This Is Us: Chrissy Metz Reveals How She Relates To Her Character's Overeating Struggles

On Tuesday, This Is Us found new ways to pull on our heart strings as the TV show — now in its fourth season — led viewers into the world of Kate and Toby's struggles with weight. The episode, "Unhinged," details the couples' realization that they are coping with their sons blindness in completely different ways. While Toby admits to working out and losing weight, Kate's stress is leading her to overeat. 

Chrissy Metz, who plays Kate, revealed her own personal experiences as an inspiration when portraying her character, and this isn't the first time we see Kate overeating — it's been a recurring theme throughout the character's story arc.

In previous seasons Kate struggles in accepting her curves. In childhood, when her father Jack passes away, food was a coping mechanism. Metz explained to People, "Everybody, to some degree, fills a void with something, whether it's social media, alcohol, drugs, overspending, overeating. We're either chasing a feeling or trying to get rid of a feeling."

She continued, "But in the long run it never does. It's just a Bandaid on a really big wound that you have to get to the bottom of, because we don't like to be uncomfortable as humans. It feels awful, and that's sort of what she's doing with her overeating."

The actresses' memoir, This is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today, describes moments of clarity, defeat, and most of all, how to embrace yourself. Overcoming body shaming and negativity is something Metz knows all too well, and she also knows that overcoming this type of coping mechanism that Kate deals with is difficult.

It's something Metz relates to in her personal life. "That's a real big challenge, and of course, I get that and I understand that personally. Of course, I bring that [into playing Kate]. I think every actor brings something personal to a role." In 2017, Metz told the Hollywood Reporter that upon reading the script and seeing Kate's struggles, she felt she needed to be a part of it. "She was a real woman who was really struggling, and all I could think was, 'Oh my God, I'm Kate.'" This still rings true for Metz. 

After an emotional scene in "Unhinged," Kate bonds with her neighbor Greg, where they begin their workout journey together. "Overall she's learning to come to terms with her past and that it's still in the back of her mind and it's going to haunt her. It's really a daily challenge to not hold on to the pain or the guilt or resentment, but just about, keep walking through the hard stuff and keep showing up, because I think that's the hardest part," says Metz about Kate (via Today). 

She may fail. She may be set back. It may not be a perfect ending to her weight-loss journey. But that's how This Is Us continues to grip its viewers. 

Metz has been called courageous and brave by fans but nevertheless, she stays humble. On Twitter two days ago she wrote, "Your weight does not define you! People's perceptions are theirs.You are worthy and purposeful no matter what."

Chrissy Metz, keep keepin' it real.