This Is Us Creator Explains Why The Show’s Ending Was Filmed Years Ago

Creator Dan Fogelman discusses the finale of This Is Us and explains why he shot certain scenes several years in advance of the final episode.

This Is Us Creator Explains Why The Show’s Ending Was Filmed Years Ago

This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman is explaining why most of the show’s ending was filmed several years ago. The hit NBC drama series premiered back in 2016, garnering praise from audiences and critics for its storytelling, which incorporated both the past and present to establish a narrative that fully captured the experiences of each member of the Pearson family. Through six seasons, the show featured an ensemble cast headlined by Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley. Ultimately meeting Fogelman’s original goal to complete the series in a predetermined timeline, This Is Us ended in May with a final season full of emotion, as well as shocking reveals and realizations.

The finale of This Is Us, simply titled “Us,” contained extended flashbacks that Fogelman and the cast had previously revealed were created from footage shot years in advance. When talking about the experience of filming those moments, the creator shared that there was never any hesitation on behalf of the actors, despite the unusual timing of it all. Filmed three seasons prior, Milo Ventimiglia described the day on set, noting the mutual understanding from everyone that there was intent behind what they were shooting. He recalled the scenes with Mandy Moore and the young stars portraying their children and said that Fogelman declared them the final shots of the series.

Now, during THR‘s drama showrunner roundtable, Dan Fogelman explained why he decided to film the ending of This Is Us years in advance. He touched on his early visions for the show and wanting to map out its entirety from the start, adding that since the child actors were growing up fast, he felt it would be best to shoot the final moments while they were still young. He said that because of the way he treated episodes, he was able to figure out early what he wanted the ending to be. Read Fogelman’s quote regarding this decision below:

“They picked us up for three seasons right away. Then I was like, “I’ll do another three if you pick it up right now so we can plan accordingly.” So we shot the bulk of the ending three or four years ago because I wanted … We had little kids who were growing up really fast. I wanted to capture something when they were younger. We shot half of it and then put the footage away. I knew what the ending was going to be pretty specifically. Even though we had a hundred gazillion episodes in between, we treated it like one piece of storytelling. For me, at least, that made it manageable.“

Fogelman’s love for This Is Us is felt by fans of the show, many of whom are hoping for a potential spin-off or movie after he discussed the possibility. Touching on the finale, the creator previously shared a message with fans of This Is Us, thanking them for watching and supporting the show throughout the years. He also remarked how bittersweet the experience of concluding the series was, not only for him, but for all of those involved.

It is interesting to hear about the thought process involved in forming a long-running series, such as This Is Us, and it is admirable that Dan Fogelman stuck to his original plan for it. It cannot be easy to develop a satisfying ending, but knowing that most of it was filmed years in advance speaks to Fogelman’s vision as a creator. When it comes to the finale of This Is Us, fans have expressed a wave of emotions, and many are likely waiting to see what Fogelman does next.