What You Don't Know About Milo Ventimiglia

After beautifully gracing our screens for years, he has gone on to become TV's official GOAT of good guys as Jack Pearson on "This is Us." What you don't know about Milo Ventimiglia is that the private actor may well be just as much of a humble, good guy in his personal life. Of course, it's a hard thing to keep a handle on given just how private he is. Even his Instagram account, though regularly updated with the star's experiments with photography, isn't exactly forthcoming with any major details pertaining to his personal life. And honestly, it's kind of refreshing. 

Having amassed a large following of fans for depicting rebellious bad-boys with hearts of hold on shows like "Gilmore Girls" and "Heroes," the screen star has spent much of his career pushing himself in performances that allow him great space to experiment with different character types and challenging story lines. These have ranged from spooky sci-fi series "The Whispers," to the critically acclaimed boxing-flick "Rocky Balboa," and even Adam Sandler projects like "That's My Boy" and "Sandy Wexler."

Every step of the way, the actor appears to make choices that prioritize his happiness and which fulfill him creatively. And honestly, you love to see it. Put on your helmet and start the engine, because we're about to take a journey to the things you may not know about Milo Ventimiglia. 

If you're a fan of Milo Ventimiglia then there's a chance you get a little weak at the knees at the sight of his self-proclaimed "crooked" smile — hey, you're only human. What you may not know is that the "This is Us" actor's charming facial quirk is the result of damaged facial nerves which cause the dashing droop in his lower lip. The actor talked about the story of his smile while in conversation with USA Today, where he explained that the imperfection helped to land him the role of Robert Balboa Jr. in "Rocky Balboa."

As Ventimiglia told it, "Rocky" auteur Sylvester Stallone recognized the star's pinched lip as being similar to his, and was incredibly taken with how it "hooks down like mine." The Hollywood legend even told the magazine that the actor "would be a perfect offspring" of the original film series' iconic couple, Rocky and Adrian.

Speaking to Mr Porter, Ventimiglia suggested that sharing such a distinguished imperfection gave the two common ground. And not just when it came to looks — but in how they navigated entering such a superficial industry with a less conventional face. "I almost feel like he saw a little bit of himself in me," he said. "We both have this crooked mouth and we'd talk about sitting in the mirror and trying to correct and straighten it." Every fan of either actor will likely be thankful that neither of them managed to correct said "flaw."

Not that Milo Ventimiglia needs any more stamps for his "sexy boy" bingo card, but if he was ever falling short he could probably call house for his love of motorcycles alone. As he shared with Heavy, he started riding them around 2007 and his first bike was a Harley-Davidson. Evidently, it was a slippery slope: "One bike turned into two bikes, turned into three or four." By 2018, he was such a bike aficionado that, as he told Us Weekly, he even partnered with the legendary motorcycle brand to celebrate their 115th anniversary.

Biking is such a big part of Ventimiglia's life that it's even become a part of his career. In 2020, he appeared in an episode of AMC's "Ride With Norman Reedus" where the two actors rode their bikes from Kyoto to Osaka in Japan. That same year, Ventimiglia was even set to depict motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel in a USA Network limited series about the adventurous stuntman — an exciting proposal which was sadly scrapped due to the pandemic, according to Variety. 

As the actor opened up to People, being a bona fide biker has been a pipe dream since he was a kid and would see Harley's rip by. "Hearing the sounds and seeing its rider kind of wave at me," he mused. "[I'd think] God, that must be fun." Bingo! 

Milo Ventimiglia has long had a great fondness for Japan. On top of travelling across the incredible country with Norman Reedus, the star has also recalled ringing in the new year at a shrine in Japan while he was a guest on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in 2017. Speaking to Haute Living, the actor called the country his "travel go-to" when he wants to enjoy an adventure away from the U.S. It's led to Ventimiglia learning some new skills. 

"I love Japan so much that I started going to school to learn the language, to read, write and speak," he told the publication. Ventimiglia explained that though "being able to communicate" in this way is a practical and worthwhile skill, it also satisfies his creative urges, "I feel like I'm learning art," he said. In an interview with AMC, the actor confessed that his insane workload made studying difficult, but that he was trying his best to practice where he could. Ultimately, the actor seemed to relish the challenge, particularly when it comes to something he's clearly loved since he was a kid. 

"I was just always fascinated with Japan when I was younger." he told AMC, sharing that he first took a trip there in his mid-thirties with one of his best friends. "It was awesome," he said, "And I've tried to get back there every year since." 

