That Was Us

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 14: "The Music and the Mirror." As Beth questions her future after the collapse of her dance studio, Kate searches for purpose and confidence, Kevin reflects on the life he’s building with Madison, and Toby struggles with feeling lost after losing his job. In this episode, the hosts chat about: * Chris’s journey from competitive tennis to pickleball * Mandy’s evolving relationship with music and finding her way back to singing * Parenting, communication, and helping kids navigate big emotions and boundaries * Beth’s emotional journey as her dance studio struggles through the pandemic * Randall learning that sometimes support means showing up rather than fixing the problem * Kevin’s disastrous movie screening and growing doubts about his future with Madison * Rebecca and Kate’s emotional reconciliation and the healing of old wounds * Toby’s struggle with unemployment, pride, and asking for help They’re also joined by Abby Romeo and her mother Christine, from Love on the Spectrum, to discuss: * How This Is Us helped them better understand one another * Abby’s experience as a Gestalt thinker and why the show's flashback structure resonates with her * The importance of openness and representation when talking about autism * Abby’s songwriting process and how music helps her process her experiences And a friendly reminder, you can catch new episodes of That Was Us every Monday, a day early, exclusively on Hulu. Available on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts on Tuesdays like usual! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Don’t just take my word for it – go grab one for yourself. Head to Walmart today to try a bar or stock up on 4CTs of your favorite flavors, like Blueberry Pie and Salted Peanut Butter, sold exclusively at Walmart. Check out https://Walmart.com to find a store near you! - You can also find Unreal products anywhere cravings hit, including at Whole Foods, Target, Costco, and other grocery stores Visit https://Unrealsnacks.com/TWU to get $2 off a bag of Unreal. Terms and conditions apply. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards About Headgum: Headgum is an LA & NY-based podcast network creating premium podcasts with the funniest, most engaging voices in comedy to achieve one goal: Making our audience and ourselves laugh. Listen to our shows at https://www.headgum.com. » SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1 » FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum » FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/ » FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on That Was Us, we’re breaking down This Is Us Season 5, Episode 13: “Brotherly Love.” As Kevin travels to Philadelphia to finally confront the unresolved tension between himself and Randall, the episode explores race, identity, jealousy, and the complicated realities of growing up as brothers who experienced the same childhood very differently. In this episode, the hosts chat about: * The meaning behind Philadelphia being called the “City of Brotherly Love” * What real apologies and amends actually look like * Thoughtlessness vs. overt racism and how those conversations show up in everyday life * Choreographing fights, drunk acting, and Milo’s performance as intoxicated Jack * Personal stories about early adulthood struggles, cheap meals, and figuring life out in your twenties They also break down the episode, including: * Young Randall imagining his “ghost kingdom” parents * Jack taking Kevin and Randall to a taping of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood * Kevin’s resentment over Randall receiving “special treatment” as a child * Kevin and Randall’s drunken spring break trip and explosive cab fight in college * Randall explaining the emotional complexity of growing up Black in a white family * Their argument about gratitude, adoption, and feeling like an outsider in your own home * Kevin finally acknowledging his jealousy and Randall’s lived experience as a Black man And a friendly reminder, you can catch new episodes of That Was Us every Monday, a day early, exclusively on Hulu. Available on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts on Tuesdays like usual!" That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards About Headgum: Headgum is an LA & NY-based podcast network creating premium podcasts with the funniest, most engaging voices in comedy to achieve one goal: Making our audience and ourselves laugh. Listen to our shows at https://www.headgum.com. » SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1 » FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum » FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/ » FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on That Was Us, we’re so beyond excited to be joined in studio by actor Eris Baker, who grew up playing Tess Pearson on This Is Us! Eris reflects on her journey from child actor to USC film production student, opening up about balancing school and set life, stepping into storytelling behind the camera, and how playing Tess shaped both her personal life and creative voice. In this episode, Eris chats about: * Booking This Is Us at just 10 years old after filming a Target commercial * Growing up on set alongside the cast and forming lifelong bonds with the Black Pearson family * Navigating school while working and missing out on a traditional high school experience * Choosing USC’s film production track and her dream of becoming a creative producer and director * Writing and directing her own short films and the emotional response one of them got from Sterling * Working as a PA on Dan Fogelman’s series Paradise and hustling for internships at production companies * Saying yes to Tess’s coming-out storyline at age 12 * Cutting her hair for the storyline and how it impacted her confidence entering high school * Preparing