Mandy Moore on 'This Is Us' Emmys Snub and Missing Her Co-Stars (Exclusive)

Mandy Moore is still in a celebratory mood despite This Is Us surprisingly getting snubbed by the Emmys following an extraordinary six-season run on NBC, and it's all thanks to the show's devoted fans!

The 38-year-old actress, who deftly portrayed Rebecca Pearson on the hit family drama, tells ET's Denny Directo that the cast and crew felt all the love and adulation from the fans after the Television Academy almost entirely skipped over the show and its cast -- save for a nomination for an original song written by Moore's husband, Taylor Goldsmith, and composer Siddhartha Khosla.

"I think we were all so buoyed by the kind words that people had for us," Moore tells ET. "And for the show, that's what means the most. That's the cherry on the sundae, to be honest. Like, the fact that we get to do this work, and the fact that this show, these stories, these characters have connected so deeply with people from the beginning and all the way through 106 episodes, that's the ball game. I mean, I feel like we're really lucky that we leave behind a real legacy."

This Is Us undoubtedly left an indelible mark. The show was nominated for 39 Emmys, bringing home four gold statuettes for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Sterling K. Brown as Randall Pearson in 2017) and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Gerald McRaney as Dr. Nathan Katowski in 2017; and Ron Cephas Jones as William Hill in 2018 and 2020).

Moore was nominated in 2019 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. But while she didn't win that year, many felt she was at least a shoe-in for a nomination this year, as her character went through mild stages of cognitive impairment before progressing to full-blown Alzheimer's. But Moore's name was nowhere to be found when the nominations were announced earlier this month.

And while the accolades are nice, Moore notes being part of a show that resonated with millions who connected with her character and the show itself is most gratifying.

"I don't think you can say that about too many jobs and too many shows," she adds. "So, I think that's our biggest takeaway. I mean, yes, it's fun to be a cool kid and get invited to the party. Like, absolutely. We're really lucky we were there every other year, besides this year. So, can't be too upset when things don't swing your way, and you celebrate the breadth of the show."

Moore currently finds herself resting at home as she prepares to give birth to her second child with Goldsmith. But it's also around this time of year when she's usually getting ready to get back in the swing of things on the set of This Is Us. But, no more.

"We've had a couple of months now, since we finished filming. This is the time of year that we would be going back to work normally, so I'm definitely a little sad about that because I miss my friends," she says. "It's like, you know, I've had my summer vacation. I'm ready to go back to work now. So, in that sense this is a strange feeling."

For now, Moore can take solace in that the group text chain "is still alive," even if "it's not popping off right now, per se."

"It kind of ebbs and flows when there's stuff happening in people's lives," she adds. "So yeah, the text chain will live forever."

Moore said she saw Chrissy Metz (Kate Pearson) in Nashville a couple of weeks ago, and currently there are plans on the books with Chris Sullivan (Toby) and Jon Huertas (Miguel), but she's hoping for a bigger reunion. And it's in the works.

"I'm going to put some plans in place," Moore reveals. "I'm home now. I'm sort of in nesting mode, so I'm going to figure out a plan to see who's in town, maybe in the next couple of weeks to get like a dinner on the books, for sure."

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