25 'This Is Us' facts only a superfan would know
Warning: you might cry reading this
Series creator Dan Fogelman knows how the show will end.
"I do, yes," he told in 2017, while also warning fans that he plans to continue the show for a limited amount of seasons. 鈥淚 think I kind of know what the next four or five or six seasons look like of this show. I don鈥檛 have every single moment planned out but I know where the big moves are for the show in every season. Because this show plays [with] time so much, you need to have a plan.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
"This Is Us" was initially envisioned as a movie.
Fogelman first wrote "This Is Us" as a feature film, with Jack and Rebecca Pearson giving birth to octuplets. But the project 鈥渘ever felt like a movie,鈥� as he told and he later realized the story was better suited for the small screen.
鈥淭he reason I was struggling with [the film] wasn鈥檛 the plot; it was about these characters and how I didn鈥檛 want to 鈥榖eginning-middle- and-end鈥� them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to do this continuous story 鈥攚hich felt very much like the theme of the show.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
"This Is Us" wasn鈥檛 the original title.
"It was originally called '36,' which is the age they're all turning at the beginning," Fogelman told of the first title, which he says he and other executives never liked.
鈥淚 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."
PHOTO: NBC
Mandy Moore is the youngest core cast member, despite playing one of the oldest characters.
On the show, Moore plays the Pearson family matriarch, Rebecca, from the ages of 27 to 66. But in real life she鈥檚 actually the youngest of the core cast at 34, younger than all three of the actors who play her kids.
PHOTO: NBC
Milo Ventimiglia donated his real car to production.
You know the Chevelle that Jack drives his kids around on the show? That鈥檚 actually Ventimiglia鈥檚 real car, which he gave to production. 鈥淭hey were looking for a Camaro, and I was like 'you can't put Jack Pearson in a Camaro!'鈥� he told .
After realizing it was period appropriate, he decided to give up the car on one condition. "I go, 'Okay, well you can use my car no problem, but whatever you鈥檙e going to pay me for it goes back to coffee trucks and burger trucks for the crew,鈥欌� he said.
PHOTO: NBC
The show created extra security measures to ensure that details of Jack鈥檚 deaths didn鈥檛 leak.
The circumstances surrounding Jack鈥檚 death became such a huge event in season two that the show had to pull out all the stops to keep it from leaking. Per , script pages were redacted, codenames were employed and everyone from crew members to extras had to sign nondisclosure agreements. Scenes were also shot out of order to throw off paparazzi.
鈥淚t wasn't like this last year,鈥� Moore told THR at the time. "It's like suddenly we're on 'Lost.'"
PHOTO: NBC
Writers incorporated Kate鈥檚 love for singing after discovering Chrissy Metz鈥檚 voice.
"When the producers found out Chrissy Metz could sing, they immediately had to put that in,鈥� Chris Sullivan, who plays Kate鈥檚 husband Toby, said, via . 鈥淪he sang live on-set twice, they recorded it, and that鈥檚 what you saw on television.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Justin Hartley鈥檚 real-life wedding took place at the same venue as Kevin鈥檚 rehab scenes.
That rehab where Kevin underwent treatment and therapy for his alcohol addiction? It鈥檚 actually Malibu鈥檚 Casamigos Ranch 鈥� which, oddly enough, is also where Kevin鈥檚 real-life counterpart got married.
鈥淗e had to do this brutally intense scene from the show where his character is lashing out and is torn into, and then have this really beautiful wedding in the exact same place,鈥� executive producer Issac Aptaker told . 鈥淚 think he actually spent his first night as a married man either in the room that Kevin was supposed to be staying in, or the adjacent room. It was just a weird coincidence."
PHOTO: NBC
Sterling K. Brown has improvised some of Randall鈥檚 most poignant lines.
Brown became known in season one for adding subtle but significant tweaks to his lines, often making them even more reflective of Randall鈥檚 experience as an upper middle-class man of color. reports that in a scene where he and his biological dad catch the eye of a couple after arguing outside in a predominantly white neighborhood, Brown ad-libbed the line, 鈥淛ust your friendly neighborhood black man.鈥�
He also threw in the line, 鈥淚鈥檓 still black; we gotta go,鈥� in a scene where he and Kevin hear police sirens after getting into a fistfight in Times Square.
