Milo Ventimiglia
Milo Ventimiglia | |
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![]() Ventimiglia at the premiere of The Art of Racing in the Rain in 2019 | |
Born | Milo Anthony Ventimiglia July 8, 1977 Anaheim, California, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1995–present |
Milo Anthony Ventimiglia (/vɛntɪˈmiːljə/, Italian: [ventiˈmiʎʎa]; born July 8, 1977) is an American actor, director and producer. After several roles in television series and parts in independent films, he gained recognition for his roles as Jess Mariano on the television series Gilmore Girls from 2001 to 2006, and as Peter Petrelli on the NBC series Heroes from 2006 to 2010. He has starred as Jack Pearson on the NBC drama This Is Us since 2016.
Ventimiglia debuted on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1995), subsequently cast in the short-lived Fox series Opposite Sex in 2000. Subsequent roles included Jess Mariano on Gilmore Girls, Richard Thorne on The WB's The Bedford Diaries, a recurring role as Meg Pryor's love interest on NBC's American Dreams, and as Rocky Balboa's son (Rocky Jr.) in the sixth and eighth installments of the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (2006) and Creed II (2018). He starred as Peter Petrelli on NBC's Heroes from 2006 to 2010, receiving nominations for Teen Choice, Saturn and People's Choice Awards. He also had roles in the horror films Pathology (2008) and Kiss of the Damned (2013).
Ventimiglia appeared as Ian Mitchell on the Crackle original television series Chosen. as well as Sean Bennigan on The Whispers. In 2015, Ventimiglia reprised his role as Jess Mariano on Netflix's reunion miniseries, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (2016), and currently[when?] stars as Jack Pearson on NBC's This Is Us (2016–present). For his role as Jack Pearson, Ventimiglia has received three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series nominations. As a member of the This Is Us cast, he won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2019.
Early life[]
Ventimiglia was born July 8, 1977.[1] in Anaheim, California, the youngest child of Carol (née Wilson) and Peter Ventimiglia,[2] a Vietnam War veteran.[3] He has two sisters, Leslie and Laurel.[1][4] His father is of Italian-Sicilian descent and his mother is of English and Scottish ancestry.[5] Ventimiglia has a self-described "crooked mouth," having been born with damaged facial nerves causing the left side of his mouth to remain immobile – much like actor Sylvester Stallone, with whom he worked in Rocky Balboa.[2]
Ventimiglia attended El Modena High School in Orange, California. During high school, Ventimiglia wrestled, acted in drama productions and served as student government president, graduating in 1995. At eighteen, Ventimiglia studied at the American Conservatory Theater for their summer program,[6] subsequently attending the University of California, Los Angeles as a theatre major.[7]
Career[]
Early roles and breakthrough[]
At eighteen, Ventimiglia pursued an acting career, first starring as a gay teenager in Must Be the Music, a short film released as part of Strand Releasing's Boys Life 2.[8] He enrolled at UCLA before landing a role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, guest starring on television series including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Boston Public. He played Jed Perry, in the short-lived Fox TV series, Opposite Sex, which originally aired in 2000.[9]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Milo_Ventimiglia.jpg/190px-Milo_Ventimiglia.jpg)
From 2001 to 2006, Ventimiglia played brooding teen Jess Mariano on Gilmore Girls; he was introduced in the second season as a leading cast member. He signed on for a spin-off of Gilmore Girls called Windward Circle which was to be focused on the relationship between Jess and his estranged father (played by Rob Estes), but the proposed series never made it to air.[10] Afterward, he dropped down to a guest star/recurring cast member, and he came back for four episodes in season four and two episodes in season six. In the third and final season of American Dreams, Ventimiglia played Chris Pierce, the rebellious boyfriend of Meg Pryor (Brittany Snow);[11] Pierce and his single mother, Shelly (Daphne Zuniga), a Playboy bunny, move into the house next to the Pryors. In 2005, he starred in the mid-season replacement series The Bedford Diaries. The producers had only Ventimiglia in mind, but the show lasted only eight episodes and was one of several shows not picked up by the newly formed network The CW.
