This week on That Was Us, we’re so beyond excited to be joined in studio by actor Eris Baker, who grew up playing Tess Pearson on This Is Us! Eris reflects on her journey from child actor to USC film production student, opening up about balancing school and set life, stepping into storytelling behind the camera, and how playing Tess shaped both her personal life and creative voice.

In this episode, Eris chats about:

* Booking This Is Us at just 10 years old after filming a Target commercial

* Growing up on set alongside the cast and forming lifelong bonds with the Black Pearson family

* Navigating school while working and missing out on a traditional high school experience

* Choosing USC’s film production track and her dream of becoming a creative producer and director

* Writing and directing her own short films and the emotional response one of them got from Sterling

* Working as a PA on Dan Fogelman’s series Paradise and hustling for internships at production companies

* Saying yes to Tess’s coming-out storyline at age 12

* Cutting her hair for the storyline and how it impacted her confidence entering high school

* Preparing emotionally for Tess’s coming-out scene with support from Sterling, Susan Kelechi Watson, Ken Olin, and Dan Fogelman

* Her close friendship with Lyric Ross and Faith Herman both on and off screen

* Where she imagines Tess, Deja, and Annie would be today

* Why she hopes to one day run her own production company

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!"

-------------------------

Support Our Sponsors:

- Don’t just take my word for it – go grab one for yourself. Head to Walmart today to try a bar or stock up on 4CTs of your favorite flavors, like Blueberry Pie and Salted Peanut Butter, sold exclusively at Walmart. Check out https://Walmart.com to find a store near you!

- Refresh your everyday with luxury you'll actually use. Head to https://Quince.com/twu for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too.

🍋 About the Show:

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:

» SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1

» FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum

» FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/

» FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices