Photo: Ron Batzdorff/NBC
This Is Usproved that finding love is not easy for most.
Below, Morrison opens up to PEOPLE about her “complicated and beautiful” character’s relationship with Kevin and teases Cassidy’s future with the Pearsons.
Ron Batzdorff/NBC
PEOPLE: When Kevin and Randall are on the phone, Randall jokingly calls his brother a “serial monogamous” and that the trip to the cabin is a “couples' retreat.” When you read the script about this cabin trip for Cassidy, what was your reaction?
JENNIFER MORRISON: I loved the script and I can’t say that is unusual withThis Is Us. I’m always so excited to read the script because I feel like that’s my chance to be the viewer that other viewers get to be when they watch the show. [laughs] I think it’s so cool the way that they have woven Cassidy into Kevin’s life, just because there’s something really authentic about it. You feel like these are really two people that struggle. Their struggles are very different, but there is something in common in that struggle. They’re very blunt and open with each other. And there’s an intimacy that comes from that kind of honesty with a person, or I guess unfiltered honesty with a person. It’s just interesting to get to read the other family members' reactions to Kevin even talking about being around her. Because obviously, that’s not something Cassidy herself would know about. But for me, Jennifer the audience member, finds it highly satisfying to actually see other people weigh in with opinions about it.
Speaking of unfiltered honesty, is Cassidy the only one who can deliver the truth to Kevin when it comes to relationships? He’s always been a hopeless romantic.
She told it to him straight and even called him a “big handsome wrecking ball.”
The thing that I kept in mind, and I think the thing to keep in mind watching their relationship is, they — her and Kevin and Nicky — went to AA together a lot, which means they know each other’s stories. They’ve heard a lot more of each other’s stories than the audience has heard of each other’s stories. Kevin knows some of the damage of what she went through, and he knows some of the terrible things that happened when she was having to negotiate things in really terrible situations overseas. … So Kevin’s very aware of how dark some of her life has been. I think that earns her that kind of honesty with him because she’s not saying things to be mean, and she’s not saying things to be flippant. She’s just saying what she sees. She’s just calling the truth as she sees it.
And she literally breaks down his failed relationship with Sophie and then, his failed relationship with Madison. Cassidy told him, “I’m too messed up already, leave me in peace.” When she walked away at the end of their conversation over ice cream, was that her way of closing that chapter of their relationship?
The way I saw that moment was a way of Cassidy trying to protect how important Kevin is in her life. I think she knows that he’s a good person and she knows that he does bring out good things in her, and she does truly appreciate their friendship and the connection that they have. She knows that his terms can be dangerous because it leads to an end, if it doesn’t work out. She’s not interested in there being an end, she’s interested in there being a continuation. If that continuation means just being friends, she’d rather be friends than have an end.
So, there’s certainly a little bit of just protecting her heart going on. But I think that as much as she calls him out and she puts him in his place, there’s a part of her who’s saying it because she’s warning him that she could like him. She’s not saying she does yet. She’s just warning him that she is damaged, she is broken. She has these things that she has to work through, and she cannot just be another girl that he goes through and is done with and then still be okay. She’s like, “Don’t. Leave me intact. I get you. I understand you. I like you for you. And that’s fine, but don’t add to the damage that’s in my life.” I don’t know that she is clear on what exactly that means at the end, but I think what she’s clear on is that she doesn’t want to not have him in her life.
How was working with Chris Sullivan as a director?
It was so wonderful to work with Chris Sullivan. It was so funny because it was meant to be … Well, I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this or not. But originally, he was going to be on the showDr. Death, which I directed. So, I was originally supposed to direct him. And then, because of the pandemic, everything got pushed and schedules changed. By the time it was going to happen, he ended up having to not doDr. Deathbecause ofThis Is Usstarting up again, and it didn’t time out right. And so, that role ended up being recast.
The first day [of filmingThis Is Us] I was like, “Chris, this is supposed to be the reverse. I was supposed to be directing you.” He’s like, “I know, I know. How crazy right?” He’s so lovely. I’ve never worked with him on the show because I’m always with Kevin and Nicky so it was just really fun to get to know him a little bit. It’s always great to work with an actor who’s directing because I feel like they just so understand exactly what you’re feeling in the moment. And obviously, he knows the show inside and out, and has such a great sense of humor. Every note that he gave was always such a great option to try. I felt like he just brought so much joy to every moment and he made it seem very natural to be in the director’s chair.
Is this the last time that audiences will see Cassidy or is there more for her in the final chapter?
No one has told me what I can and cannot say, so I feel very nervous [laughs]. But I can say that it is not the last time you’ll see her.
Does Cassidy end up agreeing to help Nicky with the construction of Kevin’s future house? Will she be around to help Nicky?
She does say that she’ll consider it. I think you have to ask the writers because I don’t what I’m allowed to say [laughs], I never know what I’m supposed to say or not so I don’t want to get in trouble.
This is like Marvel-level secrecy.
I know, I want to make sure not to ruffle any feathers as we’re coming to the end of such a wonderful experience — but it’s definitely a big maybe. It’s just been so cool to be a part of the end of the show too. Obviously, as I’ve already said, the show’s meant a lot to me, but I wasveryexcited to find out that they wanted me to be a part of the final season.
This Is Usairs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
source: people.com
