Mandy Moore: From TV Mom to Real-Life Protagonist
In a cosmic twist of irony, Mandy Moore confides in PEOPLE that playing the role of a mom on This Is Us has actually prepped her for the real gig of parenting—because who wouldn’t want to take notes from a fictional script?
“Reflecting on those early days is a real knee-slapper,” the actress chuckles, probably while simultaneously managing three children and a bottle of wine—no judgment here.
Moore’s domestic chaos consists of sons August “Gus” Harrison and Oscar “Ozzie” Bennett, plus their daughter Louise “Lou” Everett, all expertly juggled with the help of her husband Taylor Goldsmith. Because why not magnify the challenge?
Art imitating life? More like life stealing notes from art! In her exclusive chit-chat with PEOPLE, Moore reveals how her emotional journey on This Is Us prepared her for the rollercoaster of parenting—who needs parenting classes when you have a script?
“The biggest lightbulb moment from the show? That I’m a parent now,” Moore muses. “Watching it with fresh eyes is like watching a cooking show while holding a burnt casserole—thrilling yet painful.”
As she reminisces about her initial cluelessness—”How on earth was I supposed to know how to change a diaper?”—we can’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie. Who actually knows what they’re doing in parenting? If only there were an online tutorial for that!
Now let’s shift gears: This Is Us, that era-defining drama, ran from September 2016 to May 2022, chronicling the Pearson family’s melodrama while we all collectively wondered why our families were so normal. Moore portrayed the beloved matriarch Rebecca Pearson alongside Milo Ventimiglia, who played the long-suffering Jack. Think of it as an epic soap opera where everyone is always crying for completely relatable reasons.
The show was a darling of the Emmy circuit—39 nominations and four wins—proving yet again that nothing says ‘success’ like a good sob fest. And if you haven’t caught up yet, worry not! This Is Us is available to stream, so you too can join the emotional upheaval that only a fictional family can deliver.
In an unexpected turn of events, Moore, Brown, and Sullivan have embarked on a podcasting career, cleverly titled That Was Us, where they dive back into the emotional wreckage of the show. Because nothing says self-care like dissecting your fictional past while trying to survive motherhood!
So if you’re pondering which parenting hack to employ next—just take a tip from Mandy Moore: sometimes the best lessons come from the most tear-jerking moments. Parenting might not come with a script, but it sure helps to have a solid drama or two in your back pocket.
