Heavy/Getty
HGTV and “This Is Us” logos
After fully renovating her family’s Los Angeles-area home and listing it for sale on July 12, 2024, actress Mandy Moore clearly has the home improvement bug. On July 15, HGTV announced that the “This Is Us” star will kick off a new batch of “Celebrity IOU” episodes with Drew and Jonathan Scott as they team up to surprise one of her dear friends with a “show-stopping backyard makeover,” per the network’s press release.
Moore is one of multiple stars joining the hit show, which gives celebrities the chance to give back to someone they love by working with the “Property Brothers” to conduct a surprise renovation for them. Beginning with Moore’s August 12 episode, new shows will feature professional skateboarder and entrepreneur Tony Hawk, comedian Wanda Sykes, and actors Zach Braff, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mira Sorvino, and Danny Trejo.
Mandy Moore Got Involved in the Construction Work on ‘Celebrity IOU’
On “Celebrity IOU,” Moore — who announced via Instagram on May 31 that she’s expecting a third baby with her husband, Taylor Goldsmith — will work with the Scott brothers to gift a backyard makeover to her friend of 15 years, Celina. According to HGTV’s release, Moore considers Celina to be “like family and like a surrogate mother to her children.”
When Moore toured the “outdated space” at Celina’s with Drew and Jonathan, the release said, they discovered “an unsafe covered patio” and were then hindered by “weeks of unexpected rain.” But Moore pitched in to make sure her friend got the oasis she deserved, unafraid to jackhammer cracked concrete, tear off old shingles or handle a power saw.
The result, showcased during an “emotional final reveal,” is “a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen, a luxe lounge area featuring new seating and a fire table, and an electronic metal pergola” that allows for sun and shade, per the release.
Moore is no stranger to home improvement, given that she’s renovated her last two California houses. The 1950s Pasadena home she and Goldsmith just listed for $6 million has been completely renovated, according to Realtor.com, which posted photos of the transformed space.
In her July 12 post about putting the 3,551-square-foot home on the market, Moore wrote, “Today, our home that we lovingly restored from the studs, is available for its next chapter and owner. It’s bittersweet as @taylordawesgoldsmith and I got engaged, married and brought home 2 babies here but I’m thrilled to see who she goes to next.”
Prior to getting married, Moore and Goldsmith renovated another 1950s home in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, which Architectural Digest featured in 2018. The process of reimagining the home and seeing their visions come to life was what got Moore passionate about the home design process.
“We saw the potential of this house and brought it back to life,” she told AD. “It’s hard to convey the excitement of working out every detail, from picking slabs at the stone yard to figuring out how many burners we wanted for the stove. Once you realize that you can actually build your true dream house, it’s hard to go back to anything else.”
‘Celebrity IOU’ Has Struck a Chord With HGTV Audience Since 2020
HGTV
Since Drew and Jonathan launched “Celebrity IOU” in 2020 with Brad Pitt as the show’s first featured star, the show has continued to be a “smash hit,” per HGTV.
The network kicked off 2024 by premiering the first of eight new episodes on New Year’s Day featuring celebrities including Ray Romano, Mayim Bialik and another “This Is Us” alum, Sterling K. Brown. Compared to the prior six weeks, the show boosted viewing among adults ages 25-54 by 89%, according to an HGTV release.
Building on that success, HGTV surprised fans by premiering another four new episodes in June featuring Patricia Arquette, Camryn Manheim, Marlee Matlin and Laurence Fishburne. Seven more new episodes will air beginning with Moore’s August 12 episode.
The Scott brothers think the success of the show is due to fans’ interest in getting to see their favorite celebrities in a new way, as well as the heartwarming friendships they share on the show.
“‘Celebrity IOU’ is about giving back to people who have already given so much, but it’s also about watching these celebrities get their hands dirty and get creative in a way you never get to see otherwise,” Jonathan said in HGTV’s statement. “They have amazing design eyes and ideas – it’s totally different than the way you usually see them.”
Drew added, “The celebs are always willing to get in there and do things they’ve never done before. They also come up with solutions we wouldn’t necessarily think of, because they know the recipient and what that person needs so well. They really mean business.”
The seven new episodes of “Celebrity IOU” will premiere on August 12 at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Liv Lane is an entertainment writer who covers the Hallmark Channel, HGTV, American Idol and The Voice for Heavy. Based in Minneapolis, she has three decades of experience as a local and national radio host, columnist and publicist, interviewing and working with a wide range of celebrities over the years, from Deepak Chopra to Lil Nas X. More about Liv Lane
