult Randall and his own adopted child, Deja, who was carrying his first grandchild — a boy! That, as well as the final dialogue spoken, were planned years in advance, Dan Fogelman told EW:

That’s it, This Is Us fans! Dan Fogelman really considered what fans would want to see before the final chapter was closed on the Pearsons’ story. He gave us some great moments between the characters and a glimpse at what the future might hold for the Big Three. Once you’ve cleaned up all tissues, be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the series finale of This Is Us, so make sure you’re caught up before you continue.

After six seasons of jumping from the present to the past to the future, gasping at some shocking plot twists and listening to countless Pearson monologues, This Is Us concluded its final chapter with the series finale, “Us.” The episode was seemingly simple, mirroring two timelines — a lazy Saturday afternoon spent with Jack and Rebecca when the Big Three were young opposite the future timeline where the expanding Pearson family said their final goodbyes to the late, great matriarch at her funeral. Though Kate sang, and Kevin and Randall each gave eulogies, their words were inaudible, but creator Dan Fogelman thankfully provided some insight behind what we viewers didn’t hear. 

Randall commented multiple times in the penultimate episode “The Train” on “the dichotomy of it all,” with sadness and joy coming at the same time. The finale continued the exploration of how he balanced losing his mother with the revelation that Deja was pregnant with his first grandchild. (Credit to Sterling K. Brown for that amazing reaction when he found out she was expecting a boy!) But in his struggles, his mind wasn’t fully present at the funeral, hence the haze viewers heard when the Big Three gave their eulogies. 

So what was said (and sung)? Dan Fogelman told EW that Chrissy Metz was caught off-guard by the concept of singing to honor her ficitonal mother:

Not only was that an appropriate song for the character — as it’s made a few appearances on the show during its six seasons — but the lyrics are absolutely perfect for the moment and the relationship that Kate and her mother had. 

Sterling K. Brown and Justin Hartley, meanwhile, were asked to improvise and write their own eulogies, knowing that nothing they said would be heard when the episode aired. Brown and Randall must have some similarities between them, as the actor seemed to channel his character pretty realistically for the assignment, Dan Fogelman said:

His affinity for grand speeches isn’t where the similarities end between Sterling K. Brown and his character. They both have great love for Mandy Moore (or, in Randall’s case, Rebecca), and Brown made an emotional plea this season for the actress who, at eight years younger than him, plays his mother to win an Emmy Award for her stunning portrayal of a woman living with Alzheimer’s. 

For his part Justin Hartley may have tapped into some of that Kevin-Randall sibling rivalry when delivering his eulogy. For being asked to do something pretty somber, it sounds like the actors dealt with like true brothers would. The creator recalled: 

It was a pretty simple way for This Is Us to go out, in that it didn't introduce a crazy twist ending or spliter off into a larger variety of timelines, but there were quite a few treats for loyal fans. Beth and Randall got in one last round of “Worst Case Scenario,” we learned the origin of the oft-played Pin the Tail on the Donkey game, Toby’s love for his ex-wife reassured us that KaToby actually is forever, and Nicky expressed his appreciation for Kevin bringing him back into the family with his signature crankiness. What more could we really ask for? Besides another season down the road when all the main actors are older, of course. 

Now that This Is Us has come to an end, be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming soon, or relive the entire six-season run of NBC's hit drama with a Hulu subscription.

This story contains spoilers for This Is Us’ Season 6 episode “Family Meeting.” 

Rebecca Pearson had a plan in place for what was to happen when the time came for the Big Three to make decisions regarding her well-being. In a classic This Is Us Thanksgiving speech, the matriarch told her three children that they were not to make their lives smaller for her, and if Miguel was not around, the responsibility would fall to Kate to make the choices. We sadly said goodbye to Miguel last week, so “Family Meeting” put Kevin, Kate, and Randall in the painful position of deciding what’s next. In the end, Kate did make a decision, but the circumstances had actress Chrissy Metz “pissed” on her character’s behalf.

When the Big Three gathered to talk about how to care for Rebecca after Miguel’s passing, of course they didn’t agree. Randall wanted to move his mother to Philadelphia. Kevin wanted to keep her in the house he’d built and have them all take turns visiting. Kate’s decision was to move Rebecca to Los Angeles to live with her and Phillip; however, Kevin called an audible, saying that he, Sophie, Madison, and Elijah would all move to the East Coast so their mom could stay in her house and be cared for full time by family. Chrissy Metz told People how she felt about Kate being outshined by her brother — again: 

With Kevin’s entire wing of the family being willing to relocate, and with Nicky, Edie, Randall, and Beth already being on the East Coast, Kevin’s idea really does seem like what is best for Rebecca. It was still frustrating to see Kate finally find her voice with her brothers, just to be overruled. Chrissy Metz said her character just had to remember that it was about doing right by Kate's beloved mother, not her pride.

Speaking to Kate’s pride, however, it was nice to see the support she had from the other men in her life — Phillip and Toby. Her ex-husband gave her some straight talk (in the most loving way) about how she acted around Kevin and Randall, while “Big Phil” stood up to Beth and Sophie for making light of the Big Three’s melodrama. 

Next week brings fans to the series' penultimate episode, with the script that caused Mandy Moore to throw up after reading it. Are we ready for this? I don’t think we’re ready for this. This Is Us returns with “The Train” at 9 p.m. ET next Tuesday, May 17, on NBC. See our full spring finale schedule here, and be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what new and returning shows are premiering soon.

Only three episodes remain before the book is shut on the Pearson family saga, and as the This Is Us cast wobbles toward the series finale, some of the actors are looking to hang onto a piece of television history. It’s pretty common for the stars of a successful show to keep something from set as a memento from that particular era of their careers, and after six years together, a few members of the cast had their eyes on some pretty meaningful — and sometimes sizable — props from the NBC drama’s set. 

Sterling K. Brown, a.k.a. Senator Randall Pearson, hasn’t been shy about the emotional impact that the series’ conclusion has had on him, as he made a tearful plea for Mandy Moore to be recognized for her portrayal of Rebecca amid the character's worsening Alzheimer’s. Chrissy Metz and Chris Sullivan have been a huge part of Season 6, as we witnessed not just the end of Kate and Toby’s marriage, but their time-lapsed journeys to finding new love. After such a long and emotional experience, what were the items that the actors wanted to keep as their own?

Sterling K. Brown Wanted A Special Keepsake To Go To Susan Kelechi Watson

One of television’s greatest couples, Randall and Beth supported each other to the end, and when Sterling K. Brown thought about the trinkets that represented his time on the show, he told People about the item he wanted for his TV wife:

I love the idea of the doll dancing around Randall and Beth’s kitchen — and I’ll definitely have my eye out for her in my inevitable rewatch of the series — but I love even more that the actor said Susan Kelechi Watson deserved it more than he did. Beth proved she was the Pearson MVP time and again, always there to give Randall whatever support he needed, and often being just far enough outside the Pearson family drama to see situations with a clearer perspective. 

That doesn't mean Sterling K. Brown has to leave Paramount Studio empty-handed, however. The actor also admitted he wouldn’t mind taking the Pilgrim Rick hat and starting his own Brown Thanksgiving traditions. Just don’t forget the Police Academy 3!

Chrissy Metz And Mandy Moore Both Called Dibs On A Musical Memento

Season 6 has seen Kate learn to stand up for herself and make choices for her own happiness, and it sounds like some of that strength came through when she laid claim to a prominent and meaningful item she told People she wanted to keep:

If it sounds like Chrissy Metz is fighting hard to prove the piano is hers, that's because she may have some competition. Mandy Moore said on Jimmy Kimmel Live that she also wanted to take home the prop that was such a big part of her character’s life:

Mandy Moore — who is actually three years younger than the actress who plays her daughter — acknowledged that Chrissy Metz had already called dibs, but she joked that she was willing to play a little dirty and “slip the props master like a hundred dollar bill.” 

After Rebecca’s emotional performance of the This Is Us theme song at Kate and Phillip’s wedding, it seems like it would be hard to deny the Pearson matriarch the piano. Chrissy Metz said there were two floating around the family’s homes throughout the decades, and there was definitely one from the music school where Kate and Phillip met. Hopefully there are enough to go around without causing a big mother/daughter fight!

Chris Sullivan Wants To Drive Off The Lot In A Big Piece Of Pearson History

Go big or go home, right? Chris Sullivan’s character may not have gone the distance with Kate, but Toby will get the last laugh if he gets to drive off the lot in Jack Pearson’s Grand Wagoneer. Of course, he knows asking for a car is a little different than hoping to keep some of Toby’s wardrobe (the Hawaiian shirts!), and Sullivan’s a reasonable man. He told People:

It sounds like Chris Sullivan’s relationship with this car might last longer than Katoby’s marriage! It might be a long shot, but wouldn’t it be cool to see Chris Sullivan rolling up to the set of his new comedy pilot The Son in Law in that classic piece of machinery?

It’s heart-warming to think that This Is Us meant as much to the actors as it does to the fans. The meaningful props that the cast members hoped to take away from the set shows how important the past six years have been. 

Only a few episodes remain until we say goodbye to This Is Us forever (or until one of the characters’ stories becomes a spinoff). Tune in at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesdays on NBC. Lots of shows are wrapping up their seasons, so check out our spring finale schedule to make sure you’re not missing anything, and also take a look at our 2022 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming soon.

Four episodes remain for NBC’s emotional family drama This Is Us, and as creator Dan Fogelman works to wrap up all the plot points that he’s planted throughout the six seasons, members of the cast keep giving fans little hints of what’s left to come. Milo Ventimiglia said he was “incredibly devastated” when he learned how the series would end, while Mandy Moore said she threw up after reading the second-to-last script. Sterling K. Brown predicted ugly crying, and he actually followed through with a tearful plea for Moore to win an Emmy. The latest to cough up some intriguing details was Chris Geere, who spoke perhaps too openly about This Is Us’ final scene.

