‘This Is Us’ Actress Mackenzie Hancsicsak Teases Season 4 + Shares How Playing Young Kate Helped Her Grow

By now NBC’s award-winning series This Is Us has garnered a pop culture reputation as being a major tearjerker for fans who have tuned in for the past 3 seasons and fell in love with the Pearson family. One of those family members is played by 12-year-old Mackenzie Hancsicsak. The rising star plays Kate, a role she shares with Hannah Zeile and Chrissy Metz who play the teen and adult versions of Kate respectively.

On the cusp of season 4 returning later this month, Mackenzie teased what fans can expect exclusively with Glambergirlblog and how playing Young Kate influenced her. “It taught me to be more outgoing because I’m not an outgoing person, but she’s [Kate] just so outgoing cause she wears so many bright colors and it’s important to be true to yourself no matter what people think,” Mackenzie said about playing her on-screen alter ego.

This Is Us was her first major audition and playing a multidimensional character has developed a deeper sense of self for Mackenzie. “As I’m portraying the character Kate, her impact in my life and in the show is getting stronger because now she’s starting to get into that like teenager phase where she’s wearing blacks and browns and all that stuff. [But] she still feels that she can wear colorful things with her family and she feels that she’s safe with her family.”

Growing up Hancsicsak would do musical theater with friends so getting into the mindset of another character is nothing new for her, but dealing with really emotional content like that of This Is Us takes a certain level to get to in order to deliver effortlessly on-screen. “I think about my life and things that happened in my life that’s sad; like that my grandma died or if my dog ran away, then I just think of those sad moments. I get ready and I prepare myself.  I tell myself that it’s not real. It’s just a show. So whatever happens in the show, it’s not me. It’s Kate.”

Photo: Heather Lovell (@simplylovelly)

Kate is part of The Big Three – the children of Rebecca and Jack Pearson – who is seen on screen often with her brothers Kevin and Randall Pearson, played by Parker Bates and Lonnie Chavis. “It’s so much fun because everyone is so nice. Parker and Lonnie who play my brothers, they are like the sweetest boys I’ve ever met and they’re just so much fun to work with because I used to grow up by myself, so it’s fun to have kids that are my same age pretending or kind of being like my brothers,” Mackenzie said about working with her co-stars.

So what can fans expect for season 4? “That it will probably make you cry. I feel like the story is going to get bigger and bigger. Every episode. There’ll be a surprise for the fans on social media.” At the end of August, the 31st to be exact, a new teaser dropped to celebrate Jack and The Big Three’s birthdays. The tease showed new characters and got fans even more excited for the next chapters of the heartwarming story.

Photo: Melinda Hancsicsak

Outside of working on her career, Mackenzie maintains a down-to-Earth lifestyle. She just started middle school, volunteers at a local pet shelter, is a Cadette with the Girl Scouts, takes great pride in working in her community, and has plans to start a YouTube channel to connect closely with her fans. She ended our chat with a special message for them. “Be yourself. Be Unique. It’s so much fun to be yourself and be unique because that’s why people love you.”

Keep up with Mackenzie online @MackenzieHancsicsak on Instagram and @MHancsicsak on Twitter. This Is Us season 4 returns to NBC on Tuesday, September 24th.

Watch the teaser for season 4 of This Is Us in the clip below. Are you tuning in to see the Pearson family? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Follow Glambergirlblog.com on Twitter and Instagram @Glambergirlblog 

Photo: Melinda Hancsicsak