This Is Us has slowly introduced more of the extended Pearson family over the past couple of seasons, and Season 3 is going to introduce none other than Beth's mom. Although we may be in for a bit of a wait before she makes her debut, we're already excited based on who will tackle the role. Phylicia Rashad will play Beth''s mom, Carol.
Yes, Phylicia Rashad is on board to portray Beth's mother, who has yet to appear on the popular NBC series. Rashad is likely best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show, although she has contributed to Empire in the last couple of years as the unforgettable Diana DuBois. Not too many details are available about Carol on This Is Us, but there are still reasons to get excited beyond just the casting.
Phylicia Rashad will debut in an episode that focuses on Beth's backstory, according to EW. Beth has been a key character on This Is Us since the beginning, but the show hasn't spent nearly as much time explaining what makes her the way that she is compared to the Big Three and Rebecca.
The Beth-centric episode that introduces Phylicia Rashad as her mom will air in the second half of Season 3, although no premiere date has been announced just yet. The show does return from its midseason hiatus in the not-too-distant future, so that's something!
Given the various timelines of This Is Us, it's difficult to say for sure that Carol will be primarily featured in the present, but the ages of Phylicia Rashad and Susan Kelechi, who plays Beth, point toward Carol mostly in the present. If there are flashbacks to Beth as a child, perhaps Carol would be played by a different actress, although I can't imagine This Is Us finding a formidable enough actress to rival Phylicia Rashad!
I have to wonder if Zoe will be back in the main action for the episode as Beth's other main family member outside of the Pearson clan. Zoe has been busy with Kevin in Season 3; could whatever happens to bring Beth and her mom together also require Zoe? It would be fun to see Melanie Liburd with Phylicia Rashad and Susan Kelechi. That said, if the episode is Beth-centric, it's possible that the hour won't focus too heavily on other major characters.
If you're a fan who has tired of all the Jack Pearson drama (despite the shocking reveal about his brother), then you may be pretty excited about meeting Beth's mom on This Is Us. The show returns to primetime with its Season 3 midseason premiere on Tuesday, January 15 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. If you're still in the market for other shows now and in the not-too-distant future, check out our midseason TV premiere schedule.
