Mandy Moore, star of NBC’s This Is Us , was surprised when she learned of the series of events that will eventually befall her character Rebecca, the matriarch of the Pearson family. She was shocked when she learned of Rebecca’s uncertain future, which begins to be unwrapped during the series’ Season 3 finale.
Moore said in a statement to Glamour Magazine that she understands the trajectory the character will take as the show moves forward, but it is still shocking to her nonetheless when she learns how Rebecca will fare in the future.
“My reaction was, ‘Oh, Rebecca,’” she said per Glamour . “Dan Fogelman is a genius. I was like, ‘Yeah. OK. I see that. I believe that. I understand that. Yep.’”
As for the persistent fan rumors that Rebecca will fall ill to a disease such as Alzheimer’s? Moore said that they make for a “good theory” but added that these rumors are “not true.”
The series details the lives of the fictional Pearson family, which includes Rebecca, Jack, Randall, Kevin, and Kate, and their significant others, Beth, Zoe, and Toby. Fans have been taken on an emotional rollercoaster for the past several weeks as they have witnessed the premature birth of Kate and Toby’s first baby, Rebecca’s emotional state, Kevin’s relapse into drinking, and the fate of his future with Zoe.
Then there is the marriage of Randall and Beth, whom fans always believed would find a way to set their marriage on the right path after a tumultuous year where Randall was elected to public office, the couple adopted a daughter, Beth faced an uncertain future after she was fired and their young daughter came out as gay.
This is Us creator Dan Fogelman told Glamour that Season 3’s finale “feels very big.”
“It feels like a real midpoint for us, and I’m very excited about it. The last five minutes of it are as big and sprawling and epic as we get.”
Deadline reported in February that Fogelman revealed the show will end after Season 6, so the midpoint of the series, where it currently is now, is where several pivotal moments will be staged and the future will be set as the series moves forward. Fogelman said that in retrospect, Season 3 was a lot about the redemption of many of the longstanding issues that faced the family and the changes that come along with facing some uncomfortable issues in the past. He noted that Season 4, which will debut in the fall, will be a “season of new beginnings and restarts.”
This is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.