But Beth often plays a supporting role to those around her, which has meant backgrounding her own desires.
But those roles would reverse when Miguel invited a companion of his own.
I mean, brine not?
Susan Kelechi Watson as Beth.Ron Batzdorff/NBC
How did you two go about creating this installment?
So a part of that was showing the audience how Beth got to that moment.
That was really important.
But one of the most important things that she does is, in the end, validate herself.
That’s just as important for different reasons.
I found that to be a beautiful surprise at the end of this.
In the firstOur Little Island Girl, Beth gains the courage to confront her mother about dashing her dreams.
How do you compare those two moments of reclamation for her?
WATSON:I think that’s the thing, right?
[There] is a part two to it.
One, reconciling things with her mom, and how that made her feel, giving up her dream.
So it is well-titled in that way; it’s the part two, right?
Sometimes you’re unpacking something a trauma from the past and you don’t just unpack it once.
Sometimes there’s different things you have to unpack about it.
She goes to speak and it doesn’t come out.
I just found those two things so beautiful.
And as she continues to speak, the strength grows even more.
She was able to unpack all of this stuff, it just took time.
It took where she is now in her life.
It might not have been in the spotlight, but it’s in the wings.
We’re approaching the end game for the show now.
WATSON:For sure.
And it was wrapping that up.
It was really a beautiful time.
It was emotional, but it felt like a real full-circle moment.
We really had fun writing it.
Dan offered every cast member a chance to take charge behind the scenes, and most chose to direct.
You and Chrissy elected to write an episode.
Why did you choose this path?
Especially post-This Is Us.
So it just felt like the best fit for me.
It’s not something that I necessarily feel like I want to do in the future.
But writing is something that I definitelyamgoing to be doing, and I have been doing.
What was the biggest challenge in pulling this episode together?
WATSON:I feel like and Eboni, you might agree it was finding our Stacey, right?
[Laughs] It was finding Jazlyn.
They carry themselves a certain way.
But also someone who could act their butt off, who could play alongside Susan and hold her own.
For me as a writer, it was awesome to see Susan and Jazlyn together in their scene.
There was such a wonderful vulnerability that Jazlyn had.
She’s got it!"
[They laugh.]
WATSON:Well, for most parents, the victory is short-lived.
[They laugh.]
Gotta enjoy it in the moment, because the next moment’s coming for you.
And it comes with Deja and Malik [Asante Blackk].
Yes, [there’s] more going on there.
And you’re free to’t deny that Malik is a great guy.
FREEMAN:I can pretty much say that we won’t.
WATSON:That is good!
They both exhibited some real courage and passion right there.
I’m going to say Beth, because she had to wait longer to do it.
FREEMAN:That’s right.
WATSON:She has more time, and there’s more weight behind it.
I think that Elijah’s shooting his shot and I can dig it, you know what?
I’m proud of him for doing that.
The show recently resurfaced Cassidy (Jennifer Morrison).
In this episode, Sophie (Alexandra Breckenridge) was texting with Kate.
Any hints about what’s to come with Sophie?
We learned that she was in the middle of Kevin cheating on Sophie and it broke up her friendship.
What’s happening in the present with Madison and Kevin echoes that.
It’s getting interesting there.
All we know so far is that they connected on Facebook years later after Jack’s death.
So, yeah, Rebecca’s totally getting jealous [laughs] in that moment of Marguerite.
Finally, can you each offer a quick tease for the next episode?
WATSON:Thanksgiving always brings drama.
FREEMAN:Pearson Thanksgiving will be the mother of all episodes.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
