{"id":280435,"date":"2019-09-24T17:35:03","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T23:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b1076622"},"modified":"2019-09-24T17:35:03","modified_gmt":"2019-09-24T23:35:03","slug":"how-life-has-completely-changed-for-the-stars-of-this-is-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/music-news\/how-life-has-completely-changed-for-the-stars-of-this-is-us\/","title":{"rendered":"How Life Has Completely Changed for the Stars of This Is Us"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"video-int-txt-0\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"41.148648648649\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-video-text\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"23.513513513514\">\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s fundamentally changed all of our lives.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s what <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/mandy_moore\">Mandy Moore<\/a><\/strong> once told <em>Today<\/em> about the impact <em>This Is Us<\/em> had has on her life, as well as the live of her co-stars. The NBC hit returns for its fourth season tonight, reuniting viewers with America&#8217;s favorite family to cry over, the Pearsons. While it&#8217;s hard to imagine a time when Moore, <strong>Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown<\/strong> and the rest of the stars weren&#8217;t everywhere, it was just three years ago that one of the show&#8217;s actors didn&#8217;t even have a dollar in their bank account.<\/p>\n<p>Now? The cast is one of the highest paid and celebrated ensembles on television, with the majority of the series regulars earning $250,000 per episode, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/live-feed\/is-us-stars-score-massive-pay-raises-season-3-1146707\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">per <em>THR<\/em><\/a>, after they negotiated salary increases ahead of season three.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s how life has completely and irrevocably changed for the stars of TV&#8217;s most beloved family drama since it debuted in 2016&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-2\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"59.231884057971\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"11.652173913043\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/milo_ventimiglia\">Milo Ventimiglia<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Arguably the most well-known cast member heading into the show&#8217;s premiere, Ventimiglia had experienced TV success several times before thanks to his fan-favorite turns on <em>Gilmore Girls<\/em> (Team Jess!) and <em>Heroes<\/em>, NBC&#8217;s superhero show that became a&nbsp; global phenomenon. But it&#8217;s his turn as Jack Pearson, one of the most beloved dads in TV history, that has made him a household name, revitalizing his career. But he almost didn&#8217;t get the job as producers had a completely different look in mind for Jack before Ventimiglia, 42, came in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-3-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924120158-1024-Milo-Ventimiglia-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Sterling K. Brown\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Sterling K. Brown\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Barry King\/WireImage, Dan Steinberg\/Invision\/AP\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-3\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"39.872093023256\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"20.674418604651\">\n<p>&#8220;They wanted somebody completely different,&#8221; he told <a href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2017\/tv\/news\/milo-ventimiglia-this-is-us-audition-1202447815\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Variety<\/a>, with <em>TIU<\/em>&#8216;s creator later admitting he&nbsp; had a &#8220;doughier&#8221; look in mind. &#8220;I walked in with my beard and my long hair and set my motorcycle helmet down and they went, &#8216;Who is this guy?'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>That guy would end up taking the Internet by storm, thanks to that iconic nude scene in the pilot.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But after his early successes, Ventimiglia took his position as No. 1 on the call-sheet seriously, coming to set on his days off and telling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/features\/set-is-us-tvs-feel-good-megahit-ups-stakes-season-2-1037891\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">THR<\/a>, &#8220;I study the call sheets so that I know everyone&#8217;s name.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After once being called the breakout star of young Hollywood, he was now the seasoned pro.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-4\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"62.777070063694\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"17.656050955414\">\n<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s the one that galvanizes everyone to hang out together,&#8221; Moore <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/823267\/this-is-us-cast-gushing-about-captain-milo-ventimiglia-will-make-your-day\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told E! News<\/a>, with Metz adding, &#8220;He&#8217;s the best captain of any ship. I am so grateful for his friendship, for his advice, for his knowledge. And he does it without ego.