‘This Is Us’ Star Jennifer Morrison Says She Had to Fight for the Role of Cassidy

Ever since the premiere of This Is Us season four, fans can’t wait to see how the newest character, Cassidy (Jennifer Morrison), will fit into the story line. While the 40-year-old actress is no stranger to the small screen, she recently admitted that she had to “fight” for the guest role.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Morrison talked about joining the cast of the hit NBC series. Although she previously starred as Emma Swan in Once Upon a Time, she had to audition for This Is Us just like every other actress.

“This was not something that was just like offered to me—I had to fight for this,” she said.

When Morrison heard that Dan Fogelman was looking to expand the cast, it immediately piqued her interest. “I love the show. I’m a fan of the show, and I heard that there was a great guest arc coming for a strong female and Dan Fogelman auditions everybody. Everybody auditions for the show,” she added.

So, when her team reached out about a potential audition, Morrison didn’t think twice. She continued, “My team came to me and they were like, ‘Is this something that you would want enough that you’d be willing to read for?’ And I said, ‘Uhhh, yeah!’

When asked if her character will have a significant role in season four, Morrison admitted that Fogelman has a few tricks up his sleeve. “I guess the way that Dan has put it is that she’s a significant part of this season,” she explained. “So that’s the way I will reiterate it.”

*Sniff, sniff* Is that a new love interest for Kevin (Justin Hartley) we smell? This Is Us airs on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on NBC.