Chris Geere is still a relative newcomer to the Pearson collective, as he plays Kate’s second husband Phillip. Along with Chrissy Metz and Chris Sullivan, Geere has been a key factor in the gut-wrenching ride through time as viewers witnessed the end of Kate and Toby’s marriage and how she came to fall in love again with the music teacher at her son Jack’s school. Geere talked to NBC Insider about the final episodes, and he provided what is possibly a spoilery detail about the NBC drama's last scene:

Really, Chris Geere’s “spoiler” just leads to more questions. With the timeline-jumping nature of the show, how is it possible to get everyone into the same scene? With Jack Pearson having died when the Big Three were teenagers, he rarely shows up in the current and future timelines. It does happen, to be sure, including in “Day of the Wedding,” when Rebecca kept confusing Kevin for Jack as she struggled with her worsening Alzheimer’s. Geere also didn’t specify when the last scene takes place, so that makes it even harder to speculate what that sequence could entail. He may also have been using the term "everyone" loosely, but I'm inclined to believe he wasn't. 

Will it be like Six Feet Under — arguably the greatest series finale of all time — and provide additional context for what happens outside of the show's narrative? Will it be like Lost’s still-confusing final episode, which had its own spin on characters all coming together? My excitement to find out is equal to my anguish that This Is Us is really coming to an end. 

It's a sweet sentiment that Chris Geere wants to take care of Chrissy Metz just as his character would support his wife, and it reminds me of the series’ ultimate couple Jack and Rebecca (who are totally marriage goals), and the way Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore exchanged vows ahead of playing husband and wife on the show. With Geere being so in tune with Metz’s feelings, what did he have to say about the penultimate episode, whose script caused Metz to not be able to catch her breath? The actor said: 

I think it’s safe to say This Is Us isn’t going to let up on the intensity in its final episodes. Stock up on your tissues, because the drama returns Tuesday, May 3, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. With This Is Us coming to an end, be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows could help to fill the void. 

Only a handful of episodes remain before viewers say goodbye to the Pearsons, and creator Dan Fogelman has made sure This Is Us’ final chapter is one we won’t forget. Season 6 has jumped forward in time to show the progression of Rebecca’s Alzheimer’s and the end of Kate and Toby’s marriage. We’ve gone into the past to see Jack’s mother die, and we’ve seen Deja suffer her first heartbreak. But put those tissues away, This Is Us fans, because members of the cast have shared a BTS video of the cast doing the Wobble, and it’s so much fun, you’ll forget all about the family’s on-screen woes.

Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Philip (Chris Geere) tied the knot in the latest episode, “Day of the Wedding,” and what’s a wedding without some dancing? During a break between scenes, the cast — in full wedding attire, of course — broke it down like the reception had an open bar. Check out the video Sterling K. Brown shared to Instagram:

The whole group seemed to be having an absolute blast, with Chrissy Metz doing like any good bride, and hiking up that wedding dress so it didn’t slow her down. During the episode, Rebecca brought everyone to tears with an emotional rendition of This Is Us’ theme song after the Big Three had questioned whether their ailing mother would even be able to perform. There was no question about Mandy Moore’s dance skills, however, as she wobbled like the 38-year-old she is, even as she was in full age makeup to portray Rebecca in her 70s. 

Justin Hartley was the only one not to hit the dance floor. Maybe he wanted to stay in full “surly Kevin” mode between scenes, or maybe he didn’t want to tip his hat to which of the three ladies his character had a wedding weekend hookup with. Because along with super sleuths Madison (Caitlin Thompson) and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson), the three “suspects” — Cassidy (Jennifer Morrison), Sophie (Alexandra Breckenridge) and the wedding singer (Katie Lowes in her This Is Us debut) all joined in the line dance. Either way, he did make sure to get some of the dance on video.

Every actor out there is giving it their all — and you better believe I’ve watched the video enough times to know. Jon Huertas and Griffin Dunne proved that This Is Us does not let Miguel and Uncle Nicky out of the house often enough. Even the cast’s relative newcomers Chris Geere and Adam Korson (who plays Madison’s husband Elijah) held their own amongst the tough-to-crack group of Pearsons. While Sterling K. Brown and Susan Kelechi Watson were perfection as always, the Beth actress shared another behind-the-scenes video that Senator Pearson might want to make himself aware of:

The final five episodes are upon us, and while I wouldn’t argue with just full hours of Pearson flash mobs, I suppose it’s more important to wrap up the characters’ stories and get answers to those future timeline questions! Possibly the next mystery to be solved will be that of Kevin’s wife, as the next episode, “The Night Before the Wedding,” promises to explain at least some of Madison and Beth’s findings from their wedding day snooping.

This Is Us returns at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 26, on NBC, with the series finale set for May 24. As multiple shows are wrapping up their seasons, check out a full list of finale dates, and head to our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows are coming in to replace them!

Spoiler alert! This story contains major spoilers for This Is Us’ Season 6 episode “Katoby.” Proceed with caution if you’re not caught up!

This Is Us did it again. Even though we went into “Katoby” knowing that Kate and Toby were going to get divorced, and even though we knew Kate was going to get remarried to Philip, somehow creator Dan Fogelman still took us to the emotional brink. Through a ridiculous number of timeline jumps, we saw Katoby not just come to the decision to go through with their split, but we saw into the future and how their story, in fact, didn’t end when they signed the divorce papers. In doing so, we also were introduced to a new character, who Kate actress Chrissy Metz admitted she had a pretty funny reaction to.

“Katoby” picked up where Season 5 ended — with Kate getting ready to marry Philip — but over the course of the hour, we went from the day Jack Jr. was hurt at the park and traveled years into the future, where we unexpectedly saw Toby find new love. In a coffee shop meet-cute, Toby made a “parfait” pun, but Laura (Alexis Krause) said it was a little “vanilla,” and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the stuff love is made of. Another huge time jump showed Kate, Philip, Toby and Laura at one of Adult Jack Jr.’s shows, and Chrissy Metz told EW she was none too pleased to see the new woman on her TV husband’s arm. 

While the characters Kate and Toby may have had the benefit of years to get used to seeing each other with new partners, the wound was still fresh for the actress! Even Chris Sullivan has had time to process seeing his TV wife move on with Chris Geere’s Philip. I can imagine Chrissy Metz having the wind knocked out of her a little bit. 

The scene did more than show how Kate and Toby were able to find lasting happiness after their divorce. It also answered one of our Season 6 mysteries! With the Adult Jack Damon timelines taking place sometime after Rebecca’s death, we now know that Kate is still alive. Kate has yet to show up at Kevin’s cabin where the Pearsons are gathering around a dying Rebecca, but now that we’ve gotten Chrissy Metz in the old-age makeup, we can breathe a little easier.

Chrissy Metz and Chris Sullivan were masterful, running the full spectrum of emotions in Kate and Toby’s journey in “Katoby.” The actors said they went through 36 costume changes during filming, not to mention different makeup for each timeline. No wonder the actress said that jump into the future seemed surreal! It’s unlikely we’ll see much more of Toby and Laura’s love story, as only six episodes of This Is Us remain, and every part of that sentence is a bummer.

The final season continues next week with an episode titled “Day of the Wedding,” so I’m ready for the drama! This Is Us returns at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, April 19, on NBC. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.

This Is Us is always an emotional affair. In Season 6 alone, we’ve watched Rebecca tackle the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s, Jack lose his mother, and — specifically in the last few episodes — the dissolution of Kate and Toby’s marriage. As the story in the most recent episode focused on KaToby, and how the Green Egg Smoker played into their eventual divorce, there was one delightfully bright spot in the otherwise tense hour: The performance of 3-year-old Johnny Kincaid as Jack Damon. His co-stars thought so too, and they gushed about the adorable little man during a recent interview.

Johnny Kincaid made his acting debut as Kate and Toby’s son Jack Jr. at the beginning of This Is Us’ final chapter, but “Saturday in the Park” really put the focus on him. Johnny, like his character, is visually impaired, and some of the episode was shown through Jack’s perspective, with extremely fuzzy visuals. Johnny executed quite a bit of dialog as Jack showed Rebecca his shoes and talked about his parents fighting. Twitter went wild over the young actor, and his co-stars were equally enamored when they spoke with Glamour, with Susan Kelechi Watson gushing:

Johnny has albinism, according to a post on the Instagram page that he shares with his mother, Marisol Kincaid. Albinism is a different visual impairment than the one Jack Jr. has, but Marisol said she was excited about the opportunity Johnny has to represent the low vision community:

The love and respect seems mutual, as Chrissy Metz described her TV son as “so special,” and Mandy Moore opened up about her scenes with Johnny, who she called a “lovebug.” From his acting to his fun personality, Moore couldn’t find enough good things to say about the little guy:

Whether it’s the family’s involvement or the acting coach or just Johnny’s natural-born ability, this toddler has something special, and I can’t wait to see more of him as Season 6 continues — even though that obviously means putting the last nail in the coffin of Kate and Toby. 

This Is Us continues at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 12, on NBC with the next episode called “KaToby,” so unfortunately I think we all know what to expect. Hopefully Jack Jr. will get us through! In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule to see when new and returning shows are premiering. If you want to revisit earlier days of This Is Us when Kate and Toby were happy together, you can stream the full series with a Hulu subscription!

This Is Us is officially on the back end of its final season. The recently concluded Big Three Trilogy set Kevin, Kate and Randall on individual journeys that will end — assumedly — in 2034, with the Pearsons gathering at an elderly Rebecca’s cabin to usher her into the next life. It’s been an emotional journey to say the least, and Dan Fogelman isn’t letting off the gas. The creator and showrunner recently revealed that he put the finishing touches on the final two scripts, somehow going this long without fully locking down the ending, and reading through the second-to-last installment apparently caused extreme physical reactions for at least two of the NBC drama’s stars.

The cast and crew seem to be firing on all cylinders so far in Season 6, with hilarious moments from Susan Kelechi Watson’s Beth around the dinner table, full-bodied grief from Milo Ventimiglia’s Jack after his mother’s death, and bittersweet triumph as Chrissy Metz’s Kate finds her voice. “We laughed, we cried,” may sound trite, but it’s proved true for six years. However, speaking at This Is Us' panel at 2022's PaleyFest LA (via TODAY), Dan Fogelman said Mandy Moore did more than laugh and cry after reading the penultimate script: 

I’m almost at a loss for words. We’re expecting to have an emotional experience, but what could possibly happen to cause Mandy Moore to literally vomit? The actress — who has been brilliant as she takes Rebecca through a journey into Alzheimer’s — confirmed Dan Fogelman’s claim about her response to the script:

Funny, most people don't refer to the thinks that make them barf as "beautiful," except maybe when booze is involved. In any case, Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia had previously warned that they were “incredibly devastated” to learn how the show ends. If she already knew what was coming, and this was what happened when she saw words on the page, do any of us watching from home even stand a chance at keeping tears and vomit at bay? 

