‘This Is Us’ Season 5: Justin Hartley Says Kevin and Randall Needed ‘Time’ Before Their Reconciliation
This Is Us fans have been waiting for Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Randall (Sterling K. Brown) to make amends for a while now. In the fourth season finale, the Pearson brothers got into an argument about Rebecca’s (Mandy Moore) health care. But when they unearthed 40 years of resentment, everyone knew it would be difficult to come back from.
Now, it seems a reconciliation is on the horizon. Then in a recent interview, Hartley explained why Kevin and Randall needed the “time and space” before buying the hatchet in This Is Us Season 5.
What happened to Kevin and Randall in ‘This Is Us’ Season 5?
At the start of This Is Us Season 5, Randall and Kevin had a few awkward encounters. They weren’t speaking. However, it was clear they needed each other. Meanwhile, Kevin and Kate (Chrissy Metz) started to realize how race impacted Randall’s childhood and identity. Then Randall went to New Orleans and learned about his birth mother’s story.
Following his trip to New Orleans, Randall wanted to let go of all the bad stuff, which included the feud with Kevin. Then when Randall reached out, Kevin was frantically trying to get to Madison’s (Caitlin Thompson) birth. So Randall and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson) stepped in and supported Madison — via video chat — as the ultimate grand gesture.
While Randall and Kevin were on the mend after the birth, many fans noticed some lingering tension. So there was still work to be done. Then when Kevin asked Randall to be his best man, Kevin offered to fly to Philadelphia after both parties were vaccinated. Now, the Pearsons are set to have a major conversation in This Is Us Season 5 Episode 13, titled “Brotherly Love.”
Justin Hartley opens up about Kevin and Randall in ‘This Is Us’ Season 5
It’s been almost a full season since Kevin and Randall’s big fight in This Is Us. Of course, some fans wondered whether another party, such as Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), would have known what to say to end the feud sooner. But in an interview with ELLE from March 2021, Hartley shut down the theory.
“I don’t know if there’s much you can say,” Hartley said. “They weren’t talking for a while. I don’t think that they ever thought that it would last that long or that it would be forever estranged. I think it just turned into something like that, it snowballed.”
The actor also suggested Kevin and Randall just needed some space and time to calm down.
“You know, people are boneheaded sometimes,” Hartley said. “It started off as anger. Then it was a betrayal, and then some horrible things were said. A lot of times, you just need to calm down. You just need some time and space before you re-enter it so that you can calm down and talk with a level head and be rational.”
Sterling K. Brown hints Randall and Kevin will find the time and space in ‘This Is Us’
Now, will This Is Us Season 5 Episode 13 be enough time for Randall and Kevin to reconcile? Fans will just have to wait and see what happens next. But when speaking with People in February 2021, Brown hinted that the Pearson brothers will be ready to talk.
“It will happen,” Brown said. “You’ll witness them finding the time and the space to have the conversation they’ve been looking to have since the end of last year. The conversation that needed to take place.”
The actor also suggested that Randall and Kevin’s conversation in the new April 13 episode will be a “turning point” for the two brothers.
“Episode 13, I believe, is sort of a history of the relationship between Randall and Kevin, and how they have throughout history shown up for each other and antagonized one another to no end,” Brown told HollywoodLife in April 2021. “I’m thinking there’s a possible turning point of real change in the near future.”
