Why Timothy Omundson’s ‘This Is Us’ Character Is So Personal

This Is Us - Timothy Omundson
NBC

This Is Us unveiled another new character in its most recent chapter, “Unhinged,” and it served as a momentous return to TV for actor Timothy Omundson.

Known for his roles in Psych and the short-lived cult comedy Galavant among many others, Omundson took a break from acting after he suffered a serious stroke that almost took him out of commission for good.

For fans who did tune in, it would appear that Omundson’s unfriendly neighbor character has a few things in common with himself.

In a piece by Entertainment Weekly, it was revealed that This Is Us showrunner Dan Fogelman created the character — who is referred to as Gregory in the same article — specifically for Omundson.

During his scenes, Omundson’s character connects with Chrissy Metz‘s Kate as he reveals he suffered a life-threatening stroke two years prior and had to relearn walking, talking, eating and more. The revelation explained his blunt and grumpy attitude in his first appearance as he asked Kate to have Toby (Chris Sullivan) park on the street rather than blocking part of the sidewalk.

(Credit: NBC)

Time will tell whether Omundson’s will be a longterm role or not, but by the end of “Unhinged” it was clear a beautiful friendship was blossoming between the curmudgeon and Kate. Tune in Tuesdays to see how Omundson’s role unfolds.

This Is Us, Tuesdays, 9/8c, NBC