It wasn’t just the A Walk to Remember actress who was feeling all the things, either. Chrissy Metz chimed in, saying she also had a physical reaction after reading the second-to-last script:

I know Sterling K. Brown predicted ugly-crying, but this is a whole different level. Let’s not forget, that wasn’t even the finale's script that they were talking about, but the one leading up to that. Not that This Is Us is ever lacking for emotion, but fans better get ready for a gut-punch all the way up to the face as the series winds down. 

The Big Three Trilogy showed the paths Kevin, Kate and Randall will embark upon after their mother asked them to be “fearless” and “make the big moves.” (If you can’t recite Rebecca’s big speech by heart now, what are you even doing?) Kevin was inspired to start Big Three Homes and help military veterans find employment. Kate made a choice for the betterment of her future — even if that means going forward without Toby. And Randall’s political career is about to take off, as he decided he’s going to run for senator. Nothing nausea-forming there, but that could change in an instant.

Those mysteries are going to start getting cleared up pretty fast, so tune as This Is Us continues at 9 p.m. ET Tuesdays on NBC. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming soon. 

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for This Is Us’ Season 6 episode “The Hill.” 

The final Big Three Trilogy continued with This Is Us’ latest episode, “The Hill,” and this week was all about our Katie girl — well, Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) to be exact. Fans have known that “KaToby” is headed for divorce, and it’s been hard to watch the cracks grow larger in their relationship so far this season. This episode didn’t deal the death blow to the marriage, as we know from a flash-forward that an accident involving little Jack and the family’s smoker will be involved, but the couple seemed to hit the point of no return.

Chrissy Metz actually co-wrote “The Hill” — just like Susan Kelechi Watson co-wrote the big Beth episode earlier this season — which ended in Kate making a huge decision for herself. The episode showed Kate visiting Toby in San Francisco, and while they both agreed the long-distance marriage wasn’t working for them, they each made strong arguments for why the other should be the one to move. Toby took it a step too far by giving Kate an ultimatum, saying that the only way their marriage would work was if she and the kids moved there. Metz told EW she thinks that’s the moment that Kate knew it was over.

Arguably the saddest part was that they both made really good points about why they couldn’t be the one to move. Kate said she couldn’t uproot Jack, who is blind, just as he is learning to navigate his house and neighborhood, and she also didn’t want to leave Rebecca, as her Alzheimer’s gets worse. Toby pointed out that his job in San Francisco was the only way he could make enough money to be sure Jack has the services he needs growing up. 

Toby, however, failed to tell Kate that he’d turned down a job in Los Angeles, continuing a troubling pattern of making huge decisions on his own. “The Hill” even featured another instance of that, when he revealed that he’d gotten pre-approved to buy a house that he’d chosen for them all to move into. Chrissy Metz pointed out how long Toby has been doing that to Kate and said she finally was strong enough to stand up for herself.

The end of the episode, which was directed by Mandy Moore, saw Kate literally climbing a hill (which Toby didn’t think she’d be able to do) and calling future husband Phillip to ask to be considered for a full-time position at the school. 

Last week we saw a change in focus for Kevin, and next week will wrap the Big Three Trilogy with a Randall episode. The final season continues at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 29, on NBC. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what premieres are coming up soon.

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers about the Season 6 episode of This Is Us, called “Four Fathers.”

This Is Us keeps taking fans closer to the inevitable, and I’m talking both about the end of the series and Kate and Toby’s divorce. “Four Fathers” showed the rift between Kate and Toby continuing to grow as he traveled back and forth for work, exhausting Kate as she balanced her job with taking care of two kids. Aside from the growing tension, viewers got a huge hint about what’s to come for the couple, and it came through a couple of flash-forwards with Kate and Toby’s grown son Jack Damon (Blake Stadnik) and his wife Lucy (Auden Thornton).

“Four Fathers” opened in the future timeline, where Jack was cooking on a barbecue pit while Lucy sat nearby. Jack was triggered by the smell of the meat of the grill — a tragedy in and of itself, because what smells better than meat on a grill, am I right? — saying it took him right back to “that day.” Jack zoned into a memory where we could hear Toby warning his son not to get too close, followed by Jack’s crying and Kate yelling his name. Lucy wasn’t surprised at Jack's reaction, signaling that whatever trauma occurred is something they’ve had to deal with before.  

The end of the episode showed Toby in the current timeline telling Kate that he was buying a smoker so that even if they didn’t have a lot of time together, the time they did have could be spent making memories at family cookouts. Then we jumped back into the future, where Lucy Damon gave an ominous warning about exactly what kind of memories those would be. As Jack took the last of the food off the smoker, Lucy told him:

As Lucy said this, she touched a scar on Jack’s head that had been hidden by his hair. So it would appear that sometime soon we’re going to witness an accident at a Damon family cookout. While the scar on Jack’s head didn’t look too bad, whatever happened was clearly bad enough that he blames the incident for fracturing his parents’ marriage beyond repair (as we know, Kate ends up remarried to co-worker Phillip), and it was bad enough that Jack still experiences physical trauma from the smell of smoke. 

Fans also got a possible hint about who Kevin’s wife is in the 2034 timeline, as he called up his and Uncle Nicky’s old friend Cassidy Sharp (Jennifer Morrison) in the middle of the night to talk out his own parenting issues. Will we see that relationship continue to develop? Just like the last episode’s reveal of Nicky’s wife Edie, every question answered just brings about more questions, but that’s not a complaint. I’m savoring every last second of This Is Us’ final chapter. 

While this episode put the focus on the fathers, it looks like next week might center around mothers — and probably feature more about Jack Pearson’s childhood — as he received a call at the end of “Four Fathers” informing him that his mother had died. This Is Us continues at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, January 25 on NBC. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows are premiering soon. 

The beginning of the end is near! In just a few short days, This Is Us’ sixth season will premiere on NBC, and fans will begin to say goodbye to the Pearson family, whom we’ve watched grow from childhood to old age (in nonlinear fashion) over the span of six years. But before we shed our final tears, showrunner Dan Fogelman has a lot of work to do, as he’s been laying down various mysteries for the previous five seasons. The time for answers has come, and answers we will get! 

The whole show seems to be leading up to a 2034 timeline, where the Big Three, their spouses and children are gathering at the huge, gorgeous house that Kevin built to fulfill his father’s dream. Pearson matriarch Rebecca appears to be dying, and while we’ve checked off a good number of the family members — Randall’s whole family is there, Kevin and his kids, Toby and Nicky — we’re still on the lookout for a few others. That’s not even mentioning the Kate bombshell that was dropped in the Season 5 finale. So let’s take a look at the biggest mysteries we're still curious about going into the Season 6 premiere.

Who Is Kevin’s Wife? 

In the 2034 flash forward, Kevin and his twins are there with Rebecca, and Kevin is wearing a wedding band, but his wife remains unknown. While we all expected Kevin to marry the twins’ mother Madison at the end of Season 5, we were shocked to find out that we'd jumped five years into the future for Kate and Phillip's wedding, and what we thought were Kevin’s vows were actually from his speech as the officiant. 

In the current timeline, Kevin and Madison did not go through with their wedding, but did they ever work things out? They clearly still had a good relationship in the future, but was it romantic in nature or just good co-parenting? Did Kevin get back together with first wife and childhood love Sophie? They did always seem pretty end game, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see her again.

How Do Kate And Phillip Get Together?

This was a big Season 5 shocker. Kate and Phillip didn’t get off to a great start teaching together, and even though that situation improved when Phillip saw how good Kate was with the students, I’d describe their early relationship as “tolerant.” Factor in that Kate and Toby are still freaking married in the current timeline and seemed to be working through their issues in the Season 5 finale — just moments before we jumped five years into the future to see Kate in a wedding dress and Phillip calling himself Kevin’s future brother-in-law. How. Did. We. Get. Here? 

Where Is Kate In 2034? 

Randall convinced Toby to gather with them at Kevin’s house in 2034 because “she would want you here.” But is “she” Rebecca or Kate? Toby (sans wedding band) said he talked to his son Jack, and “they” are on their way. This could be Jack and his sister Hailey, or Jack and his wife and child. It’s possible that Kate is with one of her kids — or with Phillip, of course — but we haven’t heard anyone ask, “When is Kate getting here?” which is concerning in a show that devastates us at every juncture.

Is Malik The Father Of Deja’s Baby?

The Pearson family tree is growing! We got a pretty solid look at Randall’s daughters in one flash-forward, where we learn that Deja is pregnant, but hasn’t shared that news with anyone except her sister Annie. Did Deja and Malik go the distance? The teenagers saw some bumps in the road in Season 5, with the mother of Malik’s child wanting to be more involved in Janelle’s life, but both Malik and Deja are mature for their age because of their life experiences, so it’s possible they’re still going strong. Any way it goes, if we’re considering a This Is Us spinoff, Randall’s daughters are where it’s at.

Where Is Miguel? 

The final season of This Is Us is going to provide fans with "one of the saddest moments" when it delves into why Rebecca and Miguel lost touch after Jack's death, and that's before they reunited and eventually married each other. So while we know Miguel will play a key role in Season 6, we’re a little concerned that he’s not the one at Rebecca’s bedside in 2034. Mandy Moore added fuel to the fire of concern with comments to EW that made it sound like something dire could happen. We wouldn’t be talking about the possibility of something happening to Miguel if nothing were going to happen, would we? There’s a long-held fan theory about why Jack’s brother Nicky is the one sitting with Rebecca in the future timeline, which leads us to our next mystery.

Who Is Nicky Married To?

Nicky is shown in the 2034 timeline wearing a wedding band, so is it possible that Miguel dies and Nicky marries Rebecca? In her declining health, does she mistake Nicky for his brother? This theory is pretty disturbing to me, so I’m hoping Nicky’s love life goes in another direction. In Season 5, we saw Nicky making an attempt to reconnect with Sally, “the one who got away” when he was younger. Maybe we'll see Sally popping up in Season 6, or maybe Nicky is married to someone we haven’t even met yet.

Why Is Randall A Rising Star?

At the end of Season 5, when Kevin is getting ready to officiate Kate and Phillip’s wedding, we see a magazine on the dresser opened to a cover story about “Rising Star” Randall Pearson. No longer just the stripping councilman, are we, Randall? So where have Randall’s political aspirations taken him? Governor? Senator? President?! Whatever the office, he’d have my vote.