emotionally for Tess’s coming-out scene with support from Sterling, Susan Kelechi Watson, Ken Olin, and Dan Fogelman * Her close friendship with Lyric Ross and Faith Herman both on and off screen * Where she imagines Tess, Deja, and Annie would be today * Why she hopes to one day run her own production company And a friendly reminder, you can catch new episodes of That Was Us every Monday, a day early, exclusively on Hulu. Available on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts on Tuesdays like usual!" That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Don’t just take my word for it – go grab one for yourself. Head to Walmart today to try a bar or stock up on 4CTs of your favorite flavors, like Blueberry Pie and Salted Peanut Butter, sold exclusively at Walmart. Check out https://Walmart.com to find a store near you! - Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to https://Quince.com/twu for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards About Headgum: Headgum is an LA & NY-based podcast network creating premium podcasts with the funniest, most engaging voices in comedy to achieve one goal: Making our audience and ourselves laugh. Listen to our shows at https://www.headgum.com. » SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1 » FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum » FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/ » FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 1: Forty: Part One. It’s The Big Three's 40th birthday, and everyone heads to the cabin to quarantine and celebrate the big milestone, except Randall. We also jump back to the day The Big Three were born, exploring the parallels between Jack and William’s experience as new fathers, and uncovering the powerful backstory of Randall’s birth mother, Laurel. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling chat to the lovely Jennifer C. Holmes! She joins the hosts in-studio to talk all about Laurel's character, how she got the part, and her favorite memories from filming. They also chat about the shift they felt returning to set as first-time parents, what it was like filming during Covid, how the show successfully started conversations about difficult topics, and more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/TWU and get on your way to being your best self. - Get Cozy Earth pajamas for you and someone you love. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use our code TWUBOGO from January 25th through February 8th. - Go to https://Leesa.com for 25% off PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code TWU ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:17:38 Fan Segment 01:47:39 Wrap Up Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 4, Episode 17: After the Fire. While in therapy, Randall begins to imagine what life might have looked like if Jack had survived the house fire, revealing just how differently the Pearsons’ lives could have turned out. This week on the podcast we also have a very exciting guest join us in studio, the one and only Pamela Adlon! Pamela talks about her time playing Dr. Leigh on the show, what she remembers about working with Sterling in her scenes, fun memories from filming, her hilarious Oprah story, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Make home the best part of life. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use our code TWU for up to 20% off. -Buy four cartons and get the fifth free, at https://davidprotein.com/thatwasus. David has officially launched nationwide at Walmart. Humans aren’t perfect, but David is. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 00:49:21 Interview 01:30:31 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year and welcome back to the pod! We’re excited for 2026 and all the fun episodes coming your way! On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 4, Episode 15: Clouds. Kevin and Rebecca spend the day checking off experiences she’s always dreamed of, including a visit to Joni Mitchell’s old home, right before Rebecca receives her official diagnosis. Meanwhile, Randall is reluctant to open up in his therapy session, and Kate and Toby reconnect in their marriage. On the podcast, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling chat about how you present yourself to the world, wanting to be a good person, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: Buy four cartons and get the fifth free, at https://davidprotein.com/thatwasus David has officially launched nationwide at Walmart. Humans aren’t perfect, but David is. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/TWU and get on your way to being your best self. Try Zip Recruiter for free at https://ZipRecruiter.com/TWU. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:12:53 Interview 01:42:31 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 4, Episode 14: The Cabin. As the Big Three reunite at the family cabin, old wounds reopen, including flashbacks to Kate’s toxic relationship with Marc, and a rediscovered time capsule gives them a long-lost piece of Jack. Plus, here to join the discussion is the Director of this episode, Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight, Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown)! Catherine chats about her memories of filming with the cast at the cabin, the drawing she created that’s featured in the episode, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: Help protect your home systems – and your wallet – with HomeServe againstcovered repairs. Plans start at just $4.99 a month. Go to https://HomeServe.com tofind the plan that’s right for you. Brought to you by Bombas, One Clothing Item Purchased = One Clothing Item Donated Head over to https://Bombas.com and use code TWU for 20% off your first purchase. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:05:31 Fan Segment 01:27:09 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices