Mandy Moore: From Pop Star to Emmy Nominee: Photos

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Mandy Moore Through the Years: From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

A journey to remember! She may have started as a bubblegum pop singer, but Mandy Moore has evolved considerably throughout her two-decade long career. The New Hampshire native, 35, burst onto the Hollywood scene in 1999 when she signed with Epic Records as one of their up-and-coming artists. Her first single, “Candy,” reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. From that moment on, Moore’s career has had its peaks and valleys, but it was all worth it — especially since it eventually led to an Emmy nomination and massive TV career. Once the “Save a Little for Yourself” singer got her feet wet in the music industry — she released five records by the age of 23 — Moore ventured into the film world. She first appeared on screen as mean girl Lana Thomas in Disney’s The Princess Diaries in 2001. In the film, she acted, but she also performed “Stupid Cupid” during one scene, showing off her range. In 2002, she landed her first leading role as Jamie Sullivan in A Walk to Remember. The movie, which also starred Shane West as Moore’s love interest, did OK at the box office, but nearly 20 years later, the film has become a cult classic with infinite staying power. [jwplayer Oc6JILf9-zhNYySv2] “[It’s] bananas,” Moore told Us Weekly exclusively in January 2018 about the film’s longevity. “It’s crazy. It feels like another lifetime ago. But I’m so happy to celebrate it and so happy that people still — it’s relevant and still means something to people. That means a lot.” During her rom-com phase, Moore was also creating new music with her record, Amanda Leigh, coming out in 2009. While the album was her last bit of music to come out for more than a decade, it wasn’t something she totally forgot about. Beginning in 2010, the actress focused on her acting career and talent, becoming a Disney Princess with the animated film Tangled. She then appeared in more than 10 movies over the past 10 years before landing the job that changed her career forever in 2016. That year, Moore was cast as the matriarch of the Pearson family, Rebecca Pearson, on NBC’s hit drama This Is Us. After being on the show for three seasons, she earned her first Primetime Emmy Awards nomination in 2019.

In March 2020, the starlet returned to her musical roots by dropping her seventh studio album, Silver Landings. “I missed it,” she told Entertainment Weekly of her music comeback in February 2020. “I’m not going to get emotional. I had a lot to unpack about my feelings toward music and my sense of worth in what I brought to the table.”

In addition to her successful Hollywood career, Moore wed Dawes musician Taylor Goldsmith in 2018 before welcoming their first child, son August, in February 2021. They announced in June 2022 that Baby No. 2 would arrive that fall.

Scroll down to see how Moore has evolved over the years.

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Credit: Shutterstock (2)

Mandy Moore Through the Years: From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

A journey to remember! She may have started as a bubblegum pop singer, but Mandy Moore has evolved considerably throughout her two-decade long career. The New Hampshire native, 35, burst onto the Hollywood scene in 1999 when she signed with Epic Records as one of their up-and-coming artists. Her first single, “Candy,” reached No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. From that moment on, Moore’s career has had its peaks and valleys, but it was all worth it — especially since it eventually led to an Emmy nomination and massive TV career. Once the “Save a Little for Yourself” singer got her feet wet in the music industry — she released five records by the age of 23 — Moore ventured into the film world. She first appeared on screen as mean girl Lana Thomas in Disney’s The Princess Diaries in 2001. In the film, she acted, but she also performed “Stupid Cupid” during one scene, showing off her range. In 2002, she landed her first leading role as Jamie Sullivan in A Walk to Remember. The movie, which also starred Shane West as Moore’s love interest, did OK at the box office, but nearly 20 years later, the film has become a cult classic with infinite staying power. [jwplayer Oc6JILf9-zhNYySv2] “[It’s] bananas,” Moore told Us Weekly exclusively in January 2018 about the film’s longevity. “It’s crazy. It feels like another lifetime ago. But I’m so happy to celebrate it and so happy that people still — it’s relevant and still means something to people. That means a lot.” During her rom-com phase, Moore was also creating new music with her record, Amanda Leigh, coming out in 2009. While the album was her last bit of music to come out for more than a decade, it wasn’t something she totally forgot about. Beginning in 2010, the actress focused on her acting career and talent, becoming a Disney Princess with the animated film Tangled. She then appeared in more than 10 movies over the past 10 years before landing the job that changed her career forever in 2016. That year, Moore was cast as the matriarch of the Pearson family, Rebecca Pearson, on NBC’s hit drama This Is Us. After being on the show for three seasons, she earned her first Primetime Emmy Awards nomination in 2019.

In March 2020, the starlet returned to her musical roots by dropping her seventh studio album, Silver Landings. “I missed it,” she told Entertainment Weekly of her music comeback in February 2020. “I’m not going to get emotional. I had a lot to unpack about my feelings toward music and my sense of worth in what I brought to the table.”

