And then, in Tuesdays installment of the NBC dramedy, titled What Now?
(Not quite as viral as Kevins adios, but an impressive statement nonetheless.)
No hard feelings, Randall told Tyler (John Pollono).
Credit: Ron Batzdorff/NBC
I walk out of here in triumph.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Were you feeling like you yourself went through some sort of massive emotional gauntlet?
Thats quite a one-two-three punch of episodes.STERLING K. BROWN:It really is.
I would say Yes.
And it was just I dont know who schedules this but it was sopainful, and so taxing.
Well, at least we got that over with.
Its just another example of the many ways in which this man waspresentfor people.
And it made sense then.
Randall has weathered so much in these last few episodes.
Is part of you nervous for him?
Is too much happening?
I feel like in [episodes] 15 and 16, I was very nervous for him.
So, Im in a good place with where Randall is left off at the end of the season.
Because the love and support, and loyalty and good humor runneth over there, too.It really does.
I think its a lovely, lovely relationship.
and I was like, I dont know if thats going to happen.
Hes like, Well, you cant stay perfect forever!
I was like, Its not perfect.
And if he does fall, she picks him right back up and loves him into wholeness.
NEXT PAGE: Brown on the Randall-Rebecca moment: I feel like the healing is… complete.
What felt right about now?
Are you glad they waited this long to start rebuilding that bridge?Im glad they waited.
I feel like theres a larger emotional payoff.
Its been long enough.
Some of them were like, Why doesnt this boy forgive his mom?
So I think ultimately both sides will be satisfied.
Little of both?Its a little bit of both.
And he left him with a surplus of love.
So I think that helped him move closer to her, but it is only right.
Randall even tried to silence Rebecca and say like, Mom, you dont have to do this.
Its okay, and shes like, No, I do.
It was enough time to know that I loved him and I know that he loved me.
That was incredibly gracious and devastating stuff coming fro him.
Ive spoken about this openly throughout, that I lost my dad when I was 10.
So when I am able to say the lines like, I had enough.
Do you think Randall and Rebecca still have some more healing to do?
I feel like the healing is… complete.
I want to go back to what you were saying about the mailman.
Now that makes sense.
Not a bad place, but it was keeping him from the fullness of life that William was experiencing.
It was keeping him from making authentic connections with the people around him.
I found it incredibly gracious.
These things could kill me.
It was too much.
NEXT PAGE: Brown on what Randall does now: No more 20-hour days.
Is he at a career crossroads?
(Laughs) He has an affinity for what he was doing.
No more 20-hour days.
I think thats a thing of the past.
I have an idea!
Have you heard of competitive walking?
I think I could be really good at this!
(laughs) That would be perfect for him!
By current, I mean thepastcurrent, with the kids being 15, 16 years old.
What he wants to do next he articulates to Beth and it really takes her off guard.
Everything came full circle in Memphis, especially at the end.
Him, over the past couple of years, havingMr.
So I was like, I dont want to see him go.
I, Sterling, didnt want to see him go any more than Randall wanted to see William go.
And I said, I get that.
I wasnt looking forward to shooting it.
I was like, I dont want to shoot this.
I really dont want to do it, but I know that I have to.
And I guess thats exactly the way that youre supposed to feel.
Nobodys rushing into I cant wait for my father to die, or to shoot that scene.
It was difficult, but it made sense.
When you said in I got enough.
In filming the deathbed scene in Memphis, did your fathers death also feel present to you?Absolutely.
So Im thankful for the opportunity to be able to share that with our audience.
How emotional did the filming of that hospital scene get?
Were you able to keep emotions in check?There are two scenes in particular.
And then the actual goodbye as well.
But this was sort of an opportunity for me to say goodbye.
I was so thankful for that moment.
So I felt very thankful to be able to say goodbye, to be there.
Let it be over.
So, yeah, it was tough for everybody.
This couple has come to mean so much to so many people and folks root for them.
We will take them with our finale through the highs and lows of what this marriage has to offer.
Some things will be incredibly joyous, and some of it will be very, very painful.
Finally, I was going to ask: How do you feel about pears in real life?
(Laughs) Sterling, as an individual, is more of an apple man.
I get down with an orange and a banana.
Pears are just… all right.
To read what Milo Ventimiglia had to say about this pivotal episode,click here.
For a Q&A with Chrissy Metz,go here.
For moreThis Is Usscoop, follow@dansniersonon Twitter.