Heroes; film and production work[]
In between television work, Ventimiglia had supporting roles in the horror films Cursed (2005), directed by Wes Craven, and Stay Alive (2006), as well as starring roles in the short film Intelligence and the full-length feature Dirty Deeds (2005). The same year, he was cast as Robert "Rocky Jr." Balboa, the son of Rocky Balboa, in the sixth Rocky installment Rocky Balboa which was released in December 2006.[12]
He starred as Peter Petrelli in the NBC series Heroes, a show about "ordinary" people discovering they have superpowers, and portrayed the character until the series' conclusion in 2010. Ventimiglia also produced and developed a mini web-series called It's a Mall World as part of a marketing campaign for American Eagle Outfitters in 2007.[13] In mid-2007 he starred as the love interest of pop/R&B singer Fergie in the music video for "Big Girls Don't Cry". In 2008, he starred as a medical student in the horror film Pathology. The movie co-starred Charmed actress Alyssa Milano and was directed by Marc Schölermann for MGM.[14]
In 2005, Divide Pictures created the DSC, or Divide Social Club, an online and global social network for like-minded people[15] co-founded by Ventimiglia with his best friends Russ Cundiff and Dino DeMilio, a radio producer for The Tom Leykis Show. Ventimiglia, Cundiff, and Divide Pictures partnered with Top Cow to produce the comic series REST which will be a monthly limited series. The comic is about John Barrett, a white-collar New Yorker whose life changes when he becomes addicted to a drug that prevents him from falling asleep. Divide also has a comic book called Berserker written by Rick Loverd.[16]
Film and television; This Is Us[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d2/Milo_Ventimiglia%2C_David_Mazouz_-_HVFFLondon2017Gotham-ALS-17.jpg/220px-Milo_Ventimiglia%2C_David_Mazouz_-_HVFFLondon2017Gotham-ALS-17.jpg)
After working with writers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor on Pathology, Ventimiglia appeared in the pair's next film, Gamer.[17] Ventimiglia also starred in the Xavier Gens apocalypse thriller film, The Divide.[18]
Ventimiglia was the voice of Wolverine in the English dub of the Marvel Anime: Wolverine anime series and reprised his role in an episode of the Marvel Anime: Iron Man and an episode of Marvel Anime: Blade. He did not return to voice Wolverine in Marvel Anime: X-Men, due to that series portraying an older Wolverine, instead Wolverine was voiced by Steven Blum.[19] He played Ned Stax, a former marine, in Frank Darabont's short-lived neo-noir crime drama Mob City for TNT.[20] He also reprised his role as Jess Mariano in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life in November 2016. After this, he reportedly told USA Today that, "I hear rumors that they're bringing back everything that I've ever been a part of... I think it's exciting. At times, though, I think it's too much. There are more stories to tell with a lot of these characters, but at the same time some of these characters for some of us actors are more than a decade in the past. It was exciting going back to Gilmore Girls for the four Netflix movies, but I'm satisfied with it. I think the stories were told. I think it was great for the audience and fans to get just one small taste of that world again. But, at the same time, I think people should not get so greedy."[21]
Beginning in the fall of 2016, Ventimiglia starred opposite Mandy Moore in the critically acclaimed[22] NBC period drama series This Is Us playing Jack Pearson, the patriarch of a middle-class family in late 1980s early 1990s America.[23] Ventimiglia stars in the upcoming suspense thriller Devil's Gate, alongside Amanda Schull.[24] For his role as Jack Pearson, Ventimiglia received his first Emmy nomination in the category Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.[25]
In 2019, Ventimiglia starred opposite Amanda Seyfried in the film adaptation of The Art of Racing in the Rain, based on the novel by Garth Stein.[26]
