1. This is Us is inclusive of race, gender, age, body shape, sexual orientation, and even time. We all come from somewhere; This is Us represents the power of family, the love from which we derive strength in taking on life’s various challenges. But also that, we have the agency to become whom we want to be, independent of primary institutions—as demonstrated by Jack and Rebecca. The show highlights making one’s own fortune through the innate human need for connection and truth.
3. The breakout drama is nevertheless helping broadcast TV make a comeback at the award shows. If ‘This is Us’ wins, it would be the first time in 11 years since a broadcast TV series has won (the last time being Fox’s 24) in the TV drama category. Competition has been fierce in recent years with the uprising of cable and streaming-service programs. This is Us is the only broadcast drama nominated this year, competing against Netflix’s House of Cards, The Crown, Stranger Things, as well as HBO’s Westworld, and Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, among others.
4. The Emmy nominations include two lead actor nods for Milo Ventimiglia and Sterling K.Brown, and two supporting nods for Chrissy Metz and Ron Cephas Jones.
5. This is Ventimiglia’s first Emmy nomination after being in front of the camera for 21 years. “This is now my 21st year in front of the camera, professionally; I feel like I’m at the beginning,” the 39-year-old actor tells THR with a smile and a laugh.”
8. Milo’s hot bod is no accident. The actor gets fit with the same trainer “who worked with Bradley Cooper on American Sniper and Matt Damon on the Bourne films.” “It’s one of those things where I heard Will Smith say, ‘It’s better to be ready than to have to get ready.’
9. Mandy Moore is the youngest of the main cast. Sterling K. Brown, who plays her son, is in reality 8 years older, while Justin Hartley is 40 years old.
10. Plus-size actors’ love interests are underrepresented on TV and to have the airtime that Kate and Toby do on the show is a step that Chrissy Metz is excited to be a part of.
12. Mandy Moore’s character required different prosthetic breasts for different trimesters of the pregnancy.
14. Part of why Chrissy Metz agreed to play Kate Pearson on the show is that character development would require the actress to lose weight in real life too, as contractually stated.
15. BUT Chris sullivan, who plays Toby, wears a fat suit on the show.
16. Sterling K. Brown resonated with Randall because both grew up without knowing their father.
17. Jack is the only main character to appear in every episode in the first season.