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Since <em>This Is Us<\/em> debuted, Ventimiglia&#8217;s landed major roles, like the lead in the recent feel-good-dog film <em>The Art of Racing in the Rain<\/em> and as Evil Knievel in a limited series on USA Network (which he will also executive produce), while also reprising his beloved character Jess in the <em>Gilmore Girls<\/em> revival on Netflix, and made a surprise cameo as Rocky Balboa&#8217;s adult son in <em>Creed II<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-5\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"58.97373540856\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"14.153696498054\">\n<p>Oh, and he&#8217;s become so popular that <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/jennifer_lopez\">Jennifer Lopez<\/a><\/strong> personally requested him to star opposite her in her 2018 rom-com <em>Second Act<\/em> as her love interest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I got a call from my reps saying, &#8216;So Jennifer wants you and only you,&#8217; and I was like wow, that&#8217;s flattering!&#8221; he told <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/jimmy_fallon\">Jimmy Fallon<\/a><\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was such a huge fan of <em>This Is Us<\/em> in its first season,&#8221; Lopez would tell <a href=\"https:\/\/www.channel24.co.za\/Movies\/News\/jennifer-lopez-spills-the-beans-on-choosing-milo-ventimiglia-as-her-love-interest-20181214\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">STX<\/a>. &#8220;When I read the first finished draft of this script I said this character has to be Milo. It has to be Milo. I can&#8217;t see anyone else doing it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-6-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924113133-1024-Mandy-Moore-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Mandy Moore\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Mandy Moore\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Fryderyk Gabowicz\/picture alliance via Getty Images, Vince Bucci\/Invision\/AP\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-6\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"37.488559892328\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"15.78465679677\">\n<p><strong>Mandy Moore<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Despite starring in big screen hits like <em>The Princess Diaries<\/em> and <em>A Walk to Remember<\/em>&nbsp;after having early success as a pop star when she was just 15 (Never forget &#8220;Candy!&#8221;), Moore&#8217;s true breakout didn&#8217;t come until <em>This Is Us<\/em>. But Moore almost passed on the role of the Pearson matriarch after starring in three failed pilots.&nbsp;&#8220;I was feeling pretty down about myself,&#8221; she told <strong>Willie Geist<\/strong>, admitting she almost decided not to go out for the show and &#8220;thought&#8221; about quitting acting &#8220;many times.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately for her (and us), she decided to take the risk, changing her life, just as her tumultuous marriage to singer-songwriter <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/ryan_adams\">Ryan Adams<\/a><\/strong> came to an end, with their divorce being finalized just months before <em>This Is Us<\/em> debuted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-7\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"60.5\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"11\">\n<p>&#8220;Life is not easy,&#8221; Moore said during the series&#8217; TCA panel that summer. &#8220;I think it&#8217;s been great to be able to take all of the chapters in my life and be able to pour it into a job like this because it all helps. It&#8217;s all fuel.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Since <em>TIU<\/em> premiered in 2016, Moore, now 37, has gotten re-married and made new music for the first time in 10 years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-8\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"62.561769616027\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"18.429048414023\">\n<p>Ahead of the Emmys, Moore <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/1073825\/mandy-moore-drops-first-original-song-in-10-years-listen-to-when-i-wasn-t-watching\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">released her first<\/a> &nbsp;single, &#8220;When I Wasn&#8217;t Watching,&#8221; from her forthcoming album.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;My favorite version of me disappeared, through longer days and shorter years,&#8221; the lyrics read. &#8220;So where was I when this was going down? Assumed the world would come around.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the song, Moore also released a music video.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The idea of diving back into music after so much time and personal change was really intimidating to me for a while,&#8221; Moore said upon its release. &#8220;But then I finally realized: I&#8217;m the only person who can make this move. It all has to start with me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-9\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"39.5\">\n<div class=\"column post-content__image--left post-content__image\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"32\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019823\/rs_634x1024-190923082315-634x1024-mandy-taylor-gj-9-23-19.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" title=\"Mandy Moore, Taylor Goldsmith\" alt=\"Mandy Moore, Taylor Goldsmith\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Danny Moloshok\/Invision\/AP\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"17\">\n<p>Moore collaborated on the album with her husband of one-year <strong>Taylor Goldsmith<\/strong>, the lead singer of <strong>Dawes<\/strong>. a stark contrast to her&nbsp;relationship with Adams.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The former couple&nbsp;separated in January 2015, with Moore later speaking out about the alleged emotional abuse she suffered during their marriage in&nbsp;a piece from&nbsp;<em>The New York Times<\/em>, which also featured several other women coming forward with allegations against the singer-songwriter, and how he stalled her music career.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Music was a point of control for him,&#8221; Moore told the <em>Times<\/em>.&nbsp;&#8220;His controlling behavior essentially did block my ability to make new connections in the industry during a very pivotal and potentially lucrative time\u2014my entire mid-to-late 20s.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-10\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"61.742504409171\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"17.365079365079\">\n<p>Now, with Goldsmith, Moore has found a partner, both in life and music after they met via Instagram DMs in 2015. He would go on to propose in 2017 before the couple <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/988508\/mandy-moore-and-taylor-goldsmith-are-married-see-their-cutest-pics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wed in November 2018<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This past June, Moore spoke to E! News before singing live with Goldsmith at a <em>This Is Us<\/em> event, admitting she was nervous but&nbsp;said, &#8220;I can always just look over and he&#8217;s standing right there, and I feel good.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I was still dealing with the trauma of my divorce when we started dating,&#8221; Moore told <em>Glamour<\/em>. &#8220;Taylor was steadfast in his support\u2014that was a huge sign for me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-11-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924114001-1024-Sterling-K-Brown-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Sterling K. Brown\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Sterling K. Brown\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Peter Kramer\/Getty Images, Presley Ann\/WireImage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-11\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"39.596456692913\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"20.531496062992\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/sterling_k_brown\">Sterling K. Brown<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When the actor was given the pilot script of <em>This Is Us<\/em>, he was still filming what would be his star-making (and Emmy-winning) turn as&nbsp;<strong>Christopher Darden<\/strong> in FX&#8217;s <em>The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story<\/em>, meaning the casting team, producers and world didn&#8217;t know yet that they were about to land one of the most talented actors of his generation to play Randall, the adopted member of the Big Three.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But it turns out, Brown, who previously appeared on <em>Supernatural<\/em> and <em>Army Wives<\/em>, was a huge fan of Fogelman&#8217;s rom-com <em>Crazy, Stupid Love<\/em>, telling Deadline he couldn&#8217;t resist letting the executive producer know that in their first meeting, saying,&nbsp;&#8220;It was an opportunity for me to go in and tell him how much I appreciate his work.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-12\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"37.5\">\n<div class=\"column post-content__image--left post-content__image\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"32\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019822\/rs_634x1024-190922142026-634-Ryan-Michelle-Bathe_and-Sterling-K-Brown-shutterstock_editorial_10405777w.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" title=\"2019 Emmy Awards, Couples, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Sterling K. Brown\" alt=\"2019 Emmy Awards, Couples, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Sterling K. Brown\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Christopher Polk\/Variety\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"13\">\n<p>Brown&nbsp;would go on to make TV history, becoming the first African-American man to win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Drama and the corresponding SAG trophy.<\/p>\n<p>He quickly became one of the most in-demand actors, nabbing roles in Marvel&#8217;s <em>Black Panther<\/em>, <em>The Predator<\/em> and a voice role in <em>Frozen II<\/em>, as well as guest appearances on <em>Brooklyn Nine-Nine<\/em> and <em>The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel<\/em>. And he&#8217;s also started producing his own projects&nbsp;through his production company,&nbsp;launching Indian Meadows in 2018.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-13\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"60.245283018868\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"13.603773584906\">\n<p>But Brown&#8217;s time on This Is Us has also impacted how he parents his two children with wife <strong>Ryan Michelle Bathe<\/strong>, who has appeared on <em>This Is Us<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I do tell them a lot more stories, yeah,&#8221; he told <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment\/tv\/la-et-st-sterling-brown-this-is-us-20170124-story.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the LA Times<\/a><\/em>. &#8220;Yeah, absolutely. I find myself telling him stories about my dad who passed away. Then every once in a while we&#8217;ll be saying grace, or we&#8217;ll be praying, and&nbsp;[my son]&#8217;s&nbsp;like, &#8220;Don&#8217;t forget to pray for your dad.