Personal life[]
Ventimiglia and fellow former Gilmore Girls co-star Alexis Bledel were in a relationship from 2003 to July 2006.[27] Ventimiglia also dated his Heroes co-star Hayden Panettiere from December 2007 to February 2009.[28][29]
Ventimiglia and his sisters were raised as lacto-vegetarians, and he has maintained the diet as an adult.[30] He was named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Sexiest Vegetarian in 2009.[31][32] He also does not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol.[31] He is a fan of The Clash[33] as well as The Smiths and Morrissey.[34]
Ventimiglia took a United Service Organization tour from July 6 to 12, 2008, in support of American troops in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.[35]
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Boys Life 2 | Jason | Segment: "Must Be the Music" |
1999 | She's All That | Soccer Player | |
Speedway Junky | Travis | ||
2000 | Massholes | Doc | |
2001 | Nice Guys Finish Last | Josh | Short film |
2003 | Winter Break | Matt Raymand | |
2005 | Cursed | Bo | |
Dirty Deeds | Zach Harper | ||
2006 | Intelligence | Colin Mathers | Short film |
Stay Alive | Loomis Crowley | ||
Rocky Balboa | Rocky Balboa Jr. | ||
2008 | Pathology | Dr. Ted Grey | |
2009 | Gamer | Rick Rape | |
Armored | Officer Jake Eckehart | ||
2010 | Order of Chaos | Rick | |
2011 | The Divide | Josh | |
2012 | That's My Boy | Chad Martin | |
Static | Jonathan Dade | ||
2013 | Kiss of the Damned | Paulo | |
Grown Ups 2 | Frat Boy Milo | ||
Breaking at the Edge | Ian Wood | ||
Killing Season | Chris Ford | ||
2014 | Grace of Monaco | Rupert Allan | |
Tell | Ethan Tell | ||
2015 | Walter | Vince | |
Wild Card | Danny DeMarco | ||
2016 | Madtown | Denny Briggs | |
2017 | Sandy Wexler | Barry Bubatzi | |
Devil's Gate | Jackson Pritchard | ||
2018 | Creed II | Rocky Balboa Jr. | |
Second Act | Trey | ||
2019 | The Art of Racing in the Rain | Denny Swift |
Television[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Party Guest No. 1 | Episode: "Bourgie Sings the Blues" |
1996 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Letterman | Episode: "Terrible Things" |
Saved by the Bell: The New Class | Greg | Episode: "Hospital Blues" | |
1997 | EZ Streets | Young Cameron Quinn | Episode: "A Terrible Beauty" |
1998 | Brooklyn South | Johnny Mancuso | Episode: "Hospital Blues" |
Kelly Kelly | Steve Spencer | Episode: "Bye Bye Baby" | |
One World | Eric | Episode: "Community Service" | |
1999 | Promised Land | Tony Brackett | Episode: "In the Money" |
2000 | Opposite Sex | Jed Perry | Main role; 8 episodes |
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Bobby Taylor | Episode: "Friends & Lovers" | |
2001–2006 | Gilmore Girls | Jess Mariano | 37 episodes |
2003 | Windward Circle | Jess Mariano | Unsold pilot |
Boston Public | Jake Provesserio | 3 episodes | |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Lee Healy | Episode: "Escape" | |
2004–2005 | American Dreams | Chris Pierce | 12 episodes |
2006 | The Bedford Diaries | Richard Thorne III | Main role; 8 episodes |
2006–2010 | Heroes | Peter Petrelli | Main role; 70 episodes |
2008 | Robot Chicken | Aqualad (voice) | Episode: "They Took My Thumbs" |
2010 | The Webventures of Justin and Alden | Himself | Episode: "The Last Episode" |
2011 | Suite 7 | Milo | Episode: "That Guy" |
The Temp Life | Cook | 2 episodes | |
Wolverine | Wolverine / Logan (voice) | 12 episodes | |
2013 | Mob City | Ned Stax | Main role; 6 episodes |
Chosen | Ian Mitchell | Main role; 11 episodes | |
2015 | Gotham | Jason Lennon / The Ogre | 3 episodes |
The PET Squad Files | Cash Buggiardo | 4 episodes | |
The Whispers | Sean Bennigan | Main role; 13 episodes | |
The League | Agent Baker | Episode: "The Block" | |
2015–2016 | Ultimate Spider-Man | Spider-Man Noir (voice)[36] | 4 episodes |
2016 | Relationship Status | Jack | Web series; 3 episodes |
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Jess Mariano | 2 episodes | |