PHOTO: NBC
Brown was also the one to suggest this fan favorite storyline.
In addition to improvising some of his lines, Brown occasionally pitches ideas to the writers. He was the one to suggest tackling the storyline of how Beth and Randall first met, which was explored further in season two.
"Very often, you choose somebody who looks like your mom, but Randall makes this conscious choice to be with a black woman,鈥� he told ahead of the sophomore season. 鈥淎nd I really want us to explore that."
PHOTO: NBC
Susan Kelechi Watson and Ron Cephas Jones rehearsed their pot brownie scene.
Before filming, the actors actually got together on their day off to rehearse the scene.
"Ron and I were nerds and got together that weekend [prior] and just talked about the scene," Watson said, per Glamour. "We did not eat pot brownies together! There was no pot in the brownies on-set, either!
PHOTO: NBC
Metz was one of two very different final candidates for the role of Kate.
As revealed, both women only had a few credits to their name, but represented 鈥渧ery different ideas of what passes for heavy on television.鈥� Producers ultimately decided Metz brought more authenticity to the part and hired her. She鈥檚 since been nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy.
PHOTO: NBC
Brown鈥檚 wife has appeared on the show.
Brown is married to fellow actor, Ryan Michelle Bathe, who actually and returned on season three, episode two (鈥淎 Philadelphia Story鈥�). She made her debut in the episode, 鈥淭he Pool,鈥� as Yvette, the mother of one of young Randall鈥檚 friends. Yvette ends up playing a small but significant role in the Pearsons鈥� interracial adoption journey, memorably advising Rebecca on how to cut Randall鈥檚 hair properly.
PHOTO: NBC
Fogelman鈥檚 sister is the real-life inspiration behind Kate.
Though she and Metz haven鈥檛 met in person (although they are Facebook friends), Fogelman鈥檚 sister reportedly reads every script and sends back notes, particularly around Kate鈥檚 storyline.
"Let me tell you, there's nothing better than telling a roomful of professional writers, 'My sister had a note on page five,鈥�" Fogelman joked to THR.
PHOTO: NBC
Season premieres always take place on The Big Three鈥檚 birthday.
"This Is Us" is filled with meaningful details, so it鈥檚 no surprise that even the structure of its episodes has significance. Every season premiere of the show so far has taken place on August 31, also known as the shared birthday of Randall, Kate and Kevin. It鈥檚 also the birthday of their late dad, Jack, which usually results in some bittersweet emotions on the day.
PHOTO: NBC
Caitlin Thompson, who plays Madison, is Fogelman鈥檚 wife.
Fans will recognize Thompson as Madison, a member of Kate鈥檚 weight loss support group who first infuriates her and later becomes a close friend. What they may not know is that Thompson is married to Fogelman in real life. The two .
PHOTO: NBC
Metz used to represent Hannah Zeile, who plays the younger version of Kate.
Zeile may look a lot like Metz, but the two share a deeper real-life connection. "I actually used to represent her when I was an agent,鈥� Metz told . 鈥淚t's full circle. Life is so crazy. I've been a huge fan of hers for as long as I've known her.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Ventimiglia first saw Moore at the premiere for "A Walk to Remember."
During an interview on The Hollywood Reporter's , Ventimiglia revealed the first time he crossed paths with future on screen wife. 鈥淭he first time I laid eyes on Mandy Moore, I was at a premiere for a movie called 'A Walk to Remember' [2002],鈥� he reminisced. 鈥淣o joke, man. My buddy was running the premieres and I couldn't make it to the actual film, but he said, 'Hey, why don't you come to the party after?鈥欌�
Ventimiglia remembers seeing Moore across the room, although he says they didn鈥檛 actually meet that day.
PHOTO: NBC
Ventimiglia screen-tested with three actresses 鈥� including Moore 鈥� during the casting of Rebecca.
It took more than a decade after that premiere for Ventimiglia to officially meet Moore. 鈥淭he first time we met was at the ['This Is Us'] test,鈥� he said on Awards Chatter. 鈥淒an [Fogelman] hadn鈥檛 given me any indication of who he liked between Mandy and the two other actresses I read with. But after that reading, it was very clear that it had to be Mandy. It had to be her.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Moore says some of the season one scenes with Jack and Rebecca hit close to home.
