Olivia Allen
Appearances
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Yeah, I was telling Chris that watching the show was obviously emotional as it was for everyone in the whole world that watched it. But my mom and I started a tradition where she would come over every week and we would watch the show together. Wow. And it makes me feel emotional even thinking about that because one day I will miss that.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
But she would come over and I had just had a baby and it was a really bonding time. It was like our thing. We'd watch the show. And then one night I heard her upstairs screaming, crying in the bedroom by herself. And so I went in and I was like, what is going on? And I could hear that it was like she was trying to stop the crying. The show was already over. So I knew something was brought up.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
And I said, what's going on? And she said that, you know, and I knew this information. I knew she had given up a baby for adoption when she was 19 years old. She's now 18. So at this point, I don't know how many years ago it was, but... She had told me when I was young, it was a close adoption. We'll never know who he is. And this was something that caused her great pain throughout her life.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
And then while we were watching the show, she said it brought up so much pain of wanting to know who her son was, that she would never see him. She would never find him. And through your character finding your dad, that's what broke this open 50 years later, okay? So the next morning, I went on 23andMe, and I'd been on 23andMe for, I don't know, five years at this point, something like that.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
And it was the first time I clicked the button in opt-in to connect with relatives. And when I did, I saw that there was someone that shared 25% of my genes. And I was like, it sounds like I have an uncle or something along those lines. And I wrote him and I said, this is going to sound crazy, but I think you're my brother. And he wrote back immediately, this is why I got on 23andMe. Wow.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Drop it, Olivia. Yes. He is in my life. He is in my mom's life. They have the most beautiful relationship. They talk twice a week. They're best friends. He came, he met the family. He is a complete light. He is a wonderful guy. And it was 100%. because of watching This Is Us that that happened and it caused lineages of healing in our family.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
He had been on it, I believe, for years. Wow. And nothing ever moved.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Wow. Well, it also is because it's a good outcome. Yeah. Yeah.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
And let me tell you, she lived with this, you guys, the pain of not ever meeting her child for 55 years. I can't even imagine. And in one night of cracking that open, it made me go, wait a minute, there is something I could do.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Yeah. He's a wonderful guy. And the craziest thing is he grew up down the street from where I lived at the time. So when he came to visit, he's like, I grew up three streets over.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Three streets over. No, he's fantastic. He's a wonderful person. It's so crazy. He looks more like my mom, acts more like her, the mannerisms than any of us.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
That's why this show will always hold the most profound place in our hearts.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Yeah, you guys nailed it. And she's a grandma to more kids because of it. It's just incredible. However, you guys should take a lot of responsibility for that because if it didn't hit so hard on the emotion, it wouldn't have propelled the action. And so what you're doing is actually...
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
Such a good question. I don't always whoomp, but when I do, there it is.
That Was Us
Homeward Bound | "Clooney" (S2E12)
We need you now, Sterling. We've had Mandy and Chris.