Listen: Mandy Moore Talks the Next Season of ‘This Is Us’ and Getting Joe Biden Elected

Marc Malkin
·4 min read

Click here to read the full article.

Mandy Moore insists she doesn’t know the complete history of Rebecca Pearson and Miguel Rivas’ relationship on “This Is Us.”

“I know as much as the audience knows at this point — Rebecca and Miguel were in each other’s lives,” Moore, who earned an Emmy nomination last year for her work as Rebecca, says on Tuesday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.”

More from Variety

“I think she particularly leaned on him a little heavier,” she explained. “Post-Jack’s passing, he became the de facto man around the house and fixed things and was a shoulder for her to cry on, more or less. But I think we’re going to explore what precipitated this falling out between them, because we’ve seen in seasons past, the next time they really connect with each other is about 10 years later. He lives in a different state, so he’s not in their lives anymore, especially not as a day-to-day basis. So I’m curious what that falling out could’ve come from. I know that’s something we’re going to explore and then pick up in that 2008 era when they do reconnect and figure out how they get together.”

Now the big question, of course, is when “This Is Us” will return to shooting. Moore has been spending time during quarantine at home in Los Angeles. She was supposed to be on her concert tour, but plans were put on hold due to the pandemic. While she spent some time “mourning that experience,” she also said, “There’s much bigger fish to fry.” Fans have been able to watch her perform on Instagram, putting on concerts with her musician husband Taylor Goldsmith.

Moore has also found herself much more engaged with politics these days. In fact, she was an early supporter of Peter Buttigieg during the Democratic presidential primary. “I want to get as involved as we can be,” she said. “It continues on a daily basis to feel like there’s more and more at stake. I’m not quite sure what involvement is going to tangibly look like, because I’m not sure how much physical contact we’re going to be able to have with one another in terms of canvassing. I was all excited; I want to get out and actually knock on doors, and I want to go to swing states and help campaigns for Amy McGrath in Kentucky. I think a lot more is going to have to exist on social media and digitally. But I’m down to do my part and help out in any way possible to get [Joe] Biden elected.”

While some people believe celebrities should be silent about their politics, Moore argues that now is the time to be vocal. “I think we all have a responsibility at this point to make noise, to educate ourselves on the issues that impact us and impact people we love and people that we don’t know,” she said. “I think now more than ever, we have to be vocal. We have to use whatever platforms we have to have these conversations, to create a dialogue with the world at large, and with our own communities and our own families and friends. We’re not going to be able to be true change-makers and take action in the world if we’re not willing to stick our necks out a little bit and have conversations that may be uncomfortable.”

When asked if she’d ever seek elected office, Moore was quick to answer, “I am never going to run for office. I am not the least bit qualified. But I will continue to use my platform to advocate for change and to advocate for people that I believe stand a good chance of really making change in this world and doing good in this world.”

You can listen to the full interview with Moore above. You can also find “The Big Ticket” at iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Subscribe to “The Big Ticket” newsletter here.

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.