What Happened To Chrissy Metz After This Is Us?
Trigger warning: This article mentions substance use and addiction issues.
From 2012 until 2022, fans tuned in weekly to catch up with the Pearson family on the Emmy award-winning drama series "This Is Us." Chrissy Metz starred as Kate Pearson, and won the hearts of many with her honest and emotional portrayal. Her performance garnered many award nominations, from Primetime Emmys to Golden Globes to Teen Choice Awards.
And while the show ended in May 2022, Metz has kept going, working on everything from films to children's books to her fledgling music career. Her love life is thriving as well, and she and her boyfriend, Bradley Collins, have collaborated on several projects together.
Like the rest of us, Metz misses "This Is Us" and has expressed gratitude for being a part of such an iconic show. Read on to find out what Chrissy Metz has been up to since the end of "This Is Us," and if there could possibly be a reunion in the future.
She took on some darker roles
After playing Kate Pearson for six seasons on "This Is Us," Chrissy Metz branched out into roles that were decidedly darker. In 2022, Metz starred in the indie film "Stay Awake" as Michelle, a woman who struggles with substance issues while trying to raise two teenage sons. While the subject of addiction is a sensitive one, Metz brought empathy to the role. She has said that she could relate to her character's struggles based on her own experiences with food. "It was one of those things where I understand addiction from a food perspective because I have food issues, and I know people who suffer from several different types of addictions," Metz told People.
Metz has also taken on the horror genre with the upcoming film "A Creature Was Stirring," a Christmas horror movie set to be released in December 2023. According to Deadline, the film stars Metz as Faith, a nurse and mother of a teenage daughter with a mysterious illness. A break-in during a blizzard brings Faith and her daughter's disturbing secrets to light in what sounds like a truly creepy Christmas thriller. This is definitely a departure from Metz's other projects.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
She teamed up with her boyfriend to write a book
Chrissy Metz is a triple threat: an actor, singer, and writer. She became a bestselling author in 2018 when she released her memoir, "This Is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today," and in 2023, Metz collaborated with her boyfriend, songwriter Bradley Collins, to pen the bestselling book "When I Talk To God, I Talk About You." The latter is an illustrated children's book that focuses on the power of prayer, something the couple strongly believes in.
Metz and Collins, who met on Bumble during the pandemic, found they had many shared beliefs when they first began chatting. "When [we] were starting to get to know each other, I just realized we had a lot in common," Collins told People. "And through those conversations, a lot of stuff came up for both of us." Both Metz and Collins experienced tough times that their faith saw them through, and prayer is a big part of their lives.
"The book is a general introduction to prayer and a reminder that children can pray for anything that's on their heart and minds," Metz shared with People. "And hopefully this book will remind everyone who reads it that you don't have to pray just when something bad happens. You can pray when good things happen. It also talks about gratitude, and how being thankful is just as important as praying." It seems as though Metz has plenty to be grateful for these days!
Chrissy and her man also collaborated on an album
In 2023, Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins released an album, "Prayed For This Day," to accompany the book they penned together. The couple originally planned to record just one song, but the creativity was flowing and they found themselves with an entire album. "At first, we wanted to write a lullaby," Collins told People. "And then one song turned into three songs...by the fourth day, we had 10 songs, all from the book and from the messages in the book."
Metz, who auditioned for "American Idol" in 2007, sang on "This Is Us," and performed at the 2019 ACM Awards (via People), brought her vocal chops to the album, and even invited her nieces and nephews to sing on two of the tracks. But Collins was more at home outside of the recording booth. "Bradley has been songwriting up a storm," Metz explained to People. She went on to speak about how she and her partner find inspiration in their daily lives and conversations. "It's so interesting because you can't really plan for creativity. It really just happens. I think it's sort of inevitable because, at the end of the day, we sit and talk about what we did that day. Our relationship has always been very collaborative in that way."