Season one featured some brutal fights between Jack and Rebecca 鈥� some of which Moore, who got divorced in 2016 after seven years of marriage to singer Ryan Adams, says reminded her of her past relationship.
"Sometimes it hits really close to the bone,鈥� in 2017. "There were certain scenes and bits and pieces of this season, with Jack and Rebecca, that echoed things that I've experienced in my own life almost to a T, that just blew me away.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
There鈥檚 a significant meaning behind Dr. K鈥檚 name.
Dr. Katowski, played by Gerald McRaney, is named after both Fogelman鈥檚 in-laws and his favorite baseball team. 鈥淢y wife鈥檚 father鈥檚 side of the family are Katowskis 鈥� Polish 鈥� and I always liked the name. So, I put that name in there for [her] side of the family,鈥� he told .
As for the character鈥檚 nickname, 鈥淒r. K.,鈥� Fogelman said, "I鈥檓 a huge New York Mets fan, so [ballplayer] Dwight Gooden was Dr. K (because the symbol for a strikeout in baseball is a K), and I always thought, 'That would be a funny thing to nickname a doctor.'鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Brown says Randall鈥檚 storyline with his biological dad was 鈥渃athartic鈥� to him.
Brown, who lost his father at the age of 10, said on , 鈥淚t was my entree into the character: fathers and sons. I'm glad it resonated with people, because it was cathartic for me. He added, 鈥淚 felt like I got a chance to say goodbye to my dad."
PHOTO: NBC
The writers鈥� room occasionally invites speakers to share personal experiences.
Knowing the wide range of stories "This Is Us" encompasses, Fogelman made it a point to assemble a writer鈥檚 room that鈥檚 diverse in age, race, gender, etc. But there are still times when the writers lack firsthand knowledge of some of the experiences they鈥檙e writing about. In those cases, they consult with outside speakers who are invited to the room to share their stories. Per , the show has brought in multiple people to discuss various perspectives of transracial adoption.
PHOTO: NBC
Ventimiglia is basically the dad of the cast.
As No. 1 on the call sheet, Ventimiglia has taken the lead in creating a close-knit relationship among the cast and crew. The actor regularly checks in with the other actors and oversees various show-related text chains, including one just for the Pearsons. Ahead of season two, he also for every cast and crew member with the 鈥淛ack's Big Three Homes鈥� logo on them.
PHOTO: NBC
That 2018 Super Bowl episode included actual footage of Super Bowl LII.
Season two鈥檚 鈥淪uper Bowl Sunday鈥� episode told the stories of two different Super Bowl viewings, past and present, and was specifically timed to air on NBC right after the end of Super Bowl LII. So it was a particularly impressive editing feat when the show of the real-life Super Bowl that had just aired in the episode.
PHOTO: NBC
Series creator Dan Fogelman knows how the show will end.
"I do, yes," he told in 2017, while also warning fans that he plans to continue the show for a limited amount of seasons. 鈥淚 think I kind of know what the next four or five or six seasons look like of this show. I don鈥檛 have every single moment planned out but I know where the big moves are for the show in every season. Because this show plays [with] time so much, you need to have a plan.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
"This Is Us" was initially envisioned as a movie.
Fogelman first wrote "This Is Us" as a feature film, with Jack and Rebecca Pearson giving birth to octuplets. But the project 鈥渘ever felt like a movie,鈥� as he told and he later realized the story was better suited for the small screen.
鈥淭he reason I was struggling with [the film] wasn鈥檛 the plot; it was about these characters and how I didn鈥檛 want to 鈥榖eginning-middle- and-end鈥� them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to do this continuous story 鈥攚hich felt very much like the theme of the show.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
"This Is Us" wasn鈥檛 the original title.
"It was originally called '36,' which is the age they're all turning at the beginning," Fogelman told of the first title, which he says he and other executives never liked.
鈥淚 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."
PHOTO: NBC
Mandy Moore is the youngest core cast member, despite playing one of the oldest characters.
On the show, Moore plays the Pearson family matriarch, Rebecca, from the ages of 27 to 66. But in real life she鈥檚 actually the youngest of the core cast at 34, younger than all three of the actors who play her kids.
PHOTO: NBC
Milo Ventimiglia donated his real car to production.