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-14\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"57\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"10.363636363636\">\n<p>Reflecting on his success, Brown, 43, told <a href=\"https:\/\/theundefeated.com\/features\/sterling-k-brown-on-black-panther-this-is-us-and-how-o-j-simpson-changed-his-life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Undefeated<\/a>, &#8220;Success for me is being able to pay the bills, being able to provide for my family, being able to have a comfortable life, and I&#8217;ve been able to do that. It&#8217;s been more than enough.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-15-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924120844-1024-Chrissy-Metz-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Chrissy Metz\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Chrissy Metz\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Alexandra Wyman\/Invision\/AP\/Shutterstock, Dan Steinberg\/Invision\/AP\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-15\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"36.290322580645\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"14.516129032258\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/chrissy_metz\">Chrissy Metz<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Before landing the role of Kate Pearson, Metz, who previously had small roles on <em>American Horror Story<\/em> and <em>Entourage<\/em>, was this close to quitting acting.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Literally, I was going to quit acting and move back home,&#8221; she told <em>Today<\/em> in 2017.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;When I booked <em>This Is Us<\/em>, I had 81 cents in my bank account. I could cry right now just thinking about it,&#8221; she revealed.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-16\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"60.420886075949\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"11.886075949367\">\n<p>That all changed when she read the pilot script for This Is Us and immediately connected to Kate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Here was this woman who was actually dealing with weight. Not like, &#8216;Oh my God, I gained a pound,&#8217; &#8221; she&nbsp;told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/features\/set-is-us-tvs-feel-good-megahit-ups-stakes-season-2-1037891\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">THR<\/a>. &#8220;She was a real woman who was really struggling, and all I could think was, &#8216;Oh my God, I&#8217;m Kate.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-17\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"38.469135802469\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"20.641975308642\">\n<p>Before getting her big break, Metz worked as a talent agent, and ironically enough, once represented<strong>&nbsp;Hannah Zeile<\/strong>,&nbsp;one of the actresses who would go on to play a younger version of Kate in <em>This Is Us<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s full circle,&#8221; Met, 38, told Deadline. &#8220;Life is so crazy. I&#8217;ve been a huge fan of hers for as long as I&#8217;ve known her.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Metz would go on to become one of the breakout stars of the 2016 season, earning an Emmy nomination for the first season. But she also found romance, dating cameraman <strong>Josh Stancil<\/strong> for almost two years after meeting on the set. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/924265\/chrissy-metz-and-josh-stancil-break-up\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">couple split in March 2018<\/a>, with Metz telling <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/wendy_williams\">Wendy Williams<\/a><\/strong> they&#8217;re&nbsp;&#8220;still friends.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-18\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"59.469902912621\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"12.570873786408\">\n<p>That same month, Metz released her autobiography <em>This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today<\/em>, which instantly hit No. 1 on the New York Times&#8217; bestsellers list. In the emotional book, Metz revealed her childhood abuse and opened up about her journey to love herself and forgive the ones who hurt her, namely stepfather <strong>Trigger<\/strong> whom she claims hit her and was critical of her weight when she was younger.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sometimes it&#8217;s about focusing on yourself and your relationship with yourself first,&#8221;&nbsp;Metz <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/923796\/chrissy-metz-talks-abuse-self-love-and-forgiveness-in-new-memoir\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">once told E! News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-19-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924124840-1024-Justin-Hartley-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Justin Hartley\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Justin Hartley\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Gregory Pace\/FilmMagic, Gregg DeGuire\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-19\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"37.221402214022\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"16.435424354244\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/justin_hartley\">Justin Hartley<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Back in 2012, DC Comic fans were shocked when it was announced <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/stephen_amell\">Stephen Amell<\/a><\/strong> would be playing Oliver Queen in The CW&#8217;s <em>Arrow<\/em>. Why? Because Hartley had just played the young Green Arrow for 72 episodes on <em>Smallville<\/em>. While Hartley would later reveal there had been spinoff discussions after <em>Smallville<\/em> ended in 2011, <em>Arrow<\/em> was a completely different take on the character, with the actor telling reporters he thought Amell would be &#8220;great&#8221; in the role.