Chris Sullivan, known for his role as Toby Damon in the acclaimed NBC series "This Is Us," has captivated audiences with his portrayal of a complex character navigating love, family, and personal struggles. A significant aspect of Toby's journey has been his weight, which has been a recurring theme throughout the show's six seasons. This article delves into Chris Sullivan's weight loss journey, both on and off-screen, exploring the nuances of his character's transformation and the actor's personal experiences.
Toby's Introduction and Weight Loss Promise
Toby was an original cast member of the show, appearing in the pilot episode in 2016. He and Kate met at a group called Overeaters Anonymous, where he flirted with her and eventually asked her out. When Toby first appears on "This Is Us," he meets Kate (Chrissy Metz) at an Overeaters Anonymous group. Their relationship blossoms, but Kate makes it clear that she needs Toby to commit to his own weight loss journey if they are going to be together. Toby makes that promise.
Highs and Lows in Relationship
Toby later dropped out of his program, prompting him and Kate to take some time apart. In Season 1 Episode 10 ("Last Christmas"), Toby flew across the country to try to win Kate back, but the episode ended on a cliffhanger when he had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital.
After over a year of dating, the beloved couple tied the knot with their whole family present in Season 2 Episode 18 ("The Wedding"). Kate spent the day missing her late father, Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) and hunting for his old favorite ice cream flavor to include in her wedding cake. She had also forgotten to bring her father's t-shirt, and Toby tried to hire someone on TaskRabbit to bring it to her. As he got dressed for the wedding, Toby's parents came to tell him not to marry Kate. "It feels like you are constantly bending over backwards to calm her," Toby's father said, expressing concerns about their relationship. "Remember when she broke up with you for no reason and you had to fly across the country?" his mom said, calling Kate unstable. "If anyone's unstable, I'm unstable. I'm unstably in love with Kate Pearson," Toby told them. He asked them to either choose to be in the wedding and support them or to leave, and they decided to stay and were seen dancing with the happy couple throughout the night.
Parenthood Journey
Before their wedding together, Kate found out she was pregnant, but immediately had medical concerns. In Season 2 Episode 9 ("Number One"), her one brother Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown) revealed to their other brother, Kevin (Justin Hartley), that "Kate lost the baby." In the following episode, ("Number Two") - which happened on the same timeline as Number One - we saw Kate experience excitement about her pregnancy before the miscarriage. As she measured their tub to make sure that their baby bath would fit, Kate fell off-screen and screamed for Toby. They rushed to the doctor, and it was clear that she had miscarried. "You can try again in as early as four weeks," the doctor said to them, but Kate was too upset to process that information. The two started their IVF journey in Season 3 Episode 2 ("A Philadelphia Story"), which required Toby to get off his anti-depressants, leading to a mental health issue for him. In Season 3 Episode 5 ("Toby"), audiences got a deeper look into Toby's tough childhood, which illuminated why he went into a depressive episode without medication. As that happened, he and Kate found out that their treatment had worked and she was pregnant. In Season 3 Episode 15 ("The Waiting Room"), Kate went into labor early - at just 28 weeks - and delivered their son, Jack, who was rushed to the NICU and said to be blind due to the premature birth. On Jack's first birthday, Toby and Kate decided they wanted another child, and chose to look into adoption. Fans officially met their adopted daughter, Hailey, as an adult in Season 4 Episode 18 ("Strangers Part Two").
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The Fat Suit Controversy
For the first three seasons of "This Is Us," Chris Sullivan wore a fat suit to portray Toby. This decision sparked controversy among some viewers, who felt that the role should have been given to a fat actor. Chris wasn't surprised about the backlash, and he acknowledged that since his character gained weight after a divorce, the fat suit left room for flashbacks or other story shifts. He told HuffPost, “The logistics of wearing a costume like that allows me to travel back and forth through time. We know Toby was married before and, because of the divorce, gained a bunch of weight. So there was a time when he was skinnier. So the costume allows, if they want to, for us to jump back and forth through time."
Toby's On-Screen Transformation
In Season 4, Toby begins to prioritize his health and embarks on a weight loss journey. A preview for This Is Us shows off Toby's weight loss. His wife, Kate, is shocked by his body transformation, since he's been working out in secret. This transformation is depicted on-screen, with Toby showcasing a slimmer physique. However, the weight loss also creates tension in his relationship with Kate, as she feels insecure and struggles to accept the "new" Toby.
Isaac Aptaker, the show's executive producer, explained that Toby's secrecy was an attempt to protect Kate, given her own struggles with weight and body image. "I don’t think he’s trying to flaunt in his wife’s face, 'Look at all the weight I’m losing,' especially given how busy she is with the baby and taking care of a newborn. So he’s made the choice of keeping this on the DL and flying under the radar here," Aptaker explained. "Certainly Kate is aware that he’s smaller, but she doesn’t know the extent he’s going to [in order] to lose the weight. And I think he’s doing that to try to protect her."
The Impact on Kate and Toby's Relationship
Season 6, Episode 9 of This Is Us highlights present-day Kate's (Chrissy Metz) longing for the version of Toby (Chris Sullivan) she first fell in love with. In Season 6, Episode 9 of This Is Us, Kate embarks on a trip to Toby's current home of San Fransisco - where she promptly realizes just how much he has changed. Kate and Toby get caught up in a chain of negotiations about their future together as a family, with Kate still believing they will be able to be happy like they once were - and Toby demanding she gets on board with the move to San Fransisco stat. The episode culminates in an excruciating fight scene. Kate's wants old Toby back and isn't able to come to terms with the giant changes Toby went through since they started dating - which partly began when he lost weight circa Season 4 of This Is Us. Throughout the show, flash forwards hinted at Toby and Kate's eventual breakup, and that came to fruition in Season 6 when the couple was in a long-distance relationship.
"We have some really big stuff for them coming up," Dan Fogelman said, perhaps in reference to Toby and Kate's divorce. "The way Toby and Kate always came together, I’ve always thought was beautiful and romantic, but it was also kind of imperfect," Dan Fogelman, the creator of This Is Us said at a Television Critics Association press tour for Season 6, via Parade. "It was two people who often needed different things at different times and there were lots of conversations early on about whether they were good for one another."
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Chris Sullivan's Real-Life Weight Loss
While Chris Sullivan wore a fat suit for the initial seasons of "This Is Us," he has also experienced his own weight loss journey in real life. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Metz explained that, "Chris has been heavier and I think he does understand the plight of being overweight, and also he was the best man for the job."
Chris Sullivan's Perspective
Chris Sullivan has been open about his experiences with anxiety and depression, which he believes helped him understand Toby's emotional struggles. He told the Chicago Tribune that the cast is so close that guest stars could feel unwelcome. "People have to walk into a family that's been together for years - into a social situation that's really comfortable for all of us (as the main cast) - and they have to perform at the drop of a hat not knowing anyone. It's really terrifying," he explained to the Chicago Tribune.
The Importance of Representation
The character of Kate, played by Chrissy Metz, also grapples with weight loss throughout the series. Metz has spoken about the importance of representing realistic weight loss journeys on television, emphasizing that it's a process with ups and downs.
"I think that she just has to make it more of a concerted effort, and that's what she's trying to do. I think it inspires people because we're all on different journeys and we all progress differently. We're all in it together."
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