You know the Chevelle that Jack drives his kids around on the show? That鈥檚 actually Ventimiglia鈥檚 real car, which he gave to production. 鈥淭hey were looking for a Camaro, and I was like 'you can't put Jack Pearson in a Camaro!'鈥� he told .
After realizing it was period appropriate, he decided to give up the car on one condition. "I go, 'Okay, well you can use my car no problem, but whatever you鈥檙e going to pay me for it goes back to coffee trucks and burger trucks for the crew,鈥欌� he said.
PHOTO: NBC
The show created extra security measures to ensure that details of Jack鈥檚 deaths didn鈥檛 leak.
The circumstances surrounding Jack鈥檚 death became such a huge event in season two that the show had to pull out all the stops to keep it from leaking. Per , script pages were redacted, codenames were employed and everyone from crew members to extras had to sign nondisclosure agreements. Scenes were also shot out of order to throw off paparazzi.
鈥淚t wasn't like this last year,鈥� Moore told THR at the time. "It's like suddenly we're on 'Lost.'"
PHOTO: NBC
Writers incorporated Kate鈥檚 love for singing after discovering Chrissy Metz鈥檚 voice.
"When the producers found out Chrissy Metz could sing, they immediately had to put that in,鈥� Chris Sullivan, who plays Kate鈥檚 husband Toby, said, via . 鈥淪he sang live on-set twice, they recorded it, and that鈥檚 what you saw on television.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Justin Hartley鈥檚 real-life wedding took place at the same venue as Kevin鈥檚 rehab scenes.
That rehab where Kevin underwent treatment and therapy for his alcohol addiction? It鈥檚 actually Malibu鈥檚 Casamigos Ranch 鈥� which, oddly enough, is also where Kevin鈥檚 real-life counterpart got married.
鈥淗e had to do this brutally intense scene from the show where his character is lashing out and is torn into, and then have this really beautiful wedding in the exact same place,鈥� executive producer Issac Aptaker told . 鈥淚 think he actually spent his first night as a married man either in the room that Kevin was supposed to be staying in, or the adjacent room. It was just a weird coincidence."
PHOTO: NBC
Sterling K. Brown has improvised some of Randall鈥檚 most poignant lines.
Brown became known in season one for adding subtle but significant tweaks to his lines, often making them even more reflective of Randall鈥檚 experience as an upper middle-class man of color. reports that in a scene where he and his biological dad catch the eye of a couple after arguing outside in a predominantly white neighborhood, Brown ad-libbed the line, 鈥淛ust your friendly neighborhood black man.鈥�
He also threw in the line, 鈥淚鈥檓 still black; we gotta go,鈥� in a scene where he and Kevin hear police sirens after getting into a fistfight in Times Square.
PHOTO: NBC
Brown was also the one to suggest this fan favorite storyline.
In addition to improvising some of his lines, Brown occasionally pitches ideas to the writers. He was the one to suggest tackling the storyline of how Beth and Randall first met, which was explored further in season two.
"Very often, you choose somebody who looks like your mom, but Randall makes this conscious choice to be with a black woman,鈥� he told ahead of the sophomore season. 鈥淎nd I really want us to explore that."
PHOTO: NBC
Susan Kelechi Watson and Ron Cephas Jones rehearsed their pot brownie scene.
Before filming, the actors actually got together on their day off to rehearse the scene.
"Ron and I were nerds and got together that weekend [prior] and just talked about the scene," Watson said, per Glamour. "We did not eat pot brownies together! There was no pot in the brownies on-set, either!
PHOTO: NBC
Metz was one of two very different final candidates for the role of Kate.
As revealed, both women only had a few credits to their name, but represented 鈥渧ery different ideas of what passes for heavy on television.鈥� Producers ultimately decided Metz brought more authenticity to the part and hired her. She鈥檚 since been nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy.
PHOTO: NBC
Brown鈥檚 wife has appeared on the show.
Brown is married to fellow actor, Ryan Michelle Bathe, who actually and returned on season three, episode two (鈥淎 Philadelphia Story鈥�). She made her debut in the episode, 鈥淭he Pool,鈥� as Yvette, the mother of one of young Randall鈥檚 friends. Yvette ends up playing a small but significant role in the Pearsons鈥� interracial adoption journey, memorably advising Rebecca on how to cut Randall鈥檚 hair properly.
