If there was one word I'd use to describe Mandy Moore it would be maternal–which definitely works in her favor, considering she's currently starring as the quintessential mother on the hit show This Is Us. Despite a not-insignificant number of PR reps and experts surrounding Moore as we sit down to speak at the Crosby Hotel in New York City, her first words aren't plugging her cause or pitching her next project. Instead, she asks if I need a drink of water or anything to eat. Total mom move, considering the 33-year-old actress has yet to have children of her own.

"Milo [Ventimiglia] actually was the one who taught me how to swaddle the baby," Moore says, acknowledging that when she took the role of Rebecca Pearson in This Is Us, she had nothing short of an utter lack of experience with children. But it's her role as a mother on TV that informed her partnership with biopharmaceutical company Merck and the Her Life. Her Adventures. campaign. Its goal is to educate women about health care and family planning, including birth control options.

"I'm a passionate advocate around women's health issues," Moore explains. "At age 33, I'm at a point in my life that's sort of mirroring this character I'm fortunate enough to play. She's a wife and mother at all these varying degrees in her life." Here, Moore opens up about planning her own family, This Is Us season two, new music, and Princess Diaries 3.

Mandy Moore with costar Milo Ventimiglia on This Is Us/NBC

Considering this project, are you looking into motherhood yourself?

Absolutely. Right now I'm focused on my career. That's priority No. 1 for me, so it makes sense that birth control is part of my life in this particular moment. But I know that's going to be the next chapter. And I'm very much looking forward to it.

They tell you when you have children, you're not supposed to have favorites…but who's your favorite 'This Is Us' child? Kevin, Randall, or Kate?

That's so terrible. I don't think I can choose. I love them all and I love them all as people. I love every version and every age of actor, too. I can't avoid thinking about motherhood when I get to work with babies and 2-year-olds and all the different stages of childhood. It's remarkable. I have a great job.

I want to see why there's a disconnect between her biological children.

I wasn't going to ask this, but since you gave such a diplomatic answer to that question, I have to: Of the adult actors who play your children, which is your favorite?

I would say that I get to spend more time around Chrissy [Metz, who plays Kate] because she's a lady and we go to events and get gussied up and go to photo shoots together. So I've probably spent more one-on-one time with her. But everybody's a delightful human on every level. We really lucked out. It's such a wonderful, grounded group of people. I've never experienced anything like it.

Your character began to rebuild her relationship with her adopted son, Randall, after he discovered she'd concealed the identity of his biological father, William. How does William's death at the end of season one factor into your tumultuous mother-son relationship?

That was a bit of catharsis at the end of this season with Randall showing forgiveness. They're on the road to rebuilding their relationship and trust that's been pretty damaged and broken. There is a disconnect, but I'm curious to see how they're going to find their way together. I also want to see why there's a disconnect between her biological children. They both moved out to California, and she's certainly not as close to them. She's way closer to Randall and his family, and not just geographically. I'm curious to sort of explore the nuances of those relationships.

Anne Hathaway and Juile Andrews want to make 'Princess Diaries 3.' Would you consider it?

I don't think it would make sense for my character, the high school bully, to appear. Maybe I would make some quick cameo. I would like to see this woman evolve. If I'm going to be involved, I would be down for a cameo—maybe she could make amends with Mia and apologize for being a bully when she was younger. She was insecure, going through a difficult time in her life and [has now] reflected on why that wasn't okay.

I said, 'I'm not going to spend an entire movie in a bikini, thank you, that's not who I am.'

Here at ELLE.com, we love to know everyone's fitness and diet routines. What's the difference in yours when you're working on 'This Is Us' vs. your shark movie '47 Meters Down'?

I like to be active. I live in Southern California, so it's nice to be able to go outside and hike and exercise outside whenever you feel like it. The show's pretty unpredictable; we don't get our schedule in advance. You kind of know when you're working and what time you have to be there the night before, so it doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room.

I'm the kind of person who talks myself out of doing stuff anyway. I need the sleep. I'm a big believer in sleeping and getting rest over pushing yourself to kill yourself at the gym. Moderation. I'm not a girl that would be comfortable on-screen in a bathing suit. [47 Meters Down] I knew demanded to be in a wetsuit. I said, 'I'm not going to spend an entire movie in a bikini, thank you, that's not who I am.' We were exerting so much energy just being underwater, it was really draining. We would push ourselves to exercise afterwards, but we were burning so many calories and were so bone tired at the end of the day. You don't realize how much you're pushing yourself underwater.

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What does Mandy Moore eat in a day?

Whatever I want. I think we're all sort of acutely aware of what's good for us, so I try to keep that in mind. I could certainly be better. I just found out I have a gluten intolerance so I can't have gluten anymore or chocolate, which is devastating. I was a big believer in some dark chocolate at the end of the day and I can't do that now, because I'm in pain otherwise. I don't have a ton of gluten in my diet anyway. I feel so California to say that, but it's true and it is really easy.

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Rebecca plays a singer who at one point had considered touring. In 2016, you said you've been writing new music. Any plans for an album of your own?

When I was thinking about being part of this campaign, it's about having a plan in place to dream big and think about the adventures you want to take in your life. I miss music and that's something that was top of mind for me, immediately. I don't have the mechanism in place like I did when I was younger when I had a record label. I realize it starts with the music, so I have to get my butt back into the studio and actually record something.

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Emily Tannenbaum Entertainment Editor Emily is the entertainment editor at Cosmopolitan, which is a nice way of saying she watches way too much TV and constantly wants to tell you about it.

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