2016–present | This Is Us | Jack Pearson | Main role |
Music videos[]
Year | Title | Artist | Role |
---|---|---|---|
2007 | "Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)" | Fergie | Love interest |
2014 | "I Can't Make You Love Me" | Priyanka Chopra |
Video games[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | X-Men: Destiny | Grant Alexander | Voice role |
Director[]
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2007 | It's a Mall World | Miniseries; 13 episodes |
2009 | Dave Knoll Finds His Soul | |
2010 | Ultradome | Episode: Han Solo vs. Indiana Jones |
2011 | Suite 7 | Episode: "That Guy" |
2019 | This Is Us | Episode #59: "Storybook Love" |
2021 | Episode #87: "Jerry 2.0" |
Producer[]
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2007 | It's a Mall World | Producer; 13 episodes |
Winter Tales | Producer | |
2009 | Dave Knoll Finds His Soul | Executive producer |
2010 | Ultradome | Executive producer; 3 episodes |
2011 | Suite 7 | Producer; episode: "That Guy" |
2012 | Static | Executive producer |
2013 | The PET Squad Files | Executive producer; 6 episodes |
Chosen | Executive producer; 18 episodes | |
2014 | Tell | Producer |
Writer[]
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2010 | Ultradome | Co-creator |
Recognitions[]
- Bravo Otto Awards
- 2004: (Nominated) Best Male TV Star
- Critics' Choice Awards
- 2019: (Nominated) Best Television Drama Series Actor for This Is Us
- Emmy Awards
- 2017: (Nominated) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Primetime Drama Series for This Is Us
- 2018: (Nominated) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Primetime Drama Series for This Is Us
- 2019: (Nominated) Outstanding Lead Actor in a Primetime Drama Series for This Is Us
- Gold Derby Awards
- 2018: (Nominated) Best Television Drama Series Actor of the Year for This Is Us
- 2018: (Nominated) Best Television Ensemble of the Year for This Is Us
- Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals Awards
- 2019: (Honored) Man of the Year Award
- International Academy of Web Television Awards
- 2014: (Won) Best Male Performance in a Drama Series for Chosen
- Monte-Carlo Television Festival
- 2008: (Nominated) Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for Heroes
- MTV Movie & TV Awards
- 2017: (Won) Tearjerker Award for This Is Us[a]
- Online Film & Television Association Awards
- 2017: (Nominated) Best Television Drama Series Actor for This Is Us
- 2018: (Nominated) Best Television Drama Series Actor for This Is Us
- People's Choice Awards
- 2017: (Nominated) Favorite Male TV Star of the Year in a New Series for This Is Us
- 2019: (Nominated) Favorite Male TV Star of the Year for This Is Us
- Saturn Awards
- 2009: (Nominated) Best Television Supporting Actor for Heroes
- Screen Actors Guild Awards
- Teen Choice Awards
- 2007: (Nominated) Choice Drama TV Actor of the Year for Heroes
- 2008: (Won) Choice Action or Adventure TV Actor of the Year for Heroes
- 2017: (Nominated) Choice Drama TV Actor of the Year for This Is Us
Notes[]
- ^ Shared with Lonnie Chavis for the scene "Jack and Randall at Karate"
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Milo A. Ventimiglia, Born July 8, 1977 in Orange County, California". California Birth Index. California Office of Health Information and Research. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Keck, William (December 18, 2006). "Yo! Ventimiglia gets into the tough-guy act". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 8, 2007. Retrieved December 21, 2006.
- ^ TV Guide. September 8–14, 2008. p. 20.
- ^ Dawn, Randee (March 20, 2017). "Try not to cry as Milo Ventimiglia reveals inspiration behind 'This is Us' character". Today. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ^ "Milo Ventimiglia". Biography.com. The Biography Channel. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ "Milo Ventimiglia Fan". April 21, 2002. Archived from the original on May 16, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2007.