PHOTO: NBC
Fogelman鈥檚 sister is the real-life inspiration behind Kate.
Though she and Metz haven鈥檛 met in person (although they are Facebook friends), Fogelman鈥檚 sister reportedly reads every script and sends back notes, particularly around Kate鈥檚 storyline.
"Let me tell you, there's nothing better than telling a roomful of professional writers, 'My sister had a note on page five,鈥�" Fogelman joked to THR.
PHOTO: NBC
Season premieres always take place on The Big Three鈥檚 birthday.
"This Is Us" is filled with meaningful details, so it鈥檚 no surprise that even the structure of its episodes has significance. Every season premiere of the show so far has taken place on August 31, also known as the shared birthday of Randall, Kate and Kevin. It鈥檚 also the birthday of their late dad, Jack, which usually results in some bittersweet emotions on the day.
PHOTO: NBC
Caitlin Thompson, who plays Madison, is Fogelman鈥檚 wife.
Fans will recognize Thompson as Madison, a member of Kate鈥檚 weight loss support group who first infuriates her and later becomes a close friend. What they may not know is that Thompson is married to Fogelman in real life. The two .
PHOTO: NBC
Metz used to represent Hannah Zeile, who plays the younger version of Kate.
Zeile may look a lot like Metz, but the two share a deeper real-life connection. "I actually used to represent her when I was an agent,鈥� Metz told . 鈥淚t's full circle. Life is so crazy. I've been a huge fan of hers for as long as I've known her.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Ventimiglia first saw Moore at the premiere for "A Walk to Remember."
During an interview on The Hollywood Reporter's , Ventimiglia revealed the first time he crossed paths with future on screen wife. 鈥淭he first time I laid eyes on Mandy Moore, I was at a premiere for a movie called 'A Walk to Remember' [2002],鈥� he reminisced. 鈥淣o joke, man. My buddy was running the premieres and I couldn't make it to the actual film, but he said, 'Hey, why don't you come to the party after?鈥欌�
Ventimiglia remembers seeing Moore across the room, although he says they didn鈥檛 actually meet that day.
PHOTO: NBC
Ventimiglia screen-tested with three actresses 鈥� including Moore 鈥� during the casting of Rebecca.
It took more than a decade after that premiere for Ventimiglia to officially meet Moore. 鈥淭he first time we met was at the ['This Is Us'] test,鈥� he said on Awards Chatter. 鈥淒an [Fogelman] hadn鈥檛 given me any indication of who he liked between Mandy and the two other actresses I read with. But after that reading, it was very clear that it had to be Mandy. It had to be her.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Moore says some of the season one scenes with Jack and Rebecca hit close to home.
Season one featured some brutal fights between Jack and Rebecca 鈥� some of which Moore, who got divorced in 2016 after seven years of marriage to singer Ryan Adams, says reminded her of her past relationship.
"Sometimes it hits really close to the bone,鈥� in 2017. "There were certain scenes and bits and pieces of this season, with Jack and Rebecca, that echoed things that I've experienced in my own life almost to a T, that just blew me away.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
There鈥檚 a significant meaning behind Dr. K鈥檚 name.
Dr. Katowski, played by Gerald McRaney, is named after both Fogelman鈥檚 in-laws and his favorite baseball team. 鈥淢y wife鈥檚 father鈥檚 side of the family are Katowskis 鈥� Polish 鈥� and I always liked the name. So, I put that name in there for [her] side of the family,鈥� he told .
As for the character鈥檚 nickname, 鈥淒r. K.,鈥� Fogelman said, "I鈥檓 a huge New York Mets fan, so [ballplayer] Dwight Gooden was Dr. K (because the symbol for a strikeout in baseball is a K), and I always thought, 'That would be a funny thing to nickname a doctor.'鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Brown says Randall鈥檚 storyline with his biological dad was 鈥渃athartic鈥� to him.
Brown, who lost his father at the age of 10, said on , 鈥淚t was my entree into the character: fathers and sons. I'm glad it resonated with people, because it was cathartic for me. He added, 鈥淚 felt like I got a chance to say goodbye to my dad."
PHOTO: NBC
The writers鈥� room occasionally invites speakers to share personal experiences.