She is set to star in a new drama series
In November 2022, it was announced that Chrissy Metz would be starring in yet another sibling-centric drama series, NBC's "Help Me Rhonda." The show is based on the bestselling novel "2 Sisters Detective Agency" by James Patterson and Candice Fox. According to Deadline, Metz will star as Rhonda Bird, a public defender who, along with her teenage sister Barbra Ann "Baby" Bird, takes over her father's private detective agency after his death. In addition to starring in the project, Metz is also set to executive produce.
Metz took to Instagram to announce her involvement in the series, posting a pic of the Deadline article with the caption, "Can't wait to let these beautiful Birds fly! Excited to traverse this wild world and grateful to everyone involved who are making it possible." Metz will be following in the footsteps of other "This Is Us" alumnae who've gone on to helm their own shows. Mandy Moore is set to star in and executive produce new series "Twin Flames," while Milo Ventimiglia headlines the ABC series "The Company You Keep."
Chrissy Metz misses This Is Us 'desperately'
Fans are not the only ones who miss their beloved fave show, "This Is Us." Chrissy Metz recently told People, "I miss 'This Is Us' desperately," adding, "... not only was it life-changing for me, but the best people, the way that it touched people's lives and hearts and minds, it was really, really special." Fans can certainly attest to that!
Metz spoke to Us Weekly about missing the show as well, emphasizing the close-knit cast as well as getting to embody the character of Kate Pearson. "I miss seeing, of course, all my friends who are my castmates. I miss the challenge of ... just working on the character," Metz said. "I just sort of miss developing who [Kate] is and who she was gonna become. ... Just sort of the everyday stuff I miss the most."
And while Metz has been steadily working since the show's end, she admitted the transition into new roles was a bit tough for her. It seems Metz felt very comfortable playing Kate, and after so many years, felt she'd really gotten to know her. "It's tricky when you've done something for six years because ... even though you're still discovering more about [the character], you have a grasp," she shared with People.
She has teased a This Is Us movie
Since we all miss "This Is Us" and would love to see the cast together again, does Chrissy Metz have any ideas for a reunion? "Maybe a 'This Is Us movie,'" she told Us Weekly, getting fans' hopes way up. "I'm always up for working with all of the whole cast again. I mean, who knows how we would change as people and how that would, of course, change the acting and what the writing would be about. But I'm up for it."
As much as we'd love it, could a "This Is Us" movie really hit the big or small screen? It's possible, as Metz told ET. "I think everybody wants to see it. Every single time I see someone they're like, 'We wish the show was still on.' I'm like, 'Me too.'" As for when the potential movie could happen, Metz had some thoughts on that as well. "I think, like, in 10 years and we're all, like, 50-ish, I think that will be cute, a little reunion."
In the meantime, die-hard "This Is Us" fans will be happy to learn that Metz and her castmates have stayed in touch since the show wrapped in May 2022. A year later, in May 2023, Chrissy Metz posted a super cute pic on Instagram with former costars Mandy Moore and Susan Kelechi Watson, captioned, "Sing it with me...reunited and it feels so good! Love you Ladies!" We love to see it!
Chrissy launched a career in country music
When not acting or writing, Chrissy Metz is busy fostering her country music career. Fans of "This Is Us" will surely remember Metz's lovely singing voice, which she got to showcase throughout the show. But it was the country genre that was really calling her name. "I met Jason Halpert — who was Kelly Clarkson's musical director — and he said, 'I don't know how to say this to you but literally a voice is telling me to ask you about music.' I was like, 'Oh my gosh... I want to sing country music,'" Metz explained to People. In the summer of 2022, Metz embarked on her City Winery Tour, during which she performed her original music at venues across the East Coast.
The multi-talented performer once shared that she wasn't quite sure whether she'd focus more on music or acting after "This Is Us" wrapped. "It's so hard! I would love my music to be in TV shows and film," she told Us Weekly in 2021. "I could never give up acting."
At the time, Metz sounded conflicted, but it appears that she has been able to balance music, acting, and writing, along with her personal relationships. And Metz continues to be grateful for the show that jump-started her career, acknowledging how it has shaped the way she approaches her work. She told People, "I just try to be really cognizant and intentional with the projects that I'm doing."