In addition to her successful Hollywood career, Moore wed Dawes musician Taylor Goldsmith in 2018 before welcoming their first child, son August, in February 2021. They announced in June 2022 that Baby No. 2 would arrive that fall.

Scroll down to see how Moore has evolved over the years.

[podcast_block]

1999 Introduction Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Meet Mandy

Born in Nashua, New Hampshire, Moore broke into the entertainment industry in 1999 when she signed with Epic Records and started her music career. She came up in the industry during height of bubblegum pop and boy bands.

1999 Candy Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Sweet Single

In 1999, the star released her first single, “Candy,” which she still performs. It peaked at No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That same year she dropped her first record, So Real. It eventually earned a certified platinum rating, selling roughly 950,000 copies.

2000 I Wanna Be With You Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Moore Music

Six months after her first album was released, Moore dropped her second record, I Wanna Be With You. It was made up of a few remixed songs from her debut album as well as new tracks.

2001 Princess Diaries Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Movie Makeover

In 2001, the “Fifteen” singer not only voiced her first animated character in Dr. Dolittle 2, but she also starred in her first major film, The Princess Diaries. She played the mean girl, Lana, who goes to school with Mia Thermpolis (Anne Hathaway) and famously got ice cream dropped on her by the geek turned princess.

2002 A Walk to Remember Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Leading Lady

Moore didn’t waste any time from her first feature film to her second. In 2002, the New Hampshire native was the lead in A Walk to Remember, where she portrayed Jamie, a teenage girl who is dying, but falls in love with the bad boy, Landon (West) before passing.

2007 License to Wed Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Rom-Com Rise

Following her success in A Walk to Remember, the actress landed rom-com role after rom-com role throughout the ‘00s. She was in Because I Said So, License to Wed and Chasing Liberty to name a few.

2009 Released Amanda Leigh Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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An Ode to Herself

In 2009, the musician released her sixth studio album, Amanda Leigh, which is Moore’s real name. It was the last record she put out before focusing on her acting career full-time … until a decade later.

2010 Tangled Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Disney Princess Treatment

Moore became a Disney princess in 2010 when she voiced Rapunzel in the animated film Tangled. Her character later made a cameo in 2013’s Frozen and is now part of the iconic magical world of Disney’s animated lineup.

2011 Oscars Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Taking the Oscars' Stage

In 2011, Tangled’s “I See the Light” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The actress and her costar Zachary Levi took the Oscars stage to perform their hit track, marking another big feet for the actress.

2016 This Is Us Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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This Is Mandy

Meet the Pearsons! In 2016, the actress first appeared as the matriarch of the Pearson family, Rebecca. She has portrayed the character as a young girl falling in love with Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), a mom raising her children through all of their phases of life, and an aging grandmother. “I never feel great about auditions. But for some reason, I felt especially good after reading with Milo,” she told Us in 2017 about the show’s audition. “I walked out and went, ‘I feel like that’s meant to be.’”

2017 Tangled The Series Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Animated Success

Following the success of Disney’s Tangled, Moore reprised her role as Rapunzel for Tangled: The Series, which began in 2017. She is currently voicing the beloved character.

2018 Married Taylor Goldsmith Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Blushing Bride

On November 18, 2018, the Saved! actress tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at her L.A. home wearing a pink gown. Days before saying, “I do,” to Taylor Goldsmith, Moore told Us exclusively that she was ready to get married “because I’m with my person. I’m with the right person.”

2019 Walk of Fame Star Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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Stars Align

In March 2019, the Chasing Liberty actress was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.“Your energy is irresistible and your heart is second to none,” West said about his A Walk to Remember costar at the event. “I always knew you were incredibly talented and I always knew you were going to go on to do big things and amazing things, and you have … I couldn’t be more proud of you. I couldn’t be more happy for you.”

“Stars have always sort of been our thing,” Moore wrote alongside two photos with her former costar, referring to his character, Landon, building her character, Jamie, a telescope in the film. “Thankful to @theshanewest for his kind words on this very special day, one which I will never forget. It was a walk (of fame) to remember.🌟”

2019 When I Wasn’t Watching Album Cover Mandy Moore Through the Years From Teenage Pop Star to Emmy Nominee

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The Comeback

After a decade away from the music business — with a few musical moments in her acting roles — Moore announced her return to singing. She released her first single in 10 years with “When I Was Watching” in September 2019. “I never had a plan B. I was always like, ‘I’m going to be an actor and a musician and that’s that,’” she told Us in November 2017 about her career path.

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Emmy Nominee

After her season 3 performance on the NBC drama, Moore was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television for This Is Us at the 2019 Emmys. It was her first nomination from the TV-specific awards show.

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Silver Landings

Eleven years after Amanda Leigh dropped, the actress released her seventh studio album, Silver Landings, on March 6, 2020. “I'm so so excited to share with you all that I've been working on for so long with such an incredible group of people,” she wrote via Instagram on February 13, 2020, before the album’s release.