Who’s In The White Car? 

It’s the most mysterious of mysteries and could be answered by pretty much any of the above questions. Randall tells Deja, “Look who’s here,” as a white car pulls up to Kevin's house in the future timeline, but its occupants are left unknown. Is it Madison or Sophie? Is it Kate and Phillip, or Jack and Hailey? Nicky’s wife, maybe? Malik and Janelle? Gosh this show loves to stress us out. For all we know, we haven’t even met the mystery driver yet. 

We’re about to get the answers to all of these questions, and probably more, as I don’t think now is when This Is Us is going to break form and stop shocking us with its twists and turns. The final season premieres at 9 p.m. ET, Tuesday, January 4, on NBC. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what other shows will be debuting as the Pearsons' final season gets underway.

Back in 2016, a show premiered that captured the hearts of viewers, and surely made them cry every single week with new episodes full of family, love, and so much more - and that show was This Is Us, a series that is going to be entering its sixth and final season in 2022, as it's not appearing on the 2021 fall TV schedule. 

However, with such a large ensemble cast full of talent, you’re sure to have seen some of these actors and actresses before, such as Mandy Moore or Milo Ventimiglia. If you’re wondering why some of these faces may look (or sound) familiar, here is where you might have seen the This Is Us cast prior to their roles on the hit NBC show. 

Milo Ventimiglia (Jack Pearson)

I’m pretty sure we all have a slight crush on the patriarch of the Pearson family, Jack, as played by the talented Milo Ventimiglia. Before his part on the show, Ventimiglia appeared in a variety of roles, from TV to film. 

In terms of TV, one of his biggest roles was Jess Mariano in the Gilmore Girls cast, a role he reprised in the Netflix special, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. Milo Ventimiglia also had a major role on the NBC series, Heroes, playing Peter Petrelli from 2006-2010. His other roles in television include The Bedford Diaries, MOb City, and The Whispers. 

Ventimiglia has appeared in a number of films, including the crime-horror movie, Pathology, Rocky Balboa, Creed II, Kiss of the Damned, the comedy-drama, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and more. With Season 6 coming soon, I can’t wait to see Jack Pearson one last time. 

Mandy Moore (Rebecca Pearson)

There can’t be a patriarch without a matriarch of some sorts, and that is the lovely Rebecca Pearson, played by Mandy Moore. For a long time, Moore was in the music business, a career that she still does to this day. Her most recent album was released in 2020. But ,that doesn't mean that she still hasn’t done a lot in Hollywood. 

Moore was a part of The Princess Diaries cast, starred in the romantic drama A Walk to Remember, Chasing Liberty, Saved!, Racing Stripes, License to Wed, the horror film 47 Meters Down, the dystopian movie The Darkest Minds, the war movie Midway, and more. She also voiced Rapunzel in Disney animated film Tangled, and reprised her role in the Tangled TV series. 

Mandy Moore has also been elsewhere on TV. She’s had several guest roles on shows like Entourage, Scrubs, Grey’s Anatomy, The Simpsons and more. She also had a recurring role on Red Band Society, along with voice roles on High School USA! and Tron: Uprising. With someone as multi-talented as she is, it’s not a surprise that she has rocked her role as Rebecca for this long. 

Sterling K. Brown (Randall Pearson)

My personal favorite out of all the Pearson children is Randall for so many reasons - but maybe it’s just because he’s played by the smooth-talking Sterling K. Brown. 

Brown has appeared in a few big films during his career, such as Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Marshall, the Marvel film, Black Panther, and was a part of the Frozen II cast. He’s actually going to be in an upcoming film called Rise very soon. But television is where he's been seen the most. 

Sterling K. Brown’s biggest role prior to This Is Us was playing Roland Burton on the drama show, Army Wives for 107 episodes. Other work includes a recurring role on Supernatural as Gordon Walker, Starved, Third Watch, and Person of Interest, as well as several guest appearances. He also portrayed Christopher Darden on Ryan Murphy’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, and has a recurring role on the Netflix animated series, Big Mouth. 

Chrissy Metz (Kate Pearson)

Kate Pearson is a fighter in This Is Us, and she is played by Chrissy Metz. Relatively speaking, Chrissy Metz hadn’t done as much work prior to her role in This Is Us, but has been in some bigger projects since she got the starring role. 

Before This Is Us, Metz appeared in minor roles in Loveless in Los Angeles and The Onion Movie. After, she had a part in the Netflix original film, Sierra Burgess is a Loser, and the Christian drama, Breakthrough. 

Metz also had success in television, appearing in a variety of guest roles from Entourage to Huge, but also had a recurring role in American Horror Story: Freak Show as Barbara/Ima Wiggles. Recently, she appeared in the Muppets Haunted Mansion cast. 

Justin Hartley (Kevin Pearson)

Kevin has grown so much over the years on This Is Us, as portrayed by Justin Hartley. The actor appeared in a variety of films, including the Christmas movie, A Bad Moms Christmas, The Exchange, and an upcoming film titled, Injustice, where he’ll play Superman. But, television is definitely a place where Justin Hartley has shown his skills. 

Prior to This Is Us, he was a series regular on Passions, a recurring/main character in the CW show, Smallville, where he played Green Arrow, had a main role on Emily Owens, M.D., recurring roles on Revenge and Mistresses, and was a series regular on the long-running soap opera, The Young and the Restless. Talk about someone with a lot of range and talent.

Susan Kelechi Watson (Beth Pearson)

You cannot sit there and tell me that there is a better relationship on TV than Beth and Randall Pearson. Beth is just too damn amazing of a woman, and she is played by Susan Kelechi Watson. 

Believe it or not, Watson has only been in one feature film, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks. However, she’s also appeared in a variety of TV shows in guest roles, such as Limitless, the Showtime series, Billions, NCIS and more. She also had recurring roles in Third Watch, Louie, The Blacklist, and The Following, Coming up, she will be providing her voice for an animated film called Rumble. 

Chris Sullivan (Toby Damon)

Oh, Toby. When we first met Toby back in Season 1 of This Is Us, I don’t think any of us could have predicted his story. Chris Sullivan has portrayed Toby since the beginning, and has appeared in a variety of movies and TV. 

With movies, he played Taserface in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, a role he reprised in the Disney+ original series, What If…?, Imperium, I Trapped the Devil, Agnes, and more. 

Sullivan has also appeared in many TV shows. He had a main role in The Knick, a recurring guest role in Season 1 of Stranger Things, a role in comedy series, Camping, and many guest roles for series like The Good Fight, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and The Americans. 

Ron Cephas Jones (William “Shakespeare” Hill)

Ugh, just thinking about William from This Is Us breaks my heart, but that doesn’t mean I can’t write about the brilliance of Ron Cephas Jones playing him. 

Jones has been in many movies, including Paid in Full, Across the Universe, Glass Chin, the Netflix Christmas film The Holiday Calendar, the Eddie Murphy-led Dolemite is My Name, and many others. 

In television, Jones has had many roles in several shows, including Mr. Robot as Romero, The Get Down, the Marvel show Luke Cage, as Bobby Fish, the Hulu miniseries Looking for Alaska, Truth Be Told, and Lisey’s Story. He also guest starred on series such as Law & Order, New York Undercover, NYC 22 and more. 

Jon Huertas (Miguel Rivas)

Miguel was Jack’s best friend in This Is Us, and later Rebecca’s husband, who is played by Jon Huertas. In terms of movies, Huertas has been in many, including but not limited to Borderline, Right at Your Door, The Objective, Stash House, Imprisoned, and Initiation. 

Television is where Huertas has shined the brightest. His biggest role was playing Javier Esposito as part of the Castle cast. He’s also had recurring roles in Moesha, Undressed, the fantasy series Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, The Joe Schmo Show, Generation Kill, Elementary, and more. 

Eris Baker (Tess Pearson)

We have watched Randall’s daughters grow up before our eyes on This Is Us, and Tess is one of the eldest, played by Eris Baker. Prior to her role on This Is Us, Baker didn’t appear in any films, sticking to television for her earlier years of acting.

She appeared in the Zendaya-led Disney Channel show, K.C. Undercover, had a guest role in Drunk History, and a guest spot on Alex & Katie. Hopefully son, we’ll get to see her in more projects after her awesome role on This Is Us. 

Faithe Herman (Annie Pearson)

Another little girl that we’ve been watching grow up so quickly is Annie Pearson, played by Faithe Herman. Because she’s so young, Herman hasn’t appeared in as many projects, but still has been in some big films/TV. 

She appeared in the comedy-drama, Bodied, and played Darla Dudley in Shazam! which she will reprise in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. With TV, she had a guest role on Criminal Minds, and a guest role on the HBO series, Watchmen. 

Lyric Ross (Deja Pearson)

The adopted daughter of the Pearson family, Deja has grown so much too, as played by Lyric Ross. 

Ross appeared in guest roles on Sirens and Chicago Fire before her role on This Is Us, and also appeared in the films Canal Street and Rogers Park. She will be in an upcoming film called The Class. 

Asante Blackk (Malik Hodges)

Playing Deja’s boyfriend, Malik Hodges, in This Is Us is Asante Blackk, a main character since the beginning of Season 4. 

Blackk has only appeared on television during his career, but has been incredibly successful. He starred as Kevin Richardson in When They See Us, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. He also guest starred on Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Good Times and Social Distance.

Griffin Dunne (Nicholas Pearson)

We first met Nicky in Season 3, and he’s only continued to become one of my favorite characters on This Is Us, played by Griffin Dunne. Dunne has appeared in a variety of films such as the werewolf movie, An American Werewolf in London, Cold Feet, Running on Empty, Bondage, War Machine, and the upcoming Wes Anderson film, The French Dispatch. 

In terms of television, he’s had several recurring roles on shows like Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Trust Me, House of Lies, Damages, Manhattan, Goliath, Search Party, and more. 

Caitlin Thompson (Madison Simons)

Last but not least, we have Madison Simons, all the way from Season 1 as Kate’s best friend, played by Caitlin Thompson. 

In film, she appeared in the romantic-comedy, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Walking the Halls, Chapman, and more. With television, she’s had recurring roles in series like the college show, Greek, 90210, and Small Shots. Coming up, she will be in a TV film called Under the Bridge. 

With such a large ensemble cast, it’s not a surprise that they’ve been in so many amazing movies and shows. With Season 6 coming soon, I’m looking forward to seeing all these lovely faces one last time together on the small screen. 

The idea of the Muppets spending the night in the spookiest of Walt Disney World’s famous attractions is so brilliantly funny on its own that I am surprised it has never been done before. The fact that the the likes of Will Arnett, former Community cast member Yvette Nicole Brown, Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson, and Darren Criss from the Glee cast will be joining them makes me even more excited to see the Disney+ original special. There are plenty of other humans in the Muppets Haunted Mansion cast to look forward to seeing interact with Jim Henson’s iconic creations, but we will begin with our spirited guide.

Will Arnett (Ghost Host)

In Disney’s original attraction, the Ghost Host is a disembodied voice, but in Muppets Haunted Mansion, the felted friends are guided by multi-Emmy nominee Will Arnett, who first skyrocketed to fame in the Arrested Development cast as the despicable Gob Bluth. The Canadian actor might have even gotten this part with his voice alone, which is famous from his role as Batman in both of the LEGO Movie installments and his own spin-off, as well as the animated Netflix original, Bojack Horseman, as the title character. Arnett will next lend his voice to the 2022 monster comedy, Rumble, and you can currently see him on The Morning Show Season 2 on Apple TV+.

Taraji P. Henson (Constance Hatchaway)

One of the most famous (and sinister) entities from the Haunted Mansion attraction is Constance Hatchaway (otherwise known as “The Black Widow Bride”), who will be brought to life in Muppets Haunted Mansion by Taraji P. Henson (no relation to Jim) - best known for her Golden Globe-winning role on Empire as Cookie Lyon, whose own spin-off is now in the works. On the big screen, she earned an Oscar nomination for playing Brad Pitt’s adoptive mother in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, earned praise for the Oscar-nominated biopic Hidden Figures, and earned laughs in movies like Date Night, Think Like a Man, and What Men Want (a gender-swapped update of What Women Want). She will also lend her voice, in 2022, to Minions: The Rise of Gru and is playing Miss Hannigan in NBC’s upcoming Annie Live! broadcast.

Darren Criss (The Caretaker) 

Someone with previous experience performing in musicals is Glee alum Darren Criss, who stars as the Caretaker of the Haunted Mansion in the Disney+ special, which is not too far from qualifying for one of his darkest roles to date. The 34-year-old appeared on American Horror Story: Hotel, won an Emmy as Gianni Versace’s killer in American Crime Story Season 2, and has crossed comic book adaptations off his bucket list by voicing Superman in two animated DC movies, Raphael in Batman vs. the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and playing Music Meister in the Arrowverse shows. The star of Netflix’s Hollywood miniseries has also recently lent his voice to two original anime series for the platform (Yasuke and Trese), and to Rick and Morty Season 5, as well.

Yvette Nicole Brown (The Hearse Driver)

Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon made a star out of Emmy nominee Yvette Nicole Brown (who drives the horse-drawn hearse in Muppets Haunted Mansion) by casting her as Shirley Bennett on Community, despite already achieving sitcom royalty for younger audiences as Helen on Nickelodeon’s Drake & Josh. She was also a series regular on CBS’ The Odd Couple reboot, had a recurring role on Mom, and has been involved with both Marvel movies and DC TV shows with an Avengers: Endgame cameo and by voicing a lighter version of Amanda Waller on DC Super Hero Girls (to name just a couple). Her next big Disney project is Disenchanted - the long-awaited Enchanted sequel.

Chrissy Metz (Harriet)

Muppets Haunted Mansion finally confirms that Harriet (whose name appears on a tombstone in the attraction) is a ghostly opera singer seen near its end, who is played in the special by Chrissy Metz. One of her earliest breakthroughs (not meant to be a pun relating to her part in the 2019 faith-based film Breakthrough, initially at least) was playing Ima “Barbara” Wiggles on American Horror Story in its fourth season, but it was her Emmy-nominated role on This Is Us that made her a household name. She will continue to voice Mei Mei on Season 2 on Amazon Prime’s series spin-off from Kung Fu Panda, and her upcoming drama, Stay Awake, is in post-production.

Alfonso Ribeiro (Fred)

Playing Fred, a man who died when a "great big rock fell on his head,” in Muppets Haunted Mansion is Alfonso Ribiero, whom you may recognize best from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air cast as Carlton Banks. If you do recognize him by his real name, then you must be a fan of Dancing with the Stars (on which he has appeared as a contestant and guest judge) or of America’s Funniest Home Videos, which he has hosted since 2015. 

Sasheer Zamata (Mary) 

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the inspiration for a few funny sketches on Saturday Night Live, on which Sasheer Zamata was a main cast member from 2013 to 2017 before playing a ghost named Mary in Muppets Haunted Mansion. In addition to other comedies like the Amy Shumer movie I Feel Pretty from 2018, the animated Tuca and Bertie, or Netflix’s The Mitchells vs The Machines, the actress has also starred in darker films, such as Blumhouse’s Sleight in 2017 or the Joe Keery-led found footage thriller, Spree, in 2020. She is currently a series regular on ABC’s Home Economics and will voice a role in Disney Channel’s upcoming series Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

John Stamos (Himself) 

John Stamos has played many different kinds of characters since he became a star by joining the Full House cast as Jesse Katsopolis (whom he reprised on Netflix’s Fuller House). The actor has been a doctor (on ER, Glee, and You), a suave burglar (on short-lived ABC drama Thieves), a celebrity publicist (on short-lived ABC dramedy Jake in Progress), a playboy restaurateur (on Fox’s Grandfathered), and even a killer (in the 1991 TV movie Captive). However, it seems quite fitting that he is credited as himself in the Muppets Haunted Mansion cast.

Danny Trejo (Huet) 

I would not have been surprised if Danny Trejo was also playing himself in Muppets Haunted Mansion, but I love the idea of him playing one of the attraction’s most famous unseen characters, Huet. The 77-year-old Mexican-American actor and former convict’s breakout acting role was in Heat from 1995, the same year as Desperado - his first of many collaborations with Robert Rodriguez, including From Dusk Till Dawn and the Spy Kids movies. The next of his 400-plus credits will see him re-team with Taraji P. Henson in Minions: The Rise of Gru and, hopefully, his most badass character ever will return in Machete Kills… in Space soon.

Ed Asner (Claude) 

Since starting his career in the late 1950s, seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner became a legend of both the big and small screen, from his role as Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, to playing Santa alongside Will Ferrell in Elf in 2003. The role of Claude in Muppets Haunted Mansion marks the final collaboration with Disney for the Up actor, who passed away in August 2021 at the age of 91. However, he is set to appear posthumously in several more titles, including a documentary profiling Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address and the star-studded animated film, Back Home Again.

Craig Robinson (Singing Bust #2)

One of the five Muppets Haunted Mansion cast members portraying the famous Singing Busts is Craig Robinson, who would evolve into one of the most prominent voices in comedy after his recurring stint in the Office cast as Darryl Philbin became a series regular role. This promotion came following the comedian’s starring roles in hit movies like Zack and Miri Make a Porno from 2007, Pineapple Express in 2008 and 2010’s Hot Tub Time Machine (and its 2015 sequel). The This Is the End star (who also had his own short-lived sitcom on NBC called Mr. Robinson) has also appeared in dramas like 2020’s Songbird and the upcoming thriller, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon. 

Justina Machado (Singing Bust #4)

Sitcoms, dramas, and reality TV competition shows, as well, have defined Justina Machado’s career, which include recurring roles on shows like Six Feet Under and Jane the Virgin, her acclaimed lead role on the Netflix’s One Day at a Time, and her success on Dancing with the Stars as a contestant. She once worked with Steven Spielberg on A.I.: Artificial Intelligence and is a bit of a Scream Queen, appearing in horror movies Final Destination 2 and The Purge: Anarchy. After playing one of Muppets Haunted Mansion’s Singing Busts, Machado will star in Covid-19-themed anthology film With/in: Volume 1, and has landed the title role in Amazon Prime’s The Horror of Delores Roach.

Skai Jackson (Singing Bust #4) 

So far, playing a Singing Bust in Muppets Haunted Mansion is the closest Skai Jackson has come to starring in a horror movie, but her relationship with Disney goes back a long way, starting with her role on Disney Channel’s Jessie as Zuri Ross, whom she reprised on the spin-off, Bunk’d, after playing Dwayne Johnson’s daughter in G.I. Joe: Retaliation. She has lent her voice to a few animated Marvel TV shows, Dragons: Rescue Riders (Netflix’s series spin-off of How to Train Your Dragon), and an upcoming modern twist on J.M. Barrie’s classic novel called Peter Pan, Land of Forever.

Geoff Keighley (Uncle Theodore) 

The leader of the Singing Busts, Uncle Theodore (voiced by Thurl Ravencroft in the original attraction), is played in Muppets Haunted Mansion by Geoff Keighley, in what is technically his acting debut. His claim to fame is being one of the most high-profile journalists to specialize in video game reporting. In fact, one of his only other real acting credits is voicing an asylum patient in the PlayStation 3 release of Twisted Metal from 2012. 

Pat Sajak (Singing Bust #1) 

While Pat Sajak’s role as a Singing Bust in Muppets Haunted Mansion is not his acting debut, it is one of the few times he is not playing himself on screen, which he first did in Airplane II: The Sequel in 1982, before doing it again on TV shows like The A-Team and even Rugrats. Of course, his best-known “performance” is hosting Wheel of Fortune since 1983.

Seeing the likes of Pat Sajak and Geoff Keighley in the Muppets Haunted Mansion cast is quite a surprise, making one wonder what other surprises (and even scares) are also in store. Find out by watching the special on Disney+ on Friday, October 8, 2021.

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It is hard to believe that it has been a decade since co-creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk introduced us to the bizarre, disturbing, psychosexual world of American Horror Story - FX’s acclaimed seasonal horror anthology that would make household names out of Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters, to name a few. Of course, we should not forget about some of its biggest guest stars, like Alexandra Daddario or Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet, but if their appearances did slip your mind, we don’t blame you. In fact, there are a few other familiar faces we found ourselves surprised to see in the earlier seasons upon rewatch and, in honor of American Horror Story Season 10 (subtitled Double Feature) hitting the 2021 Fall TV schedule, we decided to revisit their roles, such as this A-lister who can call one of the best horror TV shows ever one of her first gigs ever.

Rosa Salazar (Nurse Maria, Season 1)

It was not until she more recently starred in Bird Box and the Netflix original miniseries Brand New Cherry Flavor when Rosa Salazar began earning a reputation as one of the top horror Scream Queens of modern day. However, the genesis of this was actually when the Alita: Battle Angel actress was in a few episodes of American Horror Story Season 1 as a nurse brutally stabbed to death in the “Murder House.”

Kate Mara (Hayden McClaine, Season 1)

I would also consider Kate Mara to be a bit of a Scream Queen for her roles in Morgan, 2015’s Fantastic Four (which some would say counts for different reasons), and, especially American Horror Story’s first season as a student of Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott) who became his mistress and, later, obsessive stalker. Ironically, the Emmy nominee would play the reverse role (minus the stalking and depravity) on the FX on Hulu miniseries, A Teacher.

Heather Langenkamp (Female Toulouse / Tupperware Housewife, Season 4)

Speaking of scream queens, it is no secret that Ryan Murphy (also the creator of a show literally called Scream Queens) has an affinity for some of horror movies’ most iconic actresses, which is why he has cast a few on American Horror Story. However, fans of A Nightmare on Elm Street were probably quicker to spot Heather Langenkamp (Nancy in the Wes Craven classic) when she appeared on the Freak Show season as a Tupperware party guest.

Alexandra Daddario (Natacha Rambova, Season 5)

One of today’s leading Scream Queens (for Texas Chainsaw, What We Do in the Shadows, etc.) is Alexandra Daddario, who recently starred on HBO’s dark miniseries comedy The White Lotus. A year after her memorable role on another popular seasonal anthology, True Detective, the actress played a highly fictionalized version of Rudy Valentino’s (Finn Whitrock) costume designer wife, Natasha Rambova, who is reimagined on American Horror Story: Hotel as a vampire.

Alexandra Breckenridge (Young Moira O’Hara, Season 1 / Kaylee, Season 3)

Another famous Alexandra who has starred on American Horror Story is Alexandra Breckenridge, whom many might know best today as the lead of the Virgin River cast on Netflix. Years earlier, she played the younger image of the Harmons’ ghostly maid Moira (Frances Conroy) in Murder House and briefly appeared in Coven as a victim of serial witch hunter, Hank (Josh Hamilton).

Christian Serratos (Becca, Season 1)

Alexandra Breckenridge’s former The Walking Dead cast mate Christian Serratos also appears on American Horror Story Season 1, but in a far more brief role. She plays one of three bullying teens who gang up on Violet Harmon (Taissa Farmiga) for smoking a cigarette on school ground.

Ian Anthony Dale (Dr. David Zhong, Season 3)

Former Hawaii Five-0 cast member Ian Anthony Dale is joining The Walking Dead Season 11 cast, but also has a small part on American Horror Story in common with Christian Serratos. In Season 3, he plays a biochemist whom Fiona Goode (Jessica Lange) demands help her remain youthful, only to meet a bitter end when his prescription fails.

Mike Colter (David, Season 3)

Another American Horror Story: Coven actor who may have slipped from your memory is Mike Colter, who appeared in three episodes as member of a secret witch hunters organization who also meets a bitter end at the hands of real-life, unidentified serial killer The Axeman (Danny Huston). While the actor had notable roles before in films like Million Dollar Baby and Men in Black 3, he would later rise to fame from Netflix’s Marvel TV show Luke Cage as the title character and on another popular TV thriller, Evil.

Chrissy Metz (Ima Wiggles, Season 4)

Before she rose to fame for her Emmy-nominated role as Kate Pearson on the This Is Us cast, Chrissy Metz experienced a breakthrough on American Horror Story Season 4. She played a woman named Barbara who is recruited into the titular freak show and given the nickname Ima Wiggles by Jessica Lange’s Elsa Mars after discovering her at a weight loss clinic.

Mark Margolis (Sam Goodman, Season 2)

Mark Margolis had already scored the most memorable (and Emmy nominated) character of his career when he joined the Breaking Bad cast as Hector “Tio” Salamanca by the time he cameoed on American Horror Story. He appears on three episodes of Asylum as a Holocaust survivor whose vengeful Nazi hunt is interrupted by the possessed Sister Mary Eunice (Lily Rabe).

Madchen Amick (Mrs. Ellison, Season 5)

The most iconic roles of Madchen Amick’s career are Shelly Johnson from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks or on the Riverdale cast as Betty Cooper’s mother, Alice Smith. One of her more brief and underrated roles is on American Horror Story: Hotel as a hypochondriac killed by her own son after Alex Lowe (Chloë Sevigny) turns him into a vampire.

Marla Gibbs (Cassie Royale, Season 5)

Five-time Emmy nominee Marla Gibbs earned her iconic status as Florence Johnson on The Jeffersons and on 227 as Mary Jenkins. She brought that iconography to Season 5 of American Horror Story as the mother of Angela Bassett’s character, Ramona Royale.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Angus T. Jefferson, Season 4)

Another Emmy-nominated former sitcom star who appeared on American Horror Story is Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who is best known for playing Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. Ryan Murphy would also cast him as NFL star Al Cowlings on American Crime Story after he played the second husband of the three-breasted Desiree Dupree, also played by Angela Basset on Freak Show.

David Burtka (Michael Beck, Season 4)

Yet another Emmy-nominated former sitcom star who appeared on American Horror Story: Freak Show is How I Met Your Mother cast member Neil Patrick Harris, but you probably remembered that. What you might have forgotten is that his husband, David Burtka (who played Scooter on HIMYM), also appeared that season as Elsa Mars’ producer and spouse, Michael Beck.

Eric Stonestreet (Derrick, Season 1)

One Emmy-winning former sitcom star who appeared on American Horror Story is Eric Stonestreet, who played Cameron Tucker as part of the Modern Family cast for 11 seasons. In his sole episode from Season 1, the actor plays a patient of Ben Harmon who tries to face his fear by calling out to a Candyman-esque urban legend known as the Piggy Man, only to be killed by a burglar who thought he was mocking his weight.

Morris Chestnut (Luke Maxcy, Season 1)

Morris Chestnut (who may be a familiar face from appearances in movies like The Best Man and the TV show The Resident) made his feature film debut in 1991’s Boyz n the Hood, opposite future American Horror Story: Roanoke cast member Cuba Gooding Jr. However, he got to beat his Oscar-winning co-star to the punch by starring in the series’ first season as a security guard whom Vivien Harmon (Connie Britton) hires to help protect the “Murder House” and begins to the develop a crush on, much to the hypocritical chagrin of Ben.

Jenna Dewan (Teresa Morrison, Season 2)

Speaking of romance going south on American Horror Story, while the bulk of the second season takes place in the 1960s, we are first introduced to the infamous Briarcliff Asylum in the present day as it is being visited by a couple of self-described “horror freaks” seeking to consummate their marriage in several historically deadly spots. The lady in the relationship is Teresa Morrison, played by dancer-turned-actress Jenna Dewan, who is best know from the first of the Step Up movies.

Adam Levine (Leo Morrison, Season 2)

Playing Teresa Morrison’s husband, Leo, is someone who is a bit of dancer himself, once claiming to have “moves like Jagger” in a 2010 pop song of the same. Of course, I am talking about Maroon 5 frontman and former The Voice coach Adam Levine, who made his acting debut (as someone other than himself, I should specify) as the ill-fated American Horror Story: Asylum character.

Considering this show has been on air for 10 seasons now, I would not be surprised if there were a few other notable names whom I forgot to mention. Regardless, it only goes to show that enduring the traumatic nightmares one goes through on American Horror Story, for many of the actors involved, it must be a dream come true.

When I first began watching This Is Us back in 2016, I never could have imagined the phenomenon it would quickly become. In a world that was dominated by big-budget shows like Game of Thrones and Stranger Things, it was refreshing to have a show that felt like we were coming home, one that we could enjoy with our families.

Let’s be honest with ourselves – This Is Us has been making us cry for five years straight, and will only continue to do that with the upcoming sixth season. But, what exactly is going to happen in this next season? Should we prepare to truly cry our eyes out? Or get our pitchforks ready? Regardless, since Season 5 just ended, here is everything we know about This Is Us Season 6.

Season 6 Will Be This Is Us’ Last Season

After five years of continuous crying, it is with a heavy heart that we say that This Is Us will be ending with Season 6, as originally reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The last season of the NBC tear-jerker will be airing during the 2021-2022 broadcast season.

While it’s a shame that the show is coming to an end, This Is Us lasted longer than some shows with dedicated fanbases, and hopefully will be able to wrap up all those intersecting plotlines just as it has for the last five years. The creator of the show, Dan Fogelman, talked about the show ending in a tweet he posted on his Twitter page.

Judging from this, it seems the creator, along with the writers, always intended for the show to end after six seasons, so if this was in their plan, I trust their judgment.

This Is Us Season 6 Will Premiere Largely Uninterrupted In 2022

I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but This Is Us has a pretty strange schedule. There have been several times where episodes premiere between long breaks, sometimes after two to three weeks, and once took a seven-week hiatus. While we could also blame the pandemic for production pushbacks for Season 5, this was something that happened before that, as well.

However, for Season 6, it’s reported that the last season will premiere largely uninterrupted in 2022. According to an interview with Susan Rovner, the NBC Universal Television Chairman of Entertainment, TV Line reported that it’s more to pay tribute to the fans of the show.

For someone who has religiously watched the show since the beginning, this is great news to hear. While it’s unfortunate to have to wait so long for it to premiere next year, it’s time I can willingly give over so I can see the show on a regular basis for its last season.

The Core This Is Us Cast Is Expected To Return

While we don’t have a confirmed cast list, as the Season 5 finale just aired, I think it’s a safe bet to say that most of the main cast will return. It would be a bit of a disappointment to see them suddenly disappear when the last season has so many questions to answer.

Most of the cast have shared their thoughts over Season 6 becoming the last season of the popular NBC show. Actor Sterling K. Brown, in an interview with Us Magazine, said he was proud to bring Randall to TV screens across the country and see how much Randall has affected viewers.

Chrissy Metz, known for playing Kate Pearson on This Is Us, shared her thoughts on Season 6 being its last, and her future post-This Is Us in an interview with Today.

Mandy Moore, who has played the matriarch of the family, Rebecca Pearson, since the beginning of the show, even posted a heartwarming tribute picture on Instagram of Dan Fogelman’s original tweet announcing the last season.