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>After hanging up the bow and arrow for good, Hartley starred in the CW drama <em>Emily Owens, M.D.<\/em>, which was canceled after one season. Memorable-but-short-term appearances on <em>Revenge and Mistresses<\/em> before he finally landed the meta role of Kevin, the Pearson sibling trying to make it big in Hollywood without trading on just his hunky looks.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-20\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"64\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"18\">\n<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s so striking physically that I think sometimes his abilities are underestimated,&#8221; executive producer and director <strong>Ken Olin&nbsp;<\/strong>told Vulture. &#8220;I remember when we started working on [the Kevin-centric episode] \u2018Number One,&#8217; he told me nobody had ever given him the chance to do material like this. You don&#8217;t think somebody who looks like that can be substantial or complicated, but Justin is really a sensitive, complicated guy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Funnily enough, Hartley initially assumed he was being considered for Jack when a friend gave him the script, telling <em>Vulture<\/em>&nbsp;he had connected with that role first:&nbsp;&#8220;He&#8217;s got a great relationship with his wife&#8230;remember the cupcake and the birthday and the towel? I thought that was great. But then I kept reading and I realized he was talking about Kevin. I&#8217;ve been a victim of that before, where people just assume something even though they&#8217;ve never met me. And I&#8217;m guilty of judging a book by its cover, too. But I knew as I was reading that he was damaged<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-21\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"61.5\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"13\">\n<p>Of landing the role of the troubled Pearson sibling, Hartley, who had previously starred on the daytime soap <em>Passions<\/em> from 2002-2006, said, &#8220;This is not just like a job. This is like a dream come true!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Just before <em>TIU<\/em>&#8216;s premiere, Hartley got engaged to girlfriend <strong>Chrishell Stause<\/strong>, with the pair exchanging vows in October 2017.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-22\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"65.284495021337\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"23.385490753912\">\n<p>Two years ago, Hartley opened up about the impact <em>This Is Us<\/em> has had on his parenting style when it comes to his now-teenage daughter, <strong>Isabella<\/strong>, whom he shares custody of with ex-wife <strong>Lindsay Korman.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I think about the show sometimes and I&#8217;m like, &#8216;I&#8217;m going to have that conversation with my daughter,'&#8221; he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/833650\/justin-hartley-reveals-how-this-is-us-affects-his-approach-to-fatherhood\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told E! News<\/a>, &#8220;The show will inspire me to do something that I wouldn&#8217;t normally have done.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He went on to reveal the show has earned him some cool points with Isabella and her friends, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/833650\/justin-hartley-reveals-how-this-is-us-affects-his-approach-to-fatherhood\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">saying<\/a>, &#8220;She watches it, her friends watch it, their parents watch it, so I&#8217;m like the cool dad now. &#8220;[When I] take her to school, I get to walk her in now. We can hang out in front of her friends. It&#8217;s cool.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-23-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924123623-1024-Susan-Kelechi-Watson-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Susan Kelechi Watson\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Susan Kelechi Watson\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Peter Kramer\/Getty Images, Kristina Bumphrey\/Starpix\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-23\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"40.495157384988\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"22.443099273608\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/susan_kelechi_watson\">Susan Kelechi Watson<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There&#8217;s no Randall without Beth, and Watson&#8217;s character became the surprise scene-stealer early on in <em>This Is Us<\/em>&#8216; run, with the on-screen couple&#8217;s chemistry quickly making them #couplegoals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>And it turned out that Brown and Watson had almost two-decades worth of history, first meeting when they ran in similar circles as MFA students at New York University.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I remember Sue, before she even got to school, was dating a guy in the class above my class. And so I&#8217;m all, &#8216;Who&#8217;s this little cute girl who Dre is going out with?&#8217; They&#8217;re like, &#8216;Yeah, that&#8217;s Susan Kelechi Watson.&#8217; I was like, &#8216;Oh. She&#8217;s cool,'&#8221;&nbsp;Brown told <em>EW<\/em>, noting he observed a few of her theater rehearsals. &#8220;I just remember watching you in your process do incredibly beautiful and nuanced work, and just being a fan of your talent.