This Is Us' Chrissy Metz on Her Golden Globe Nom: "I Feel Like I'm in a Dream"

Chrissy Metz, who on Monday was nominated for a Supporting Actress Golden Globe for her performance as Kate Pearson on NBC's family drama This Is Us, is grateful to be recognized for her depiction of a realistic and complex character who's a plus-sized woman.

"I feel like I'm in a dream. Like, what's happened? Am I tired? It's slowly processing," she told Vulture. "Viola Davis made this beautiful speech last night [at the Critics' Choice Awards]. It was so moving and I was in tears. To be the unconventional actress or finally [to have] art catching up to life, it really means a lot because there were times where I was like, Maybe I'm not gonna be able to do this."

Metz, whose most prominent role before This Is Us was as a character named "Ima Wiggles the Fat Lady" on American Horror Story: Freak Show, expressed gratitude to NBC and 20th Century Fox, the studio that makes This Is Us, for taking a chance on a "real plus-size woman, not just a size 6 or 8" for the role. "As an actor you use who you are and what you look like in your roles, and this is what I took on and this is who I am in some capacity," she says. "But it's not all that I am. Kate is a true woman who is really contending with that. She can still be sexy or exciting or fun, but really vulnerable. It's really a gift."

Metz earned one of three Golden Globe nominations for NBC's breakout hit, which also scooped up nominations Drama Series and Supporting Actress for Mandy Moore, who plays her mother.

This Is Us returns Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9/8c on NBC.