Laurel's Story | "Birth Mother" with Writer Kay Oyegun (506)

This week on That Was Us, we’re joined by one of the most pivotal people behind This Is Us: casting director Josh Einsohn. Josh reflects on 25 years in casting and shares how he got his start in production, what led him to feel passionate about casting, and how This Is Us ultimately changed his life forever. In this episode, Josh chats about: * His 25-year journey in casting and how he got his start * The role Tommy Lee Jones played early in his career * Working on The Polar Express and The West Wing * Partnering with Tiffany Little Canfield to cast This Is Us * Bringing Jon Huertas onto the show * The pressure of casting multiple ages of the same characters * The urgent recasting of the teen Big Three * How auditions changed after COVID * Casting Griffin Dunne as Nicky * Casting Jennifer Morrison as Cassidy * His advice for actors navigating the industry * How This Is Us influenced his decision to adopt his daughter, Molly" That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - With Shipt, it’s never just a delivery order – it’s shopped same day – in the same way you would. Use code "podcast" to get a year of Shipt for only $49 – HALF OFF the regular $99 price – at https://Shipt.com/offer. Terms apply ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00 Intro 00:02:22 Interview 01:10:13 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards About Headgum: Headgum is an LA & NY-based podcast network creating premium podcasts with the funniest, most engaging voices in comedy to achieve one goal: Making our audience and ourselves laugh. Listen to our shows at https://www.headgum.com. » SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1 » FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum » FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/ » FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 7: "There." The Pearsons confront the pressures passed down through generations as we revisit Jack’s childhood with his father, watch Kevin grapple with what it means to be a “good” dad in the middle of a crisis, and see Madison face the terrifying possibility of bringing the twins into the world alone. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling chat about their own memorable birth stories, Chris shares one of the most painful things he's ever done, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - David Protein. Don’t just take my word for it – go grab one for yourself. Head to Walmart today to try a bar or stock up on 4 cartons of your favorite flavors, like Blueberry Pie and Salted Peanut Butter, sold exclusively at Walmart. Check out https://Walmart.com to find a store near you! - With Shipt, it’s never just a delivery order – it’s shopped same day – in the same way you would. Use code "podcast" to get a year of Shipt for only $49 – HALF OFF the regular $99 price – at https://Shipt.com/offer. Terms apply - You can also find Unreal products anywhere cravings hit, including at Whole Foods, Target, Costco, and other grocery stores Visit https://Unrealsnacks.com/TWU to get $2 off a bag of Unreal. Terms and conditions apply. ------------------------- Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards This is a ⁠⁠⁠Headgum⁠⁠⁠ podcast. Follow Headgum on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠. Advertise on That Was Us via ⁠⁠⁠Gumball.fm⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on That Was Us, we’re bringing you a very special episode recorded live at the historic Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. In front of an incredible audience of This Is Us fans! It was an unforgettable night of conversation and live music with Sterling K. Brown, Mandy Moore, and Chris Sullivan, as we celebrated one of the most powerful elements of This Is Us: the music. We talked about the songs that shaped some of the show’s most emotional moments, and were joined by the show’s composer, Siddhartha Khosla, as well as the creator of the show, Dan Fogelman, to hear how the score came to life. We also played a live round of Hot Takes with the audience and, of course, the night featured incredible live performances from guests like Taylor Goldsmith, Hannah Zeile, Blake Stadnik, and more, making it a truly special celebration of the music and community that made This Is Us…and That Was Us…so meaningful. That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Right now, go to https://Quince.com/twu for free shipping and 365-day returns. That's a full year to wear it and love it. And you will. Now available in Canada, too. Don't keep settling for clothes that don't last. - http://Leesa.com for 20% off mattresses plus $50 off with promo code TWU - Discover how care in every detail transforms simple routines into moments of true comfort and ease. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use my code THATWASUS for up to 20% off. ------------------------- Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards This is a ⁠⁠Headgum⁠⁠ podcast. Follow Headgum on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠. Advertise on That Was Us via ⁠⁠Gumball.fm⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 6: Birth Mother. This episode uncovers the long-buried story of Randall’s birth mother, Laurel. Randall and Beth’s journey to New Orleans reveals inherited grief, unfinished love, and through Hai’s retelling of his love story with Laurel, Randall releases the pain he’s carried his entire life. Plus, we're also joined by one of the writers of this episode, Kay Oyegun! Kay breaks down the writer's room experience on This Is Us, how they broke down important storylines, what it was like discovering Laurel's backstory, how she came to write for this show originally, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards This is a ⁠Headgum⁠ podcast. Follow Headgum on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠Tiktok⁠. Advertise on That Was Us via ⁠Gumball.fm⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 5: A Long Road Home. The Pearsons confront long-held truths as Kate reckons with a painful chapter from her past, Kevin and Madison face growing uncertainty about their future, and Randall is shaken by new information about his birth mother that challenges everything he thought he knew. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling chat with Vien Hong who played the character of Hai! Vien talks all about his 20 year hiatus from acting, his family's brave journey to the States, what returning to acting through This Is Us means to him, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Try Zip Recruiter for free at https://ZipRecruiter.com/TWU. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. - This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Your emotional wellbeing matters. Find support and feel lighter in therapy. Sign up and get 10% off at https://BetterHelp.com/TWU. - Head to Walmart today to try a bar or stock up on 4 cartons of your favorite flavors, like Blueberry Pie and Salted Peanut Butter, sold exclusively at Walmart. Check out https://Walmart.com to find a store near you! ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:07:01 Interview 01:34:27 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 4: Honestly. This episode explores how patterns repeat across generations: from Kevin confronting childhood pressures and insecurities, to Randall stepping into mentorship and turning an uncomfortable moment into purpose, and Kate and Toby navigating the early steps of adoption. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling have fun in the studio chatting about sleep training, how their style has changed, and of course they also welcome 504 writer Elan Mastai to the podcast! Elan talks about how this show came into his life, what it was like moving from Canada to work on the show and how he dealt with that during Covid, and some of his most memorable and impactful moments writing for the show! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Find Unreal products anywhere cravings hit, including at Whole Foods, Target, Costco, and other grocery stores Visit https://UnrealSnacks.com/TWU to get $2 off a bag of Unreal. Terms and conditions apply. - Share a little extra love this February and wrap yourself, or someone you care about, in comfort that truly feels special. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use our code TWU for up to 20% off. And if you get a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth right here. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 00:57:44 Interview 01:36:25 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 3: Changes. The Pearson family is pushed in new emotional directions: Randall navigates big shifts with Tess; Kevin and Madison confront some hard truths; and Kate and Toby take a meaningful step toward adoption. Meanwhile, new characters reveal there’s more to Laurel’s story. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling give their hot takes on the TV show "Lost," changes on the set of This Is Us post Covid, how they prepare for intimate scenes, and so much more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/TWU and get on your way to being your best self. - Head to Walmart today to try a bar or stock up on 4 cartons of your favorite flavors, like Blueberry Pie and Salted Peanut Butter, sold exclusively at Walmart. Check out https://Walmart.com to find a store near you! - With Shipt, no order is ordinary.Try Shipt free for 14 Days - Download the app for visit https://Shipt.com Terms apply. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:09:58 Fan Segment 01:23:48 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 2: Forty: Part Two. Tensions are running high at the cabin, we continue unraveling the events surrounding The Big Three’s birth, and we learn a surprising revelation about Randall’s biological mother. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling have fun in the studio recalling moments they couldn't stop laughing on set, the moments from this episode that deeply impacted them, and more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/twu for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. - Try Zip Recruiter for free at https://ZipRecruiter.com/TWU. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. - Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more, to claim, visit https://www.article.com/twu and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:02:32 Fan Segment 01:15:13 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 5, Episode 1: Forty: Part One. It’s The Big Three's 40th birthday, and everyone heads to the cabin to quarantine and celebrate the big milestone, except Randall. We also jump back to the day The Big Three were born, exploring the parallels between Jack and William’s experience as new fathers, and uncovering the powerful backstory of Randall’s birth mother, Laurel. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling chat to the lovely Jennifer C. Holmes! She joins the hosts in-studio to talk all about Laurel's character, how she got the part, and her favorite memories from filming. They also chat about the shift they felt returning to set as first-time parents, what it was like filming during Covid, how the show successfully started conversations about difficult topics, and more! That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/TWU and get on your way to being your best self. - Get Cozy Earth pajamas for you and someone you love. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use our code TWUBOGO from January 25th through February 8th. - Go to https://Leesa.com for 25% off PLUS get an extra $50 off with promo code TWU ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 01:17:38 Fan Segment 01:47:39 Wrap Up Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of That Was Us, we’re diving into Season 4, Episode 18: Strangers: Part Two. In the season four finale, Randall and Kevin’s relationship reaches its breaking point, Madison shares news that changes everything, and Kate and Toby make a decision that redefines their family. Plus, Mandy, Chris, and Sterling talk about times in life when they've had a personal argument with family members, the impact Kevin and Randall's fight had on them individually, and the beauty of life: the good, the bad, and the joyful. That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith. ------------------------- Support Our Sponsors: - To get 6 bottles of wine for $39.99, head to https://NakedWines.com/TWU and use code TWU for both the code AND PASSWORD. - Buy four cartons and get the fifth free, at https://davidprotein.com/thatwasus. David has officially launched nationwide at Walmart. Humans aren’t perfect, but David is. - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/twu for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. ------------------------- 🍋 About the Show: The stars of This Is Us, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan, dive back into the world of the Pearsons, reliving each episode and all the life lessons that came with it. Together, they dig in and dig deep, have the tough conversations, bring in very special and familiar guests, share never-before-heard behind-the-scenes moments, and feature listeners in highly anticipated fan segments. Join your favorite family back in the living room to examine our past, cherish our present, and look to the future with new episodes of That Was Us every Tuesday. ------------------------- 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Discussion 00:58:30 Fan Segment 01:10:48 Outro Executive Producers: Natalie Holysz and Rob Holysz Creative Producer: Sam Skelton Production Coordinator: Andrew Rowley Video Editor: Todd Hughlett Mix & Master: Jason Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices