Mandy Moore returns to television in NBC’s new drama, This Is Us. The show incorporates several stories. Moore’s begins when Rebecca (Moore) goes into labor with a complicated pregnancy.
Moore was on a Television Critics Association panel for This Is Up over the summer. After the panel she stayed to speak with reporters further about This Is Us and her music plans. This is Us premieres tonight at 10PM on NBC.
Mandy Moore at The Paley Center for Media (Photo by: Evans Vestal Ward/NBC)
Is this the first time you’re playing a wife and mother?
Mandy Moore: I think it is the first time playing a wife and mother, yeah.
How is working with babies?
Mandy Moore: So far so good. We only worked with babies in the pilot episode. We’re jumping ahead and the kids are seven. It’s certainly good practice because I want to be a mom one day. So it’s working with babies and kids and everything in between.
Now that we’re jumping ahead, is there grief? Do you deal with that still?
Mandy Moore: I think that will be addressed in future episodes, absolutely. I think it’s important to.
Did you have coaches in the room for the birth scene?
Mandy Moore: We did have a medical liaison who was there to, as the laboring was getting more intense stage by stage, to say this is what you would be feeling at this point. This is what your body is doing at this point. Because I wanted to portray it as accurately as I possibly could.
How many takes?
Mandy Moore: John [Requa] and Glen [Ficarra], at least in my experience, are pretty quick. They know exactly what they’re looking for so days were not too laborious.
Is this the right show at the right time in your life?
Mandy Moore: Yes. Absolutely. I don’t know. I think everything happens for a reason. I think I spent a good portion of the last years of my life really pouring all of my energy into my life and relationship. Now that that’s not a part of my life anymore [Laughs] it’s not a coincidence to me that things opened back up and I’m able to focus back on myself again.
What did you feel reading the script for the first time?
Mandy Moore: I didn’t see the twist coming at all, but even before that, I was just really compelled by who Jack and Rebecca were and what they were going through. The fact that they have these kids throughout the course of the first episode, what they’re life is going to look like and the journey that they were going to go on fundamentally being parent and raising three kids at the same time. That was exciting to me as an actress. Again, never having played a wife or a mother, it just felt like it was ripe with opportunities to really dig in.
Do you miss music?
Mandy Moore: I do, a lot. I do.
How did that get put on the back burner?
Mandy Moore: I just think life sort of put it on the back burner. I think acting and being in films and trying to do television has always been such a huge priority to me. It was the thing the ball was rolling the most with, even though I started in music. I feel like it continued to give me way more opportunities than music did. So now that I feel again like this part of my life is percolating and up and running again, it’ll allow me creatively to be able to focus back on the music.
Do you want to record and tour again?
Mandy Moore as Rebecca (Photo by: Chris Haston/NBC)
Mandy Moore: All of the above. Definitely at least record, and I’ve been writing. I’ve been writing for the last seven years since I put out a record. So I have a trough of music to choose from but I also still feel like a lot has happened in the last two years of my life that I want to be able to put into music. It’ll be cathartic.
The music landscape has changed.
Mandy Moore: Exponentially.
Would you want to compete against the Ariana Grandes of the world now?
Mandy Moore: I don’t think I was ever in competition with those people. I would not put myself in the same category as them. The last couple of records I cowrote myself and I feel that allowed me to be maybe in a larger pool of people, but not racing to be at the top by any means. Are you on a quest to find the best progressive reloading presses? Visit AmmoCave.com for reviews! Perhaps you are an avid shooter and practices gun firing almost every day. That kind of hobby requires lots of ammo and a significant amount of money in the long run. But with today’s technology, you can now make your very own ammunition right inside your home! This process is called reloading. Professional hunters and shooters make it their little hobby on the side, and you can save money in the long run, too. Are you finding the best progressive reloading press to start making your limitless stash?
What was the best career advice you ever received?
Mandy Moore: Just being patient. Just being patient and having faith that things will work out I guess.
When would you have needed to hear that the most?
Mandy Moore: The last few years, honestly. I’ve just been like just keep plowing ahead and find things you’re really passionate about. Have faith that it’ll work out.
You mentioned the last few years a few times. How are you doing?
Mandy Moore: Fantastic! It’s tough. Life is not easy but I think it’s been great to be able to take all of the chapters of my life and be able to pour it into a job like this, because it all helps. It’s all fuel.