Just reading these quotes are getting my eyes all welled-up already. I don’t know how I’m going to make it through this last season.

There Are A Lot Of Questions That Need To Be Answered In Season 6 Of This Is Us

Look – the ending of This is Us Season 5 was bonkers. I think we can all collectively agree that those last five minutes of the finale of Season 5 left us with way more questions than answers in that five-year time skip. Is Kate marrying her music teacher? Are Kevin and Madison still together? Who is Nicky married to? There are so many questions running around in my head, looking for an answer.

Not only that, but with this being the last season, we still need to see the conclusion of the future timeline as well. Is Rebecca going to die in that timeline soon? Are we only viewing that timeline just to see what the family is like in those years? I have to know everything.

This Is Us, in general, has done a good job at answering questions pretty quickly in their five-season run so far. Hopefully, that trend can continue into its very last season.

I'm going to need to look at the 2021 Summer TV shows to somehow get my mind off of this because I’m going to be thinking about the last season constantly. This Is Us is expected to return in 2022, even if a part of me wishes it was sooner. Even so, we’ll have to say goodbye to the Pearsons soon enough – I hope your tear ducts are ready. If you want to catch up on all the drama, here's how to watch This Is Us streaming.

This Is Us stands as one of the relatively few major network dramas that actually managed to finish the 2019-2020 TV season without being cut short, but it won't be back until a couple months later than usual. Even though the hit NBC drama is missing its normal September premiere, the stars who play the Pearson trio of kids came out to celebrate The Big Three's 40th birthday on August 31 with all the cakes, and not just the adult actors.

Take a look at the various actors playing Kate, Kevin, and Randall Pearson celebrating The Big Three hitting the big 4-0!

Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, and Sterling K. Brown weren't the only This Is Us stars who came out to celebrate The Big Three's birthday on Twitter! The actors who play the teen and young versions of Kate, Kevin, and Randall had their cakes and candles ready to celebrate as well. Metz fittingly opened the video with a performance of "Happy Birthday," with more stars chiming in with their own versions. Sterling K. Brown's real-life kids were on hand to help celebrate (and blow out the candle), while Justin Hartley shared that his birthday wish for The Big Three is for Kevin and Randall to figure out their differences.

As for the younger actors, I have to give credit to Mackenzie Hancsicsak for dressing for the occasion. How perfect for the Teen Kate actress to wear an "AWESOME SINCE AUGUST 31 1980" shirt in honor of the Pearson kids' birthday? And Hannah Zeile was all smiles! I definitely got a laugh out of Young Kevin actor Parker Bates commenting on how old The Big Three were at 40, with Teen Kevin actor Logan Shroyer commenting on how impressive turning 40 is, considering The Big Three are TV characters! Teen Randall actor Niles Fitch looked more than ready to munch on his cake, and I can't say I blame him.

Unfortunately, none of the actors playing The Big Three throughout the years will be returning to the small screen as their characters any time too soon. The first four seasons all premiered in September, but the production delays mean that This Is Us won't be back for Season 5 until November. There is some good news, however. This Is Us is returning with a big two-hour premiere event on Tuesday, November 10 on NBC. This Is Us fans also aren't alone in having to wait for NBC favorites to return. All three One Chicago series, Law & Order: SVU, and The Blacklist aren't going to be back until November as well.

None of this is to say that primetime will be empty between now and November. NBC has imported a Canadian medical drama for Tuesday nights this fall, and our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule can help you find more viewing options during the wait for This Is Us. The show is also in the running for the 2020 Emmys, with Sterling K. Brown nominated as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Phylicia Rashad nominated as Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

The faith-based blockbuster continues to thrive, and it shows no signs of slowing any time soon. While distributor and studio PureFlix seems to have the corner on that particular market, that hasn’t stopped major studios from dipping their toes into these holy waters. An example of such a feat is the Fox backed and Disney released film Breakthrough, which tells a true story of a community putting their faith in a higher power to save one of its own. The results are a mixed bag, as fans of this particular genre will probably enjoy it, while those sitting on the sidelines may be checking their watches.

Drawn from the true live events lived by Joyce Smith (Chrissy Metz) and the community of St. Charles, Missouri, Breakthrough dramatizes Smith’s fight to save her son through the power of faith. After being submerged in a frozen lake for about 15 minutes, Joyce’s adopted son John is recovered and put into a medically-induced coma, and is left with very little chance of returning to his normal life. Through a journey of faith and patience, Joyce eventually sees herself tested in the most dire of circumstances, as she and her community wait for a miracle.

The best part about Breakthrough is that faithful Christians looking for an Easter holiday hit at the movies will not be disappointed with the message at all. There’s a strong take on faith and personal growth that will appeal to those who turn to uplifting stories such as that of the Smith family for entertainment. Running at just under two hours, it’s definitely a short film that can be slotted into a busy holiday weekend, as well.

However, for the casual moviegoer - particularly those who don't really practice any faith - Breakthrough feels longer than it should it should be. The bottom line: Roxann Dawson’s film is better put together than a vast majority of the faith-based blockbusters out there, but the film’s story still leaves a lot to be desired. While there’s an undercurrent of various figures in this film’s cast questioning and eventually validating their faith, the main thrust of Breakthrough is Chrissy Metz’s performance as Joyce; and while the performance from Metz is good, the story itself is lukewarm.

It’s good, because Metz is a consummate professional who knows how to hone in on the emotions of a scene, and mine them for what they’re worth. Even if you question the material given to cast of this movie, you can’t question their performances. The entire cast puts in the restraint and conviction needed to prevent Breakthrough from veering too far off course, but Breakthrough still veers into being emotionally manipulative.

Which brings us to the worse aspects when it comes to the story’s focus on Joyce for the majority of Breakthrough’s narrative. Most of her story in the film is made of moments where she shouts down anyone who brings a negative word to the table, and chastises any and every medical professional for seemingly not doing enough to save her son. While this is eventually addressed and resolved in the film, it makes it hard to root for this character, even with her son’s life on the line. It’s a very human performance, but the story could have handled this conflict a little better if it had either toned down Joyce’s combativeness, or addressed it consistently throughout the film. For what it’s worth, Chrissy Metz, and the cast that supports her through the film, handle the material with ease and restraint. This, in turn, makes the best out of what the script gave them. It's just may not be enough to save the whole story.

Breakthrough is a film that should play fairly well to its intended audience, but those who are not part of the usual crowd for a faith-based blockbuster are going to be left rather cold. The faithful audience that flocks to the films of the PureFlix catalog are sure to enjoy this film, as well as those who enjoy more moderately aimed but still faith-based film products. Anyone else is going to need a miracle to sit through this film though, as Breakthrough ultimately is a very basic, middle-of-the-road affair.

Chrissy Metz will be taking on a fun new role outside of This Is Us. The actress will appear on another NBC show. Her new role promises to be a departure from her usual work on the tear-jerking drama. Metz is heading to Superstore!

This Is Us fans, don't worry that this means Kate is leaving. This new role does not indicate Kate is going anywhere on This Is Us for a simple reason. Chrissy Metz has signed on to guest star on Superstore for an upcoming episode in Season 4, per TVLine. She will play human resources rep, Luanne, who the report describes as “all-business.” What brings her to Cloud 9?

Luanne is investigating a series of “embarrassing tweets.” Uh-oh. That does not sound good. If Cloud 9 has called in human resources, this is probably going to get pretty intense. It will be a while before Superstore viewers get to find out how the investigation gets resolved. Chrissy Metz’s episode will not air until May.

Despite the character’s serious nature, Superstore is a comedy, so do not expect her to have to get This Is Us serious. For fans of Chrissy Metz, this is undoubtedly exciting news. Metz is known for her dramatic work on the NBC hit. On Superstore, she will get to show off her comic side, which This Is Us’ storylines do not necessitate as much.

Chrissy Metz’s Superstore character reads as a significant change of pace for the actress. It is fun that NBC is giving its actors a chance to shuffle the deck in terms of roles they do. This intriguing casting news should help fans pass the time as the wait for Superstore’s return nears its end.

It has been three months since fans saw a new episode of the NBC comedy. Superstore has been on an extended hiatus that is about to come to an end this month. This Is Us is nearing the end of its season, which is set to wrap in early April. So, Chrissy Metz’s episode of Superstore will air after This Is Us’ Season 3 finale has aired.

This season of This Is Us has been a rollercoaster ride for Kate and Toby. In the promo for Episode 14, things appear to take a troubling turn for Kate. Towards the end, she can be seen being brought into the hospital via stretcher.

Fans will have to see how things turn out when that episode airs Tuesday, March 5. Whatever happens, it will likely be tear-worthy, so cheer yourself up. Two days later, Superstore fans will herald the return of Cloud 9 and its ensemble.

Catch Chrissy Metz in Superstore when her episode airs in May. The series’ fourth season continues with new episodes beginning Thursday, March 7 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. It and This Is Us are among the shows airing new this midseason.

As one of the most popular shows on TV right now, This Is Us features an ensemble cast that even blindfolded audiences could recognize in the dark. And though a lot of emotionally devastating things happen on that show, some very happy and positive things went down behind the scenes, with the quintet of Pearson family members all getting quite noteworthy pay raises as This Is Us heads into Season 3. Chrissy Metz, for example, will be making six times what she earned when Season 1 was being produced!

With This Is Us going into what will no doubt be a big year of touching moments and clue-dangling mysteries, 20th Century Fox Television has renegotiated the contracts for the drama's five leads, including Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley and Sterling K. Brown. For their work across the 18-episode season, the group will see their paychecks bumped up to $250,000 per episode, which includes the signing bonuses added in, according to THR. However, it is not as clear if This Is Us' more prominent co-stars like Susan Kelechi and Chris Sullivan will get pay increases for their portrayals of Beth and Toby, respectively. (Here's hoping!)

This news is definitely great for all involved, and the new salaries are certainly more reflective of just how widely accepted these actors' characters have been in our homes for the past two fall seasons. Whenever This Is Us first started up, its biggest star was arguably Heroes and Gilmore Girls vet Milo Ventimiglia, who was earning $115,000 an episode. Smallville vet Justin Hartley got far less than that, at $75,000 an ep, while American Horror Story: Freak Show recurrer Chrissy Metz clearly got the shortest end of the stick, bringing in $40,000 an episode. But there's no looking back to past roles in order to figure out the cast's paydays today, since they're all equally responsible for turning This Is Us into a primetime sensation.

