‘This Is Us’ Star Mandy Moore Says Jack and Rebecca’s Anniversary Episode Will Be ‘Bittersweet’

After two emotionally grueling episodes about Jack’s death and his funeral, This Is Us will return from its Winter Olympics break on Tuesday with a lighter tone. Scenes in the past will focus on Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore) celebrating their anniversary.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Mandy Moore said the anniversary will be “bittersweet,” especially when juxtaposed next to scenes of present-day Kate (Chrissy Metz) and Toby (Chris Sullivan) having their bachelorette and bachelor parties in Las Vegas.

“We come to the point where we don’t necessarily want to go through all of the hoopla and maybe just have a quiet night in — and the kids have another idea together,” Moore said of the scenes in the past. “It definitely is a lighter episode, and I think it will definitely be bittersweet, knowing what we’ve just gone through with these characters.”

Moore also said fans will think of Jack in a new light, now that we finally know how he died and we saw his funeral.

“I think moving forward now will be bittersweet for people to realize, ‘Oh goodness, he really was this superhero and father,’” the actress said. “And looking back at all the sweet moments that they shared, it might tug at the heartstrings a little bit more than usual.”

Moore also said the last three episodes of season two will not go back to the time period just after the funeral. The series has already been picked up for a third season, so perhaps we can see more next year.

Creator Dan Fogelman told Entertainment Weekly last week that fans “deserve a break” after the previous super-serious episodes.

“Ultimately, we’re culminating at a big, moving family event, which would presumably be Kate’s wedding,” Fogelman said.

However, there are still a few heavier subjects left to tackle. We will see some of Jack’s experience in the Vietnam War, before he met Rebecca.

The next episode, titled “Vegas, Baby,” airs on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. There are no breaks for the rest of the season, so the finale airs on March 13. Production on the new episodes wrapped late last week.

Photo credit: NBC