Julian Silva is no longer a stranger…
NBC has revealed several brand new cast members for This Is Us Season 4—including the Latino actor—seen in a new promo trailer for the special extended premiere episode entitled “Strangers”.
In addition to Silva, other newcomers include Asante Blackk, Marsha Stephanie Blake, M. Night Shyamalan,Bahara Golestani, Timothy Omundson, Auden Thornton, Nick Wechslerand Omar Epps.
The details of their roles aren’t yet known, but it appears that Blake may be playing Blackk’s mother—in the clip we see her kiss his cheek—while Epps may be his father, since we see the pair working together as car mechanics.
Jennifer Morrison’s major recurring role was already made official in July, and while its significance remains under wraps, the trailer gives us a few more breadcrumbs. She’s shown in a modern-day military uniform seated at a desk with a framed photo of a father who could be Kevin (Justin Hartley), with a young son. And of course, we already know from the Season 3 finale flash forward that Kevin will have a son.
The trailer opens with Rebecca (Mandy Moore) and Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) in a car. Following her first Emmy nomination for this role in July, Moore told Deadline of the Season 4 beginning: “Myself and Milo, we’re picking up where we left off after that fateful road trip out to California. We just arrived back in Pittsburgh and we’re trying to figure out how we move forward with our relationship and meet each other’s respective families.”
In the trailer, a young Rebecca tells Jack: “It’s actually kind of terrifying how a single cross with one person who you’ve never met can change everything.” It’s not clear to whom this foreboding speech refers, but as the clip flicks through the faces of the new cast members, in classic This Is Us style, Rebecca’s musing is likely to be the thread that draw together a series of different stories and timelines.
We see Griffin Dunne, who has previously played the older version of Nicky, while Ron Cephas Jonesis also set to resume the role of William, Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown)’s ill-fated father—a turn that won Jones his third Emmy nom this year (he won in 2018).
The clip also provides glimpses of other previous cast members, confirmed by NBC as returning this season. There’s Cosby Show veteran Phylicia Rashad as Carol, Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson)’s mother, Tim Jo as Randall’s campaign manager Jae-won Yoo, Elizabeth Perkins as Janet Malone, the racist mother of Rebecca (Mandy Moore), and Caitlin Thompson will resume her role of Madison, Kate (Chrissy Metz)’s friend.
This Is Us Season 4 will premiere on September 24 on NBC.