Given his creative curiosity and love of art and adventure, it corresponds that Milo Ventimiglia is also an avid amateur photographer. The actor began practicing photography at an early age, telling the AP, "Since I was a kid I had a camera in my hands. ... I'd always be just shooting." A Los Angeles Times profile on the actor from 2018 even highlighted how there was evidence of the star's hobby all over his Los Angeles home with the publication stating that "A floor-to-ceiling photo collage of friends and family lines a wall in his kitchen" and that photography equipment like lenses and film fill the drawers of his office. 

This won't come as a surprise to anyone who follows the actor on Instagram, where Ventimiglia lovingly shares the artistic fruits of his day-to-day experiences and travels. He's so committed to using the social network for artistic exploits, rather than self-promotion, that it factored into his decision to leave Instagram in 2013. He told Us Weekly, "What I started to see was a lot of projected ideas of how people wanted to be viewed, as opposed to what they're seeing so I stepped away." 

Luckily, he made his triumphant return five years later as he was "still photographing" and "picking up little moments in life" and wanted to share them. The result is a collection not often seen from a celebrity of his stature — Ventimiglia's photos share a cohesive perspective which substitute ego for form. 

Ever wondered where Milo Ventimiglia finds the energy for all of his many work commitments, hobbies, and adventures? It may have something to do with his clean-cut lifestyle. For starters, the "Gilmore Girls" alum has been a lifelong vegetarian, and credits his upbringing for keeping his diet meat-free. "I was a vegetarian in the womb, I was doing it before it was a trend," he said during an interview on "The Bonnie Hunt Show," adding that he was raised vegetarian alongside his two sisters — and even their family dog — thanks to his parents who had been meat-free for 40 years.

In 2009, the actor even garnered himself the well-earned mantle of PETA's sexiest vegetarian — a title that he can likely still claim with pride to this day, let's be real. On top of swerving animal products, Ventimiglia also doesn't drink alcohol and hasn't since the start of his career, telling the Mail Online, "I gave up alcohol at 22 when it started to get in the way."

However, the decision to abstain from hooch was hardly a big deal for the actor who admitted to the Los Angeles Times that much like meat, alcohol "never factored into my life." He explained, "My parents didn't drink, and it was never anything I was raised around." These lifestyle choices look great on the guy, honestly.

In the formative days of his career, Milo Ventimiglia became known for depicting brooding young men with boyish bodies and rebellious hair — think Jess Mariano's over-gelled delinquent quiff or Peter Pertrelli's Bright Eyes-esque emo-flop. As the actor has grown, however, his body has become notably more muscular and his hair more malleable than ever. Why the changes?

As Ventimiglia explained to Mr Porter, his workout regime is structured around the characters he depicts, with an aim for his physique and overall look to perfectly express the life of his character. Using his beloved "This is Us" character Jack as an example, he explained that he was specifically aiming for a physique that was more beef-cupcake than full beefcake. "I didn't want him to be rock-hard ripped with solid abs," he said, "Jack works in construction. He's a guy's guy. ... I feel like I have the size and strength you want your dad to have." No comment. 

He also expressed that whenever he steps into a character he has to consider how his own looks could be better used to serve the performance and said, "Whomever I'm playing owns my physique, my hairstyle, my beard." And his legs, if paparazzi pictures of him leaving the gym in 2021 are anything to go by (via Just Jared). Here's hoping he continues to depict masculine construction workers for a while to come.

Milo Ventimiglia has garnered quite the reputation in Hollywood for being a good guy, who is especially considerate towards the crew of his projects. As he told Architectural Digest, he (and his co-stars) make sure to provide food and coffee trucks for the crew on the set of "This is Us." While he's likely a natural born nice guy, he also believes the experience of his first, small acting role helped to instill him with solid values concerning on-set etiquette. 

The role in question saw Ventimiglia star in an episode of "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" in the groundbreaking role of Party Guest #1 — for which he enjoyed all of one line. While in conversation for Interview, the actor spoke of watching Will Smith — who had become a huge movie star by this point — know "everyone's name and [be] inclusive of everyone and the crew." It pointed Ventimiglia in the direction of who to be and how to act on his own massive sets to come. 

"Will Smith is a good man. So I just try to be a good man," he said. "It was a pretty impactful moment, I'm very thankful that that was my first gig — being around him." 

For the third season of "This is Us," the emotional NBC show presented a pivotal and poignant backstory for world's-best-dad Jack Pearson, showing the loveable patriarch's gut-wrenching experiences while serving in Vietnam. If Milo Ventimiglia's performance in the episode felt like it came from a crushingly real place, it's because it did. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor revealed that on top of his dad being a Vietnam veteran, that he also has "a lot of friends" who are "veterans of current conflicts as well as on active duty."