If anyone was worried that This Is Us might be weeding Jack out of the storylines after his death finally got revealed in Season 2, that's clearly not the case, with Milo Ventimiglia set to make millions in Season 3. His backstory in Vietnam will be explored, as will some of his other early-life tales. And 20th Century Fox TV clearly thought those scenes, and everything else creator Dan Fogelman has in store, were great enough to earn the show's leads quite a bit more money.

To be sure, This Is Us' cast may be making a lot more moolah than they did last year, but the NBC drama does not have nearly the highly paid cast on TV. One should probably look to The Big Bang Theory for that, with its lead actors earning upwards of $900,000 per episode. (Some where possibly earning more, too, but agreements were made to take pay cuts in order to allow for parity with co-stars Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch.) But then Big Bang is generally the most watched show on a year-to-year basis, with even its repeat episodes roping in audiences by the millions, so that money is presumably deserved. And considering This Is Us manages to beat out Big Bang and all of CBS' other shows in the 18-49 age demographic, that cast's pay bump is also well-deserved.

This Is Us Season 3 will make its debut on NBC on Tuesday, September 25, at 9:00 p.m. ET. To see what new and returning shows are popping up elsewhere, head to our fall TV premiere schedule.

This is Us actress Chrissy Metz revealed some heartbreaking details about her painful upbringing. In a recent interview to promote her upcoming book, Metz opened up about her troubled past and difficult childhood. She talked about how she endured physical and emotional abuse from her stepfather.

Talking about her forthcoming memoir, This is Me (which hits bookshelves next week on March 27th) Chrissy Metz talked to People for their latest cover story about the hardship she faced from an early age at the hand of her stepfather, whom she called Trigger. As she detailed in her first book, Metz dealt with many struggles and humiliations from her impoverished early years, particularly from her eating habits, which she said offended him.

Chrissy Metz says that while Trigger was loving to other children in the family, she didn't receive the same treatment. Since Chrissy's mother was usually always working or away from the house, she didn't see how Trigger treated her daughter. It was around this time that the stepfather got violent.

The abuse only got worse as time continued onward. As Chrissy Metz later detailed in the book, Trigger forced Metz to weigh herself in front of him.

Truly heartbreaking stuff. Thankfully, Chrissy Metz is living better days. The actress is widely acclaimed for her work on NBC's This is Us. The acclaimed, highly-watched drama series found Metz nominated for two Golden Globes for Best Actress in A Supporting Role, while she was also nominated for an Emmy last year for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her moving performance as Kate Pearson. Things are looking up.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the latest episode of This Is Us. Read at your own risk!

As This Is Us fans were teased in last week's installment, tonight's episode revolved around Kate Pearson and her miscarriage, and there were plenty of tissue-grabbing moments to be had. While the bulk of the episode was centered on the sad, the ending left us hopeful as Toby and Kate set the shower curtain back up and resolved to eventually try again for another child at some point. Actress Chrissy Metz expanded on the decision below, and laid out exactly how they will be affected throughout the rest of Season 2 after tonight's episode:

So while Kate and Toby are both open to trying for another kid, it sounds like it's going to be awhile before we hear about them trying again on This Is Us. As Chrissy Metz mentions to Variety, Kate's main focus is getting healthy, which may be a challenge considering how she reacted to the news of her miscarriage. What at first seemed like a stress walk to clear her head soon turned sinister as Kate found herself at a buffet filling her plate to the brim with things that she would've steered clear from in her dieting days. That's obviously not a road the audience or Kate wants to go back down, so hopefully these next few episodes will allow her to cope with the grief in other ways.

Luckily, Kate has a few things that can keep her occupied in the short term. The singing gig appears to be going very well, and in case any This Is Us fans forgot, Kate and Toby are still going to tie the knot! While Kate is surely still going to be sad, it seems that her head is in the right place for figuring out how she's going to move past this. That pep talk with Rebecca may have paid off for the long run, which is great considering it often doesn't end as well when the two characters interact.

The day long replay isn't over just yet. This Is Us returns with a new episode November 28 at 9 p.m. ET with Randall's recap of the day. For more on This Is Us, read up on some answers Justin Hartley provided to fans after last week's episode, and read more about that heartfelt callback from a couple episodes back. For more on upcoming fall shows, visit our fall premiere guide, and get a jump on what's shaking in 2018 with our midseason premiere guide. For a list of shows that didn't make it out of 2017, visit our cancellation guide.

Crying while watching This Is Us is completely fine in the comfort of your own home, but it's a different story when you're on the job and actually making the show happen. Watch Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon interrupt Sterling K. Brown and Chrissy Metz as he plays a sound guy who just can't stop sobbing during the scene being filmed:

Typically, Jimmy Fallon is known for ruining his own sketches and bits by laughing, so it's good to see he's switching things up as he continues his hosting gig on The Tonight Show. Jokes aside, the sketch is great, although it does make the mind wonder if there hasn't been a time or two that a crew member had to be chastised on the This Is Us set for crying during a particularly heavy moment. Probably not, as it sounds like the set of NBC's money-making drama is a safe space for all its staff, but tensions could run high if a good scene was ruined due to a sound guy weeping as heavily as Fallon is in this sketch.

Beyond the joke, it was very interesting that The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon wrote the bit around a moment where Kate is telling Randall she's responsible for Jack's death. Considering last night's Season 2 premiere revealed a huge piece of the puzzle behind his death, it almost feels intentional that writers would draw attention to that Season 1 bombshell hours after fans would learn all this new info. It could also just be a freaky coincidence, but with NBC in charge of both shows, one has to think the writers behind the sketch had to know something about the upcoming season of the show. There could also be some other crazy NBC writer mysticism afoot as the This Is Us staff managed to predict a crazy real-life event before it happened.

While the several takes with Jimmy Fallon crying may have ran a bit long, hands down the entire sketch is worth watching simply for Milo Ventimiglia's bit at the end. Considering we now are getting teased with Jack's death in the flashbacks, fans of This Is Us should really cherish any and all moments they get to spend with Ventimiglia's character! Let's hope that when the mystery is fully uncovered there will still be flashbacks that feature Jack in the show.

This Is Us is all new Tuesday, October 3rd at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. For a moment in the premiere that will make you cry just like Jimmy Fallon, check out this clip where Rebecca tells Randall the story of the Pearson's deciding to adopt him. For more great fall television that will be premiering in the next couple of months, be sure to visit our fall premiere guide.

NBC's runaway hit family drama This Is Us covered a lot of ground in Season 1. Relationships of all kinds were built up, broken down, renewed and ended. The Pearsons and the people who love them laughed, yelled, complained and cried. Even with all that (and much more), there's a scene that star Mandy Moore would like to see included in Season 2 of the show, and now we know what it is. Apparently, the woman who brings Rebecca Pearson to life would really like to sing on screen with her adult daughter Kate, who's played by Chrissy Metz. Here's what Moore had to say:

Ah, well, this would be something to see. Especially since This Is Us has made a good point at showing us that Kate and her mom Rebecca don't really get along in the present day, and that seems to be something that's a pretty long-standing aspect of their relationship. Even when we see Kate as a child, most of the meaningful, parent/kid moments on the show happen between her and her dad, Jack. We learned relatively early on in the series that Kate grew up comparing herself to her mother, and that she ended up taking the resulting feelings of inadequacy out on Rebecca, which led to them not being close. So, in Season 2, if we were to see Kate and Rebecca perform a rad "karaoke duet" it would probably mean that a major cloud had lifted from their mother/daughter non-bond.

Mandy Moore is certainly right, in her words to TVLine, that singing is something that Kate and Rebecca have in common which might become an eventual source of connection for the two women. At the end of the Season 1 finale, Kate revealed to her fiancé Tobey that she's interested in beginning a career as a singer. This is something her mom pursued before giving it up to focus on her family, and again when Kate, Kevin and Randall were teenagers. That latter stint singing with a band fronted by a long-ago former boyfriend ended up causing a lot of problems for the family. But we don't know right now if Kate is aware of the singing-related fight that caused her parents to split up when she was a teen.

Ideally, though, Mandy Moore is correct in thinking that, if anything, singing could be a good way for Kate and Rebecca to connect in the present day. Now, we'll just have to wait until next season to see if this miraculous bit of bonding comes to pass. Until then, be sure to check out our midseason premiere schedule and summer premiere schedule to see what you can watch until Season 2 of This Is Us finally airs on NBC.

There's a long road between Chrissy Metz becoming an actress and becoming Kate Pearson on This Is Us. Metz recently spoke about her career, her struggles with weight, and how she got to where she is today. While there's certainly something to be said about her acting ability, Metz says she wouldn't be in the position today had she not been the way she is. Metz explains below:

That's a statement that can be taken the wrong way, so let me throw some context on that. The gut reaction is that Chrissy Metz is saying if she wasn't so big, she wouldn't have the role. That's not true, as evidenced by co-star Chris Sullivan who wears a fat suit on the show, which also is not quite what Metz is getting at. Rather, her weight-focused journey through life is what makes her perfect for the role of Kate Pearson on This Is Us.

Much like her character on the ratings juggernaut This Is Us, Chrissy Metz has lived a life where her weight was always a part of it. She was bullied in school, and when she was eleven, her mother put her on Weight Watchers. Metz also worked as an agent for actors when she first came out to Hollywood, just like Kate did for Kevin. While Metz was able to find work as a plus-size actress before the show, This Is Us featured something that all of those other roles couldn't offer: a sense of normalcy.

This may come as a shock to some, but there aren't too many roles for big women in Hollywood, fantastic or otherwise. The roles that do exist, as Chrissy Metz tells Marie Claire, are often degrading, small, and involve the character being the butt of some joke. That's a far cry from This Is Us, which is not only centered in part on its overweight female character, but the drama also gives her a love interest and something beyond her weight to work with and talk about. In short, Kate Pearson gives the type of depth in a character that Metz had been craving since she first entered acting, but was never able to get due to her weight. And had she lost the weight for some other role in the past, she wouldn't necessarily have nailed this one.

While Chrissy Metz may never be able to fully escape the weight conversation, it's good to see that she's found some zen with it and is able to put a positive spin on an issue she's wrestled with her whole life. Those are just the kind of positive feels that we get from This Is Us, which has its Season 1 finale next Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. Catch up if you haven't, and if you are caught up, go to our midseason premiere guide and begin searching for a show to take its place while you wait for Season 2.