A 'This Is Us' Cast Member Opened Up About The Stigma Of Mental Health & Black Men In Orlando
"What our show did was kind of lift the veil of that stigma," said Susan Kelechi Watson.
Susan Kelechi Watson and Sterling K. Brown. Right: Susan Kelechi Watson soft smiling with a headband on.
Susan Kelechi Watson, part of NBC's This Is Us cast, opened up about how the show shed light on the stigma of mental health, especially as it relates to black men.
The actress, who plays Beth Pearson, was a guest speaker at the Mental Health Association of Central Florida's annual Legacy of Champions luncheon and talked about her co-star and TV husband, Sterling K. Brown.
In the show, Randall Pearson, Brown's character, deals with an extreme case of anxiety.
"What our show did was kind of lift the veil of that stigma, especially by portraying a Black man who was seeking help in that area," said Watson, "and allowing him to be vulnerable. It was so very important for a lot of people to see."
Recently, after six seasons, the hit show came to an end. Yesterday, the television stars posted a photo together on Instagram.
"Thank you, thank you, from the bottom of our sweet R&B hearts for being on this journey with us and sharing yours in the process. We love you! Yours truly, R&B 🎶 #ThisIsUs", the caption read. "R&B" refers to their characters' initials.
Mental illness is something that Watson is no stranger to. Her mother led the outpatient psychiatric unit at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn, which led the family to have a lot of conversations about mental health.
In her speech, she discussed how her own family members perceived mental illness as failing, and she believes recognizing and unpacking this way of thinking in our own communities is very important.