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-24\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"61.335497835498\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"18.067821067821\">\n<p>While <em>Oprah Mag<\/em> would go on to call Watson TV&#8217;s &#8220;unsung hero&#8221; for her work as Beth, success didn&#8217;t come right away for the actress, who once spent a summer studying Shakespeare at Oxford University after receiving a scholarship funded by <strong>Phylicia Rashad<\/strong> and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/denzel_washington\">Denzel Washington<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While going out on endless auditions and living off of canned food, she worked random jobs to remain in NYC.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I worked at the front desk at a gym,&#8221; she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oprahmag.com\/entertainment\/tv-movies\/a24489711\/susan-keleechi-this-is-us-beth-profile\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told the magazine<\/a>. &#8220;And here&#8217;s the thing about when you&#8217;re a struggling artist: You&#8217;re not eating, you&#8217;re not buying fresh clothes, your hair&#8217;s not on point, so I was probably the worst person to welcome people into a gym when I just wanted to crawl under my desk.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-25\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"39.375\">\n<div class=\"column post-content__image--left post-content__image\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"32\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019821\/rs_634x1024-190921093052-634-susan.cm.92119.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" title=\"Emmy Party 2019, Susan Kelechi Watson\" alt=\"Emmy Party 2019, Susan Kelechi Watson\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Emma McIntyre\/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"18.426174496644\">\n<p>Eventually, she landed parts on series like <em>Louie, Billions<\/em> and <em>Veep<\/em>. But when the audition for <em>This Is Us<\/em>&nbsp;finally came along, she was actually hoping to land another part instead in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/danai_gurira\">Danai Gurira<\/a><\/strong>&#8216;s stage play <em>Familiar<\/em>. Of course, she didn&#8217;t get it, making her available to take the role of Beth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What a life lesson that was: Go where the love is. Because at the time I was so focused on the one door closing that I wasn&#8217;t even looking for the one opening,&#8221; she <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oprahmag.com\/entertainment\/tv-movies\/a24489711\/susan-keleechi-this-is-us-beth-profile\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">told <em>O<\/em><\/a>. &#8220;Finally, the universe had to be like, &#8216;Hello, this door is wide open!&#8217; Clearly, in the end, I&#8217;m where I&#8217;m supposed to be.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-26\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"45.333333333333\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"7.5555555555556\">\n<p>Earlier this month, Watson revealed she engaged to beau <strong>Jaime Lincoln Smith<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/ap\/news\/1071300\/this-is-us-star-susan-kelechi-watson-is-engaged\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">posting the happy news<\/a> on her Instagram account.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>And at the 2019 Emmys, Watson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/ap\/news\/1075629\/susan-kelechi-watson-shows-off-marina-her-new-engagement-ring-at-the-2019-emmys\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">spilled details on her engagement to E! News<\/a>, including the nickname she&#8217;s now given her diamond ring: Marina.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-27\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"59.14552238806\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"10.753731343284\">\n<p>Plus, she revealed her secret nickname for her&nbsp;<em>A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood<\/em> co-star <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/tom_hanks\">Tom Hanks<\/a><\/strong>. NBD.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;&#8220;There&#8217;s a little pause before I say Tom because I&#8217;m putting the \u2018sir&#8217; in there,&#8221; she said. &#8220;There&#8217;s something very weird about calling him Tom, but he is the kindest, most generous\u2014just a wonderful person. And to be the legend that he is and to be that grounded is like a lesson for me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"block-28-img\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"post-content__image\" readability=\"33\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019824\/rs_1024x759-190924121644-1024-Chris-Sullivan-Then-And-Now-JR-92419.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" border=\"0\" title=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Chris Sullivan\" alt=\"This Is Us Cast, Then and Now, Chris Sullivan\" data-width=\"1024\" data-height=\"759\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Carolyn Contino\/BEI\/Shutterstock, Rob Latour\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-28\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"34.76993166287\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"11.589977220957\">\n<p><strong>Chris Sullivan<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Prior to landing the role of Toby, Kate&#8217;s love interest, on on <em>This Is Us<\/em>, Sullivan was a struggling actor taking odd-jobs and coupon-clipping to make ends meet.