Knowing the wide range of stories "This Is Us" encompasses, Fogelman made it a point to assemble a writer鈥檚 room that鈥檚 diverse in age, race, gender, etc. But there are still times when the writers lack firsthand knowledge of some of the experiences they鈥檙e writing about. In those cases, they consult with outside speakers who are invited to the room to share their stories. Per , the show has brought in multiple people to discuss various perspectives of transracial adoption.
PHOTO: NBC
Ventimiglia is basically the dad of the cast.
As No. 1 on the call sheet, Ventimiglia has taken the lead in creating a close-knit relationship among the cast and crew. The actor regularly checks in with the other actors and oversees various show-related text chains, including one just for the Pearsons. Ahead of season two, he also for every cast and crew member with the 鈥淛ack's Big Three Homes鈥� logo on them.
PHOTO: NBC
That 2018 Super Bowl episode included actual footage of Super Bowl LII.
Season two鈥檚 鈥淪uper Bowl Sunday鈥� episode told the stories of two different Super Bowl viewings, past and present, and was specifically timed to air on NBC right after the end of Super Bowl LII. So it was a particularly impressive editing feat when the show of the real-life Super Bowl that had just aired in the episode.
PHOTO: NBC
Series creator Dan Fogelman knows how the show will end.
"I do, yes," he told in 2017, while also warning fans that he plans to continue the show for a limited amount of seasons. 鈥淚 think I kind of know what the next four or five or six seasons look like of this show. I don鈥檛 have every single moment planned out but I know where the big moves are for the show in every season. Because this show plays [with] time so much, you need to have a plan.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
"This Is Us" was initially envisioned as a movie.
Fogelman first wrote "This Is Us" as a feature film, with Jack and Rebecca Pearson giving birth to octuplets. But the project 鈥渘ever felt like a movie,鈥� as he told and he later realized the story was better suited for the small screen.
鈥淭he reason I was struggling with [the film] wasn鈥檛 the plot; it was about these characters and how I didn鈥檛 want to 鈥榖eginning-middle- and-end鈥� them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to do this continuous story 鈥攚hich felt very much like the theme of the show.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
"This Is Us" wasn鈥檛 the original title.
"It was originally called '36,' which is the age they're all turning at the beginning," Fogelman told of the first title, which he says he and other executives never liked.
鈥淚 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."
PHOTO: NBC
Mandy Moore is the youngest core cast member, despite playing one of the oldest characters.
On the show, Moore plays the Pearson family matriarch, Rebecca, from the ages of 27 to 66. But in real life she鈥檚 actually the youngest of the core cast at 34, younger than all three of the actors who play her kids.
PHOTO: NBC
Milo Ventimiglia donated his real car to production.
You know the Chevelle that Jack drives his kids around on the show? That鈥檚 actually Ventimiglia鈥檚 real car, which he gave to production. 鈥淭hey were looking for a Camaro, and I was like 'you can't put Jack Pearson in a Camaro!'鈥� he told .
After realizing it was period appropriate, he decided to give up the car on one condition. "I go, 'Okay, well you can use my car no problem, but whatever you鈥檙e going to pay me for it goes back to coffee trucks and burger trucks for the crew,鈥欌� he said.
PHOTO: NBC
The show created extra security measures to ensure that details of Jack鈥檚 deaths didn鈥檛 leak.
The circumstances surrounding Jack鈥檚 death became such a huge event in season two that the show had to pull out all the stops to keep it from leaking. Per , script pages were redacted, codenames were employed and everyone from crew members to extras had to sign nondisclosure agreements. Scenes were also shot out of order to throw off paparazzi.
鈥淚t wasn't like this last year,鈥� Moore told THR at the time. "It's like suddenly we're on 'Lost.'"
PHOTO: NBC
Writers incorporated Kate鈥檚 love for singing after discovering Chrissy Metz鈥檚 voice.
"When the producers found out Chrissy Metz could sing, they immediately had to put that in,鈥� Chris Sullivan, who plays Kate鈥檚 husband Toby, said, via . 鈥淪he sang live on-set twice, they recorded it, and that鈥檚 what you saw on television.鈥�
PHOTO: NBC
Justin Hartley鈥檚 real-life wedding took place at the same venue as Kevin鈥檚 rehab scenes.
