NBC’s ‘This Is Us’ spotted filming in Philly

Over the past few months, we’ve seen several film crews make their way to Philly for projects — AMC’s Jason Segel series Dispatches from Elsewhere, forthcoming Idris Elba film Concrete Cowboys, and season five of Netflix’s Queer Eye. Now, NBC’s This Is Us has joined the list.

Earlier this week, cast and crews for the show were spotted filming on South Street with star Lyric Ross, who plays Deja, the adopted daughter of protagonists Randall and Beth Pearson. As paparazzo HughE Dillon reports, Ross filmed near Headhouse Square and at artist Isaiah Zagar’s Magic Gardens, and also enjoyed some water ice at Rita’s at Third and South Streets.

Cast members Sterling K. Brown, who plays Randall, and Susan Kelechi (Beth) were also seen Sunday and Monday filming at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and along the 2000 block of Spring Garden Street.

This Is Us is back in town thanks to a plot point in season four that has Randall’s family moving to Philadelphia following his election to a seat in City Council in season three. In the upcoming season, Brown’s character will serve as a councilperson for the fictional 12th District (Philly actually has only 10).

This Is Us’ upcoming season will also feature Philly’s own M. Night Shyamalan as a cast member, though his role has not yet been announced. As Variety notes, the gig will serve as Shyamalan’s first acting role in which he is not playing himself or appearing in one of his own projects.

The show’s trip to Philly isn’t its first. Last year, stars Justin Hartley (Kevin Pearson) and Melanie Liburd (Zoe Baker) were spotted filming for season three at the WHYY studios in Center City with NPR’s Fresh Air host Terry Gross.

Season four of This Is Us premieres Sept. 24 on NBC.