- ^ "NOTABLE ALUMNI ACTORS". UCLA School of Theater, Film and television. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ^ Huisman, Mark J. (April 29, 1997). "Short and sweet". The Advocate: 65.
- ^ Voss, Brandon (2008). "Our hero". The Advocate: 64.
- ^ "What Would Jess' Show Have Been Like?". Alloy. December 16, 2008. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- ^ Bierly, Mandy (December 17, 2007). "Milo Ventimiglia checks in". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
- ^ Carroll, Larry (December 19, 2008). "'Heroes' Star Sheds 'Dirty' Past to Become Rocky Balboa's Son". MTV. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- ^ Howard, Theresa (May 9, 2007). "American Eagle Outfitters plans Web comedy". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009.
- ^ "Pathology (2008)". American Film Institute. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
- ^ "The Dsc – Divide Social Club". Dividesocialclub.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ^ Woman, The (January 29, 2010). "Top Cow Preview: Berserker #4". Dread Central. Archived from the original on May 10, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ^ Jen Yamato (April 17, 2008). "Milo Ventimiglia Gets Dark in Pathology, Talks Role In Neveldine & Taylor's Game". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 20, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
- ^ "Xavier Gens' Apocalypse 'The Divide' Encompasses Genre Cast". Bloody-disgusting.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ^ "Marvel Television Announces Adrian Pasdar & Milo Ventimiglia For Iron Man & Wolverine Anime Series To Air On G4 July 2011" (Press Release). Anime News Network. April 3, 2011. Archived from the original on April 4, 2011.
- ^ "'Heroes' Alum Milo Ventimiglia To Star In Frank Darabont's TNT Pilot 'L.A. Noir'". Deadline. February 21, 2012. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012.
- ^ "Milo Ventimiglia won't return as Jess if Netflix revisits 'Gilmore Girls'". USAtoday.
- ^ Poniewozik, Jamie (March 14, 2017). "'This Is Us' Ends a Tear-Jerking Season With a Beginning". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- ^ Birnbaum, Debra (February 2, 2017). "'This Is Us' Star Milo Ventimiglia on Jack: 'I Don't Think He's Perfect at All'". Variety. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ "Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Schull to Star in Thriller 'Devil's Gate'". The Hollywood Reporter. April 15, 2015. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015.
- ^ "Emmys 2017: Full List of Nominations". Variety. July 13, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ The Art of Racing in the Rain, retrieved July 8, 2021
- ^ "Gilmore Girls' Alexis Bledel, Boyfriend Split". People. Archived from the original on October 5, 2007.
- ^ "Trevor and Zena meet Milo Ventimiglia". BBC. April 22, 2008. Archived from the original on April 24, 2008. Retrieved April 22, 2008.
- ^ "Hayden Panettiere & Milo Ventimiglia Split". People. February 17, 2009. Archived from the original on July 29, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ Pashman, Heidi. "The 25 Sexiest Vegan and Vegetarian Celebrities". Shape. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Kim, Albert. "Milo Ventimiglia". Men's Fitness. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
- ^ Koch, Wendy. "Sexiest Vegetarian? PETA's Contest Goes Beefcake" Archived November 28, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, USAToday.com, March 3, 2010.
- ^ Milo Ventimiglia (August 31, 2007). "Jo Whiley". BBC Radio 1 (Interview). Interviewed by Jo Whiley.
- ^ The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (May 14, 2019), Milo Ventimiglia Geeks Out Over Morrissey, Rides Shotgun in Ubers, retrieved June 4, 2019
- ^ Milo Ventimiglia's USO tour Archived September 24, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cavanaugh, Patrick. "Check out these Guest Voices from Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors". marvel.com. Marvel.com. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
External links[]
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Wikiquote has quotations related to: Milo Ventimiglia |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Milo Ventimiglia. |
- Milo Ventimiglia at AllMovie
- Milo Ventimiglia at the American Film Institute catalog
- Milo Ventimiglia at IMDb
- 1977 births
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American people of English descent
- American people of Scottish descent
- American people of Italian descent
- Living people
- Male actors from Anaheim, California
- UCLA Film School alumni