Singer and actress Mandy Moore is officially a contender in the 2019 Emmy race.

Moore is nominated under the category of Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series for her role in NBC’s This Is Us. The actress plays the role of matriarch Rebecca Pearson in the series. She joins her co-stars Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia who both have previously been nominated for Emmys.

Speaking to Deadline following the recent announcement of her nomination Moore says:
“It hasn’t sunk in. Not sure if it ever will. I’ve never dreamed of something like this. I’m really blown away. To say this is unexpected is a huge understatement.”

As for the show that earned her an Emmy, Moore believes that This Is Us is deserving for its third outstanding drama series nomination.

“I believe [the show] deserves to be right there with everyone else,” said Moore. “I think people love the cathartic nature of our show during these very tumultuous, confusing, emotionally charged times where I feel like life itself is sort of forcing us to be on one side or the other. Our show is just this middle ground that shows there’s more to celebrate.”

Moore reflects on her character Rebecca Person and how she stepped up in the most recent season of the series.

“This last season we saw her grappling with being a widow and being a single parent and watching the kids go off to college and graduate and picking up the pieces of her shattered life to figure out what she was going to do next. That’s all very real and resonant,” said Moore. “She constantly has 50 balls in the air, as most moms do, and makes it all work pretty seamlessly.”