'This Is Us' star Mandy Moore gushes about her 'chemistry' with Milo Ventimiglia

Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia on "This Is Us" (NBC)

“This Is Us” has changed Mandy Moore’s life and revamped her career, taking it in an entirely new direction as she transitioned into Rebecca Pearson on the highly successful series.

The former pop singer told Fox News she never could have anticipated the epic reception the show has gotten, and the way the cast have become superstars.

“I am grateful every single day for how my year has, sort of, exponentially changed my life,” she told us at the College Television Awards in Los Angeles. “Being a part of the show has changed my life -- all of our lives. But it is not lost on any of us that’s for sure.”

The New Hampshire-native gushed about her co-stars, particularly her TV husband Milo Ventimiglia.

“I only read with him (Milo),” she said. “Oddly there were three girls and three guys and he was the only gentleman that I read with, and they told me before I went in that I heard Milo was the guy to beat; it was the guy everyone really loved. So when I read with him, I was like ‘I think this is a good sign because I know they really liked him.’”

The 33-year-old said the chemistry with Ventimiglia a rare find.

“I walked away going ‘Oh gosh I really hope this comes to fruition’ because I instantly clicked with Milo, and ‘This is really going to be disappointing if this doesn't happen now.’ Chemistry is not always there -- off the bat, and it was with him.”

Chrissy Metz, Justin Hartley, Sterling K. Brown, Chris Sullivan and Milo Ventimiglia all appear alongside her.

“It’s a crazy ride; it really is, and, you know, what makes it even better is to be a part of it with such exceptional people. Our cast genuinely loves each other and to be able to look around and nudge your friends and go ‘Isn't this crazy we are on stage at Radio City Music Hall presenting Season 2 of our show to advertisers?’ and what not. But those are the moments where you look around and you’re like ‘How did we get here? This is insane.’”