Season 5 of This Is Us continues with Randall starting to get the answers he’s been looking for. In last night’s episode, Birth Mother, we saw Angela Gibbs playing older Laurel, Randall’s birth mother (played by Jennifer C. Holmes in the flashbacks). Keep reading to find out more about Angela E Gibbs and just what happened to Laurel.
Spoilers ahead!
Meet Angela Gibbs
Actress Angela Elayne Gibbs has a career spanning over four decades, gaining her first acting credit in 1973 as Annie in Cleopatra Jones.
Her most famous roles include Doris Jackson in Straight Outta Compton and Barbara Cochran in The People v. OJ Simpson. She has also appeared in hit American shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, S.W.A.T, Suits and NCIS: Los Angeles.
Gibbs has also worked as an acting coach on hit films such as Birdman and The Revenant with star director Alejandro G. Inarritu.
According to her IMDB page, Gibbs comes from Michigan, Detroit and spent time studying at the American Film Institute. She was born on 17 April 1954 and also works as a short film director and as a producer.
Gibbs is also an impassioned supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Angela Gibbs is the daughter of Marla Gibbs, a well known character comedian. Marla starred in shows such as 227 and The Jeffersons, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.
What do we learn about Laurel in This Is Us season 5?
Angela E Gibbs plays an older version of Randall’s mom Laurel in This Is Us.
In the first episode of the season we learnt that Randall’s birth mother had survived the post-birth overdose that we had originally been told killed her. In episode three we were also left the clue that an elderly Vietnamese man had a picture of Laurel.
Last episode it was revealed that this man, Hai Lang, knew Laurel and he told Randall she didn’t die after his birth but many years later, in New Orleans.
Hai Lang said: “We met in our 20s. I thought about telling you about her for so many years. I wish I could see your face, I wish I could show you the places she lived. The things she loved.”
It was also revealed that Laurel had come from a wealthy family, had a difficult relationship with her father and lost her brother Jackson in the Vietnam war.
When she woke up from her alleged overdose she was arrested for drug possession and sentenced to five years in prison. When she got out, she didn’t feel like she was the best mother for Randall.
Although she met Hai Long when they were young, they only reconnected later in life as he looked after her for two years before she passed away from cancer.
This was a highly emotional episode that finally answered so many questions fans had about the show. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the season has in store.
- ‘Hard, really hard’: Arsenal player makes admission about what Arteta’s asking him to do
- Ian Wright raves over ‘amazingly clinical’ Villa player
- Ian Wright thinks Arsenal ‘are going to struggle’ when Gunners ace isn’t involved,, explains why
- Report: Club set asking price for Tottenham target, they believe he’s as good as Leeds man
- Three exciting Sri Lanka players to watch in Test series against England