If you're a viewer of NBC's This Is Us, you might have noticed that the man who plays Toby — Chris Sullivan — wears a fat suit for the role.
Sullivan himself mentioned the costuming decision in an early February appearance on The Real — albeit briefly — jokingly exclaiming, "Something on television is a lie?!"
You can watch the full appearance here:
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More recently, his co-star and onscreen love interest Chrissy Metz — who plays Kate on the show — gave her perspective on the matter when a caller on Watch What Happens Live called Sullivan having to wear the suit "ridiculous."
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The caller's comment came after some of the show's fans expressed their discomfort about the costuming choice.
Found out Toby on this is us wears a fat suit and I feel like I've just been lied to 😕😕😕😕😕😕😕
the fact that #toby wears a fat suit is sooooooo disappointing.. #thisisus @NBCThisisUs
By the way how come your not using a fat male actor? #ThisIsUs
I just learned Toby on #ThisIsUs wears a fat suit so there goes all the trust I had in anything.
so that guy is wearing a fat suit on #ThisIsUs ? I'm immediately over that ship completely.
I can't watch #ThisIsUs the same anymore now that I know that Toby is wearing a fat suit.
Does the guy who plays Toby on This Is Us really wear a fat suit? Like they couldn't find an actual overweight white male actor?
honestly pissed that the actor who plays toby on this is us wears a fat suit - how about some actual representation for plus sized men?
"We tested a lot of gentlemen who were bigger," Metz said on WWHL. "And I get it, people think the authenticity is kind of ruined by [that decision to cast Sullivan], but Chris has been heavier and I think he does understand the plight of being overweight."
"And also, he was the best man for the job," Metz continued. "And people wear prosthetics all the time. This just happens to be weight, as opposed to a nose or a chin."