That rehab where Kevin underwent treatment and therapy for his alcohol addiction? It鈥檚 actually Malibu鈥檚 Casamigos Ranch 鈥� which, oddly enough, is also where Kevin鈥檚 real-life counterpart got married.
鈥淗e had to do this brutally intense scene from the show where his character is lashing out and is torn into, and then have this really beautiful wedding in the exact same place,鈥� executive producer Issac Aptaker told . 鈥淚 think he actually spent his first night as a married man either in the room that Kevin was supposed to be staying in, or the adjacent room. It was just a weird coincidence."
PHOTO: NBC
Sterling K. Brown has improvised some of Randall鈥檚 most poignant lines.
Brown became known in season one for adding subtle but significant tweaks to his lines, often making them even more reflective of Randall鈥檚 experience as an upper middle-class man of color. reports that in a scene where he and his biological dad catch the eye of a couple after arguing outside in a predominantly white neighborhood, Brown ad-libbed the line, 鈥淛ust your friendly neighborhood black man.鈥�
He also threw in the line, 鈥淚鈥檓 still black; we gotta go,鈥� in a scene where he and Kevin hear police sirens after getting into a fistfight in Times Square.
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Brown was also the one to suggest this fan favorite storyline.
In addition to improvising some of his lines, Brown occasionally pitches ideas to the writers. He was the one to suggest tackling the storyline of how Beth and Randall first met, which was explored further in season two.
"Very often, you choose somebody who looks like your mom, but Randall makes this conscious choice to be with a black woman,鈥� he told ahead of the sophomore season. 鈥淎nd I really want us to explore that."
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Susan Kelechi Watson and Ron Cephas Jones rehearsed their pot brownie scene.
Before filming, the actors actually got together on their day off to rehearse the scene.
"Ron and I were nerds and got together that weekend [prior] and just talked about the scene," Watson said, per Glamour. "We did not eat pot brownies together! There was no pot in the brownies on-set, either!
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Metz was one of two very different final candidates for the role of Kate.
As revealed, both women only had a few credits to their name, but represented 鈥渧ery different ideas of what passes for heavy on television.鈥� Producers ultimately decided Metz brought more authenticity to the part and hired her. She鈥檚 since been nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy.
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Brown鈥檚 wife has appeared on the show.
Brown is married to fellow actor, Ryan Michelle Bathe, who actually and returned on season three, episode two (鈥淎 Philadelphia Story鈥�). She made her debut in the episode, 鈥淭he Pool,鈥� as Yvette, the mother of one of young Randall鈥檚 friends. Yvette ends up playing a small but significant role in the Pearsons鈥� interracial adoption journey, memorably advising Rebecca on how to cut Randall鈥檚 hair properly.
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Fogelman鈥檚 sister is the real-life inspiration behind Kate.
Though she and Metz haven鈥檛 met in person (although they are Facebook friends), Fogelman鈥檚 sister reportedly reads every script and sends back notes, particularly around Kate鈥檚 storyline.
"Let me tell you, there's nothing better than telling a roomful of professional writers, 'My sister had a note on page five,鈥�" Fogelman joked to THR.
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Season premieres always take place on The Big Three鈥檚 birthday.
"This Is Us" is filled with meaningful details, so it鈥檚 no surprise that even the structure of its episodes has significance. Every season premiere of the show so far has taken place on August 31, also known as the shared birthday of Randall, Kate and Kevin. It鈥檚 also the birthday of their late dad, Jack, which usually results in some bittersweet emotions on the day.
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Caitlin Thompson, who plays Madison, is Fogelman鈥檚 wife.
Fans will recognize Thompson as Madison, a member of Kate鈥檚 weight loss support group who first infuriates her and later becomes a close friend. What they may not know is that Thompson is married to Fogelman in real life. The two .
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Metz used to represent Hannah Zeile, who plays the younger version of Kate.
Zeile may look a lot like Metz, but the two share a deeper real-life connection. "I actually used to represent her when I was an agent,鈥� Metz told . 鈥淚t's full circle. Life is so crazy. I've been a huge fan of hers for as long as I've known her.鈥�
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Ventimiglia first saw Moore at the premiere for "A Walk to Remember."
During an interview on The Hollywood Reporter's , Ventimiglia revealed the first time he crossed paths with future on screen wife. 鈥淭he first time I laid eyes on Mandy Moore, I was at a premiere for a movie called 'A Walk to Remember' [2002],鈥� he reminisced. 鈥淣o joke, man. My buddy was running the premieres and I couldn't make it to the actual film, but he said, 'Hey, why don't you come to the party after?鈥欌�
Ventimiglia remembers seeing Moore across the room, although he says they didn鈥檛 actually meet that day.
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Ventimiglia screen-tested with three actresses 鈥� including Moore 鈥� during the casting of Rebecca.
It took more than a decade after that premiere for Ventimiglia to officially meet Moore. 鈥淭he first time we met was at the ['This Is Us'] test,鈥� he said on Awards Chatter. 鈥淒an [Fogelman] hadn鈥檛 given me any indication of who he liked between Mandy and the two other actresses I read with. But after that reading, it was very clear that it had to be Mandy. It had to be her.鈥�
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Moore says some of the season one scenes with Jack and Rebecca hit close to home.
Season one featured some brutal fights between Jack and Rebecca 鈥� some of which Moore, who got divorced in 2016 after seven years of marriage to singer Ryan Adams, says reminded her of her past relationship.
"Sometimes it hits really close to the bone,鈥� in 2017. "There were certain scenes and bits and pieces of this season, with Jack and Rebecca, that echoed things that I've experienced in my own life almost to a T, that just blew me away.鈥�
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There鈥檚 a significant meaning behind Dr. K鈥檚 name.
Dr. Katowski, played by Gerald McRaney, is named after both Fogelman鈥檚 in-laws and his favorite baseball team. 鈥淢y wife鈥檚 father鈥檚 side of the family are Katowskis 鈥� Polish 鈥� and I always liked the name. So, I put that name in there for [her] side of the family,鈥� he told .
As for the character鈥檚 nickname, 鈥淒r. K.,鈥� Fogelman said, "I鈥檓 a huge New York Mets fan, so [ballplayer] Dwight Gooden was Dr. K (because the symbol for a strikeout in baseball is a K), and I always thought, 'That would be a funny thing to nickname a doctor.'鈥�
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Brown says Randall鈥檚 storyline with his biological dad was 鈥渃athartic鈥� to him.
Brown, who lost his father at the age of 10, said on , 鈥淚t was my entree into the character: fathers and sons. I'm glad it resonated with people, because it was cathartic for me. He added, 鈥淚 felt like I got a chance to say goodbye to my dad."
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The writers鈥� room occasionally invites speakers to share personal experiences.
Knowing the wide range of stories "This Is Us" encompasses, Fogelman made it a point to assemble a writer鈥檚 room that鈥檚 diverse in age, race, gender, etc. But there are still times when the writers lack firsthand knowledge of some of the experiences they鈥檙e writing about. In those cases, they consult with outside speakers who are invited to the room to share their stories. Per , the show has brought in multiple people to discuss various perspectives of transracial adoption.
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Ventimiglia is basically the dad of the cast.
As No. 1 on the call sheet, Ventimiglia has taken the lead in creating a close-knit relationship among the cast and crew. The actor regularly checks in with the other actors and oversees various show-related text chains, including one just for the Pearsons. Ahead of season two, he also for every cast and crew member with the 鈥淛ack's Big Three Homes鈥� logo on them.
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That 2018 Super Bowl episode included actual footage of Super Bowl LII.
Season two鈥檚 鈥淪uper Bowl Sunday鈥� episode told the stories of two different Super Bowl viewings, past and present, and was specifically timed to air on NBC right after the end of Super Bowl LII. So it was a particularly impressive editing feat when the show of the real-life Super Bowl that had just aired in the episode.
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Warning: you might cry reading this
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Now that "This Is Us" is back on TV, we know exactly where we鈥檒l be every Tuesday night: glued to our screens, laughing and crying along with the Pearsons. Every season of NBC鈥檚 emotional family drama is filled with new questions and details for fans to pore over and analyze. But not all the good stuff happens on screen 鈥� the making of the show is just as fascinating. From the debate over the show鈥檚 title to the cast member known for improvising lines, here are some facts about "This Is Us" that every super fan should know.