Milo Ventimiglia

Milo Anthony Ventimiglia ( ; born July 8, 1977) is an American actor. Making his screen acting debut on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1995, he portrayed the lead role on the short-lived series Opposite Sex in 2000 before landing his breakthrough role in Gilmore Girls (2001–2007).

Ventimiglia starred as Peter Petrelli in the superhero series Heroes (2006–2010). After appearing in main roles in the series Mob City (2013), Chosen (2013), and The Whispers (2015), he starred as Jack Pearson on This Is Us (2016–2022), for which he has received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He also starred in the drama series The Company You Keep (2023).

In film, Ventimiglia made his breakthrough as Rocky Balboa's son in the sixth installment of the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (2006), and reprised his role in the eighth installment Creed II (2018). He has also appeared in Pathology (2008), That's My Boy (2012), Kiss of the Damned (2013), Grace of Monaco (2014), Devil's Gate (2017), and The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019).

Early life and education Milo Anthony Ventimiglia was born on July 8, 1977, in Anaheim, California, the latter being a Vietnam War veteran. He has two sisters. Ventimiglia is of Sicilian descent through his father, and of English and Scottish descent through his mother. He 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. subsequently attending the University of California, Los Angeles as a theatre major.

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. 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 & 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.

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. 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). 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.

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. 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 film co-starred Charmed actress Alyssa Milano and was directed by Marc Schölermann for MGM.

DiVide Pictures In 2004, Milo Ventimiglia co-founded DiVide Pictures with producer Russ Cundiff. The American production company develops scripted and unscripted content across film, television, and digital platforms. As of 2024, the company has been involved in the development of over 30 projects for various networks and studios. DiVide Pictures is under an exclusive television development deal with 20th Television, a division of Disney Television Studios. In 2023, it produced The Company You Keep for ABC, in which Ventimiglia starred and served as an executive producer. The company’s film credits include Tell and Static. DiVide has also produced branded content in collaboration with companies such as eBay, Cadillac, and GQ.

Film and television; This Is Us

After working with writers Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor on Pathology, Ventimiglia appeared in the pair's next film, Gamer. Ventimiglia also starred in the Xavier Gens apocalypse thriller film, The Divide.

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. He played Ned Stax, a former marine, in Frank Darabont's short-lived neo-noir crime drama Mob City for TNT. 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."

Beginning in the fall of 2016, Ventimiglia starred opposite Mandy Moore in the critically acclaimed NBC period drama series This Is Us playing Jack Pearson, the patriarch of a middle-class family in late 1980s/early 1990s America. In 2017 Ventimiglia starred in the suspense thriller Devil's Gate alongside Amanda Schull. For his role as Jack Pearson, Ventimiglia received his first Emmy nomination in the category Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

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.

Personal life

Ventimiglia and fellow former Gilmore Girls co-star Alexis Bledel were in a relationship from 2002 to July 2006. Ventimiglia also dated his Heroes co-star Hayden Panettiere from December 2007 to February 2009.

Ventimiglia and his sisters were raised as lacto-vegetarians, and he has maintained the diet as an adult. He was named People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' Sexiest Vegetarian in 2009. He also does not smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. and The Smiths, as well as the latter band's long-time vocalist, Morrissey.

In July 2008, Ventimiglia completed a United Service Organization tour in support of American troops in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In September 2023, Ventimiglia married model Jarah Mariano. They have two children.

His home in Malibu was consumed by the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1995 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 Boston Public Jake Provesserio 3 episodes Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Lee Healy Episode: "Escape" 2004–2005 American Dreams Chris Pierce 12 episodes 2006 Richard Thorne III Main role; 8 episodes 2006–2010 Heroes Peter Petrelli Main role; 70 episodes 2008 Robot Chicken Green Arrow Voice, episode: "They Took My Thumbs"2010 The Webventures of Justin and Alden Himself Episode: "The Last Episode" Iron Man Wolverine / Logan Voice, episode "A Twist of Memory, A Turn of Mind" 2011 Suite 7 Milo Episode: "That Guy" The Temp Life Cook 2 episodes Wolverine Wolverine / Logan Voice, 12 episodes 2012 Blade Wolverine / Logan Voice, episode "Day Walker and Mutant (Claws and Blades)" 2013 Mob City Ned Stax Main role; 6 episodes Chosen Ian Mitchell Main role; 11 episodes2015 Gotham Jason Lennon / 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, 4 episodes 2016 Relationship Status Jack Web series; 3 episodes Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Jess Mariano 2 episodes 2016–2022 This Is Us Jack Pearson Main role; occasional director 2022–2023 Sylvio / "Handsome man" 2 episodes 2023 Charlie Nicoletti Main role, also executive producer 2025 Countdown Robert Darden Episode: “Teeth in the Bone” 2026 I Will Find You Hayden Payne 8 episodes

Podcasts YearTitleRole Notes 2021 Strawberry Spring Kevin Hartigan 8 episodes

Music videos

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2011 X-Men: Destiny Grant Alexander Voice role

As 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" 2022 Episode #96: "The Guitar Man"

As producer

Writer Year Title Notes 2010 Ultradome Co-creator

Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Category Nominated work Result 2004 Bravo Otto Best Male TV Star Gilmore Girls 2007 Teen Choice Awards Choice Drama TV Actor of the YearHeroes Scream Awards Best TV Superhero 2008 Teen Choice Awards Choice Action or Adventure TV Actor of the Year Monte-Carlo Television Festival Golden Nymph Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series 2009 Saturn Awards Best Television Supporting Actor 2014 International Academy of Web Television Awards Best Male Performance in a Drama Television Series Chosen 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesThis Is Us Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Television Drama Series Actor People's Choice Awards Favorite Actor In A New TV Series Teen Choice Awards Choice Drama TV Actor of the Year 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Gold Derby Awards TV Drama Series Actor of the Year TV Ensemble of the Year Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Television Drama Series Actor Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Television Drama Series 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Critics' Choice Awards Best Television Drama Series Actor People's Choice Awards Favorite Male TV Star of the Year Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Television Drama Series Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals Awards Man of the Year