FAITHE HERMAN

Exclusive interview with THIS IS US’ FAITHE HERMAN who plays Annie- the youngest Pearson daughter, on playing her role throughout the years, the challenges she faced and how she managed to rise above the occasion. She also spoke about her dream projects, goals and life lessons.

PHOTOGRAPHER: TIM SCHAEFFER, FASHION STYLIST: CASEY BILLINGSLEY, MAKE-UP ARTIST: RENEE LOIZ, HAIR STYLIST: RODNIKIA RICHMOND

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am the youngest of 5 children and was born and raised in San Diego, California. My hobbies include baking, making art, and building homes on the computer.

Tell us more about your character Annie on This Is Us. What drew you to this role?

My character Annie on This Is Us is the youngest daughter of Randall and Beth Pearson. Annie will definitely tell it as it is when the moment presents itself. I feel like she just really observes what everyone is doing. 

How would you describe the show for those who may have never seen it?

I would describe the show as being one that will definitely tug at your heartstrings. It is a show full of emotions that touches on stories that many can relate to. 

What’s the most challenging part of doing this role? 

The most challenging part of this role over the past six seasons was that there was not enough time to learn more about Annie Pearson. I wish we had more episodes to watch her grow up and see what her future looks like.

How did you rise above these challenges? 

I believe I rose above these challenges by working with what was presented to me as an actress and finding ways to make Annie’s personality shine through. There were so many stories that had to be told and, more than anything, I was just happy to be of some support in doing that. 

What’s the proudest moment of your career so far?  

I've had so many proud moments of my career, so narrowing it down to one is hard. I would say it would have to be when my This Is Us family won the first SAG Award in 2018. My mom was in attendance with me then and when we won the second award in 2019, my dad was with me. Getting to share these moments with them both has been amazing. Side note: the first SAG award was on my mom's birthday, so she was crying. 

What inspires you? 

What inspires me are my parents. They do so much to take care of me and my sister, and I’m really grateful for how much they support us and encourage us. 

What scares you?  

What scares me are snakes! I don’t even like seeing them on TV. Climate change worries me. I really try to be proactive in my home to do my part in recycling. I try to not take long showers, or leave my lights or TV on.

Guilty pleasure? 

My guilty pleasure is definitely sweets. I am a sweet food addict. I especially love trying new places to get fun desserts. Oh, ice cream is a big one. 

Name your top 5 favorite films of all time.

        1. Spider-Man: No Way Home

        2. Tangled 

        3. E.T.

        4. Matilda 

        5. Adventures in Babysitting 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? 

It's from my parents. They always tell me to have faith in myself and follow my heart—to just do what makes me happy. There will be some challenges in life, but how you handle them makes you stronger. My grandma “Lola” would add to always humble yourself, be kind to others, smile, and say thank you. 

What’s your ultimate goal?

I'm only 14, so my goals are always changing. I know they are great to have though; I love creating vision boards. My number one goal has always been to finish school and then head to college. 

What are your dream projects? 

I've seen remakes of a lot of classic movies. My dream project would be to be in a remake of one of my favorite movies, E.T. Remakes can be tricky because you always want to do the original movie justice!