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;My very first acting job was a production of <em>The Fantasticks<\/em> at a church in Westwood [New Jersey] for about $150 a week,&#8221; he told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2018\/09\/25\/this-is-us-chris-sullivan-made-150-a-week-lived-on-free-burritos.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">CNBC&#8217;s&nbsp;<em>Make It<\/em><\/a>, going on to reveal he often hunted for deals and coupons. &#8220;Frugality was my side hustle. I was really good at it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-29\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"66\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"22\">\n<p>Slowly, Sullivan started building out his acting resume, with small parts on <em>Stranger Things<\/em> and <em>Law &amp; Order: SVU<\/em>, refusing to give up on his dream.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I decided I was going to be an actor, and [although] I didn&#8217;t get a job, I saved all of my money and hustled every day, auditioning, trying to get any work I could,&#8221; he&nbsp;detailed. &#8220;Eventually, it slowly built up, a small job to a slightly bigger job to a slightly bigger job to the third season of NBC&#8217;s <em>This is Us<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>His hard work paid off, with the 39-year-old earning his first Emmy nomination for his work n the third season of the NBC hit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"photo-txt-30\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"39\">\n<div class=\"column post-content__image--left post-content__image\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image--full\" src=\"https:\/\/akns-images.eonline.com\/eol_images\/Entire_Site\/2019822\/rs_634x1024-190922152151-634-Rachel-Reichard-Chris-Sullivan-shutterstock_editorial_10405776dv.jpg?fit=inside|900:auto&amp;output-quality=90\" title=\"2019 Emmy Awards, Couples, Rachel Reichard, Chris Sullivan\" alt=\"2019 Emmy Awards, Couples, Rachel Reichard, Chris Sullivan\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"image__credits\">Matt Baron\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-photo-text\" readability=\"18\">\n<p>But Sullivan faced minor backlash early on in the show&#8217;s run when it was revealed he donned a fat suit to play Toby, later&nbsp;speaking out about the controversy on&nbsp;<em>Watch What Happens Live<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We currently live in a culture where outrage is a bit of a hobby for some people. If they&#8217;re not outraged about something, they&#8217;re totally bored,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a tool. It&#8217;s a costume that I put on.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Metz also defended Sullivan, saying, &#8220;We tested a lot of gentlemen who were bigger, and I get it\u2014people think the authenticity is kind of ruined by that. But Chris has been heavier, so I think he understands the plight of being overweight. Also he was just the best man for the job.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-31\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"60\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"10\">\n<p>Since his&nbsp;scene-stealing debut as Toby, Sullivan, who is also a musician, has appeared in Marvel&#8217;s&nbsp;<em>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2<\/em>&nbsp;and guest-starred on&nbsp;<em>The Good Fight&nbsp;<\/em>and HBO&#8217;s&nbsp;<em>Camping<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Married to wife&nbsp;<strong>Rachel Reichard&nbsp;<\/strong>for eight years, the duo have become one of the most fashionable couples on the red carpet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"text-32\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"57.5\">\n<section data-textblock-tracking=\"text-block-text-only\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\" readability=\"5\">\n<p><em>This Is Us&nbsp;<\/em>season four premieres Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 9 p.m. on NBC.<\/p>\n<p>(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"tune-in-33\" data-hook=\"scrollable-block\" readability=\"33\">\n<p class=\"tune-in__text\" data-swiftype-index=\"false\">Don&#8217;t miss <em>E! News<\/em> every weeknight at 7, only on E!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eonline.com\/news\/1076622\/how-life-has-completely-changed-for-the-stars-of-this-is-us?cmpid=rss-000000-rssfeed-365-topstories&#038;utm_source=eonline&#038;utm_medium=rssfeeds&#038;utm_campaign=rss_topstories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: E! Online<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s fundamentally changed all of our lives.&#8221; That&#8217;s what Mandy Moore once told Today about the impact This Is Us had has on her life, as well as the live of her co-stars. The NBC hit returns for its fourth season tonight, reuniting viewers with America&#8217;s favorite family to cry over, the Pearsons. While it&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-280435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-music-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-10-21 06:31:42","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KIDN - The Lift FM","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=280435"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/280435\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=280435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=280435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=280435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}