-Last time we saw each other,
if you can believe this...
-The world was ending. -...March 12, 2020.
-Yes, sir.
-What do you remember? -Everything.
-I know, I kind of remember it, too, I think.
-It was bizarre. I remember getting here
for sound check because we were performing.
-So you were already here.
-I was here, in New York, and I remember that
between sound check and when we actually filmed,
there was apparently supposed to be an audience
and then no audience. -Yes.
-Yeah, and it was like Rockefeller Center
was shutting down, New York City was shutting down.
It was terrifying.
-Yeah, we were the only people in the building.
I think it was us and the "Today" show, I think.
-I think so.
-Like, Savannah and Hoda just stayed over.
They're like, "All right, yeah, don't leave the building."
-Hunker down.
-We didn't know what was going down.
And we were supposed to have an audience.
All our jokes are written for an audience, and just no.
-And then, I performed for an empty theater.
It was truly bizarre. [ Audience "Awws" ]
No, no, it's okay. The world --
[ Laughter ] There was bigger fish to fry,
but it was -- I'll never, ever forget that experience.
-Yeah, I'm always here for you, just so you know.
I was always here. I watched you.
I was like, "Hey, if you need me."
-I felt the love. -Okay, good.
-Yeah.
-But a lot has happened since then.
I'm so happy to see you. You look great.
-Thank you. -But since we last talked,
since you were here, you had a little baby boy.
-I did. -Congratulations.
[ Cheers and applause ] -Yeah, thank you.
-1 year old? -Yeah, he's 14 months.
-Mandy's got a cute name, and he's such a cute baby.
I want to show a picture, if you don't mind.
-Yeah, of course. That's Gus.
-This is Gus. [ Audience "Awws" ]
Look at this baby boy!
Come on, that's cute.
-My little man.
-Oh, he's so cute. Congratulations.
-Thank you. -He's pretty little.
Is he into anything right now, or is he too little?
-He's walking and talking and doing all the things, yeah.
-Oh, he is? -Yes.
-Yeah. -"Mama" was his first word.
-I was gonna ask, "Was it 'mama'?"
It was. -I won!
[ Cheers and applause ] I won.
-The first time that you were a guest on here,
I think, was six years ago.
It was just when "This Is Us" was premiering.
-Yes. -And now, the series finale
is two weeks away.
It's kind of interesting, right? -Bizarre, yeah.
-It's bizarre, but I'm happy to see --
That's what I kind of love about doing the show
is that you get to see
everyone's career and start and things.
And you get big. -Yeah, an entire chapter.
-Entire -- I mean -- -A really seminal chapter
for me, but, yeah.
-Next two episodes are coming up.
Obviously no spoilers, but on the emotional scale,
1 being not that emotional 10 being "This Is Us"...
-Yeah.
Jack dying. -Yes.
Milo's character dying. -Yes.
-I would say -- I will tell you that
the penultimate episode, which airs in like a week,
I threw up after I read it. -Ooh!
-And maybe that's just because
it's really close to the bone for me.
Like, this has been my life for the last six years.
And it's like I simultaneously have to say goodbye
to the character, to my family and friends on set,
and this character's also, coincidentally,
saying goodbye, as well.
So there was a lot wrapped up in it.
But I still think that, like,
you might need a day off from work.
-Really? It's one of those gems?
-But the finale is a bit more of a hug.
I think there's a little bit more levity.
Yeah, the second-to-last is -- it destroyed me.
I have a feeling it might destroy people, too.
-Well, I know that your show is --
it's so well-written and so --
It's very, like, tricky and beautifully done.
-Yes. -And there's parts of
the next two episodes that were filmed
three years ago. -Yes.
And I didn't even remember. So, the finale,
the very last episode of the show,
just because of the way we tell the story
and jump around in time and obviously, like,
children keep growing and getting older,
we wanted to capture a very particular time in their lives.
And so, some of the finale was filmed three years ago.
And I didn't even remember.
Dan Fogleman, our creator, was showing us a couple
of those scenes, and I'm like, "Wow, I don't even --"
We weren't even halfway-- -He knew it in his head
and had written it, yes. -Had written it.
-And just saved it for the last episode, yeah.
-He's brilliant.
Did you take anything from the set when you left?
-I did. -You can tell people now, right?
-Milo and I went and did one last lap
through the Pearson house and took some of
the family photos off the wall and just put the frames back up.
[ Laughter ] I mean, they were gonna
throw these pictures away, anyway.
But they meant something to us.
I took the Steelers jersey from the Super Bowl episode.
I took my wedding ring. My character's wedding ring.
Yeah, I'm -- like, the sentimental things
were something I wanted to take with me.
-Those photos must be interesting because you probably
took them before you even really knew each other.
-Knew each other, yeah.
There's, like, all these, like, fake photos of me laughing
with Milo, and we just had met each other.
We're supposed to be husband and wife.
-I think -- I don't know if you knew this,
but when you first get into this show,
did you realize you were gonna play yourself -- your character
as a teenager and as an 80-year-old woman?
-No. So, when your originally -- you audition and you're cast
for, like, the pilot, the first episode
of a televisions show before it ever gets picked up
and sees the light of day, the character
was just written in this --
You know, I'm in the hospital, giving birth to triplets,
and that's kind of all you see of me.
I had no idea the scale and the breadth
of what this matriarch was gonna be.
So it wasn't until about two weeks
before we started shooting the second episode
that I got an e-mail saying, "So, we want to see
if it works for you to play this character present-day."
And remember my mind just sort of exploding like, "Wait.
So, I'm gonna be working with Sterling K. Brown
and Justin Har-- And I'm playing their mother.
I'm eight years younger than them in real life.
It was a terrifying prospect. -But what an acting --
what a gift. -The greatest gift of all.
-You got to stretch. And you nailed it, bud.
Everything, I'm like, "Oh, that was so well done,"
and you really nailed it. -Thank you.
[ Cheers and applause ] -Really awesome.
Awesome job. I want to show everyone a clip.
Here's Mandy Moore in the final season of "This Is Us."
Take a look.
-Miguel?
[ Groans ]
Miguel?
Miguel?!
-Ms. Pearson, it's okay.
-Who are you? -You're okay.
-Where's Miguel? -It's okay.
-I want Miguel. I need Miguel!
-Hey, Mom, you're okay.
-Why won't this woman tell me where Miguel is?
Where is Miguel?
-He's not here right now.
-Where is he?
-I got it. Thank you.
Oh, Mom. Gonna get you back in bed, Mom.
-Thank you. -Where is Miguel?
♪♪
-Yeah, Mandy Moore, everybody.
[ Cheers and applause ]
We're talking more with Mandy after the break.
Stick around. Come on back. We're talking records.