That Was Us

with
Sterling K. Brown and
Mandy Moore and
Chris Sullivan

Jack's Proposal to Rebecca | "Both Things Can Be True" (512)

5/19/2026

This week on That Was Us, we’re breaking down This Is Us Season 5, Episode 12: “Both Things Can Be True.” As Kevin and Madison’s wedding approaches, the episode explores commitment, family expectations, and the complicated ways people learn to communicate with the ones they love. From Jack’s proposal plans for Rebecca in the past, to Kevin navigating unresolved tension with Randall in the present, the episode asks what it really means to show up for the people you care about.

In this episode, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, and Chris Sullivan chat about:

• Asking for a partner’s parents’ blessing and whether that tradition still feels meaningful today
• Parenting dynamics and the emotional complexity of stay-at-home parenting
• The pressure parents can unknowingly place on their children
• Digital de-aging, wigs, and the behind-the-scenes magic
• Candy Corn: love or hate?

They also break down the episode, including:

• Miguel helping Jack rehearse his proposal to Rebecca
• Miguel defending Jack to Rebecca’s father and proving just how loyal of a friend he is
• Kevin struggling to ask Randall to be his best man after their explosive fight
• Nicky and Miguel clashing and feeling “replaced” by Jack’s death
• Madison opening up about what kind of wedding she actually wants
• Toby struggling with stay-at-home parenting while Kate starts her new job
• Beth navigating Tess and Alex’s relationship while trying to support Tess without judgment
• Randall attending a transracial adoptee support group

And a friendly reminder, you can catch new episodes of That Was Us every Monday, a day early, exclusively on Hulu. Available on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts on Tuesdays like usual!

That Was Us is produced by Rabbit Grin Productions. Music by Taylor Goldsmith and Griffin Goldsmith.

🍋 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.

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.