NBC's time-jumping family drama This Is Us has been a breakout smash, hooking viewers
with the saga of the Pearson Five, as they endure one heartbreak after another and still
find strength in their unbreakable bond.
The series invites tears, laughter, and every reaction in between as audiences delve into
their heart-heavy journeys.
But even though it feels like viewers are part of the story, peeling back every layer
of this family, there are still some stories fans might not know about This Is Us.
Let's take a look at some behind-the-scenes details that might've escaped your attention
during all the drama.
Name game
Although it may be hard to imagine This Is Us having another series title, creator Dan
Fogelman originally had a very different vision for the show's name.
This Is Us was originally titled 36, as a reference to the triplets' birthday that takes
place in the pilot episode.
"I'm 36 today."
"You don't look 36."
Luckily for everyone, Fogelman thought better of the idea, saying,
"I never liked it.
Nobody ever liked it.
I came up with This Is Us, I think, when I was in editorial.
I decided I liked how it looked at the beginning [of the show], and I put it in there.
But, there was a lot of debate over what the title of the show was gonna be."
Given its monster ratings and fan base, he clearly made the right call.
Dad bod
There's no doubt that Milo Ventimiglia is Jack Pearson is a heartbreaker for more than
one reason, but if Fogelman's original vision for the character came through, he might not
be quite so dreamy.
He originally wrote the Pearson patriarch as a, quote, "almost a little schlubbier,
doughy" kind of guy.
That all changed when casting began and Ventimiglia read for the part.
The creator explained:
"Milo came in off his motorcycle with his beard and his long hair, just looking like
the coolest, handsomest guy in the world."
His vibe reportedly led Fogelman and his writers to alter not only Jack's appearance, but his
entire personality, too.
Sliding doors
Mandy Moore's character Rebecca seamlessly ages more than 30 years throughout the show,
but Fogelman initially expressed concern that the aging process wouldn't be realistic enough
for the thirty-something actress portraying her.
So, he initially thought about casting an older actress for the present-day scenes instead.
He said:
"I had promised Mandy that if we didn't feel 100 percent confident that this was going
to work and not be laughable, that we would pull the ripcord at the last minute."
The creatives had even drawn up casting lists for Grandma Rebecca just in case the makeup
test didn't go over so well.
Ultimately, though, makeup artist Zoe Hays created a very convincing sixty-something
appearance on Moore.
Considering Moore is the only actor who spans the on-screen generations, it's a good thing
the makeup worked out for continuity's sake.
Size matters
While some fans have expressed disappointment that certain aspects of Kate's journey seem
stereotypical of a woman's struggle to lose weight, but Chrissy Metz has revealed that
the character's story is actually inspired to a real-life relationship dynamic, telling
Glamour:
"Kate is loosely based off of Dan's sister and their relationship, where he was very
successful as a writer and she was struggling with some issues."
Fogelman's sister is now a consultant on the show, and he told the Los Angeles Times that
the fact that her storylines almost alway comes back to that subject of her size is
just reflective of reality, saying:
"For my sister, weight has been a constant battle, up and down, for her entire life…I
said, 'I'm trying to find stories for Kate that aren't always about the weight,' and
she said, 'It's always about the weight."
Meanwhile, even though Chris Sullivan's Toby is shown as experiencing a similar weight
loss struggle, the actor in real life is much thinner than he appears and has to wear a
suit to beef up his belly.
"I guess I'll lose the weight then."
Some audiences reacted negatively to the news that he had to supplement his size, but Metz
defended the decision, saying:
"I get it, people think the authenticity is kind of ruined by that.
Chris has been heavier, so I think he understands the plight of being overweight.
Also he was just the best man for the job."
Home sweet home
Another real-life experience that Fogelman took to the set is having grown up in its
central locale of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The executive producer lived there for the first seven years of his life, and he centered
on the suburb of Bethel Park as an homage to his upbringing.
Although the show is filmed in Los Angeles, Fogelman still aims to give the series a Pittsburgh
feel, saying:
"I wanted to do something that reminded me of where I grew up."
Off-screen romance
While Kate Pearson's plot lines often concern her often rocky love life with Toby, the actress
who plays her found love while working on the show as well.
Only it's not with co-star Chris Sullivan.
Instead, she's been connected with cameraman Josh Stancil.
The couple first stepped out together at a SAG Awards party in 2017, and Metz said of
their blossoming love:
"We're in a very healthy relationship.
It's really mostly about energy."
Cliffhanger clause
This Is Us has been so successful that NBC does give Fogelman a lot of creative freedom,
but they do have one big stipulation that he has to abide by.
During the show's first season, the series was scheduled for a mid-season hiatus around
Christmas, so network executives strongly suggested Fogelman leave things open-ended
during the break.
As the only major note from the network, Fogelman obliged.
He explained:
"They always said early on, 'When you go off the air around Christmas time, if there was
some sort of cliffhanger that can lead into the break, that would be good."
As a result, the midseason hiatus featured Toby collapsing and winding up in the emergency
room, only to emerge relatively unscathed in the return episode a little over a month
later.
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