Their experiences helped to provide pointers for the cognitive compass of the actor's character, "I always try and ... bring in the emotional responsibility to represent what they've been through," he told THR. Speaking to Men's Journal, Ventimiglia explained that his father "avoided the draft by enlisting in the Army" as he figured he'd probably wind up there anyway.

He subsequently joined the Army Corps Engineers, but it was no less devastating for him. "He was building bridges and bases and roads and helping out in villages," he said, "But, you know, all his friends died." Despite his real world inspirations, Ventimiglia told Entertainment Weekly that it was important to reflect "Jack's experience" in the narrative, rather than his "father's experience" or that of any other veteran.

If you happened to catch the few exhilarating episodes of "Gotham" which starred Milo Ventimiglia as charismatic serial killer Ogre, then you may have noticed that the star looked right at home within the DC Comics universe. Unsurprisingly, the "Heroes" alum is a comics fanboy, with a particular affection for Batman. The star explained to The Hollywood Reporter that he was "raised" by comics, and credited their stories for expanding his mind creatively. 

Sadly, he's missed opportunities to play either the caped crusader or his young sidekick on screen. Way back in 2007, for instance, Ventimiglia put it out into the universe that he longed to be cast as Robin in Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, telling MTV News that Hollywood has "never done it right" in their depictions of the circus trained Bat-buddy. That particular role passed him by, but as he got older surely the brooding actor would have been a shoe-in to play Batman himself, right? Wrong.

In 2019, Ventimiglia revealed that he was in his early 40's when he expressed an interest in depicting the iconic superhero in Matt Reeves' latest imagining of the character — but was turned down when producers deemed him too old for the role. The actor made the dismaying admission during an interview on SiriusXM where he confessed, "I've always wanted to be Batman" but was happy enough to depict an "attainable superhero" like Jack Pearson instead. "I don't need a cape," he said. Swoon.

In his personal life, Milo Ventimiglia certainly didn't need a cape when he took a stand against what he alleged were aggressive tactics being employed by paparazzi in 2008. The actor joined musician John Mayer and actor Eric Roberts in court to testify against the allegedly antagonistic approach adopted by some tabloid photographers. 

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Ventimiglia alleged in his testimony that he was once hounded by photographers while driving at night in West Hollywood. At every red light, these opportunists would apparently jump from their own wheels and "surround his car, blinding him with the flashes on their cameras." Despite driving straight to a Sheriff's station to report the incident, he was told there was nothing that could be done. "I have lost a bit of confidence in the laws," he told the court.

13 years on from his testimony, and it's unclear whether Ventimiglia's stance caused much of a dent in current paparazzi legislation. What is clear, however, is that tabloid photographers still love to grab a candid photo of the man. In 2021, one such picture of Ventimiglia leaving the gym in a pair of teeny-tiny short-shorts went viral, prompting the actor to admit to E! News that the attention "was a little uncomfortable" for him. However, with age, the actor's stance may have mellowed, with him adding "at the same time I'm glad it inspired a lot of people." Never forget the joys of short-short summer, folks. 

It's been a long time since the real-life romance of "Gilmore Girls" co-stars Milo Ventimiglia and Alexis Bledel inspired fans to write notes in the margins of their own copies of "Howl," so to speak. The couple broke up in 2006 after over three years together, according to People, and shortly after he started dating his 18-year-old "Heroes" co-star Hayden Panettiere — a relationship which lasted two years (per Mail Online). 

In a 2021 chat with Haute Living, the actor reflected that this phase of his life was "a rebellious time" for him where he was struggling to figure out what he wanted from his career, and what he wanted to "present to the world." By 2017, he'd at least figured out what he didn't want — and that's for his personal life to overshadow his work. Speaking on the topic during an episode of "The Jess Cagle Interview" Ventimiglia confessed that he restricted access to his personal life because otherwise people would conflate his characters with him as a celebrity, rather than "thinking about what the character is experiencing" (via People). 

A year later, Ventimiglia poetically opened up to E! News on the topic of what he thought about dating co-stars. "Bad idea," he said, "Don't s*** where you eat." Never a story of more woe than that of a Gilmore and her Mariano...

You don't lead a hit TV show like "This is Us" without bringing home some serious bank, and Milo Ventimiglia's net worth certainly reflects it. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the actor was valued at a plump $12 million, with his "This is Us" salary set to $250 thousand per episode, as of 2021.

It stands to reason given his humble roots and hobbies that Ventimiglia isn't the type to be flash with his cash. As a Men's Journal article from 2018 suggests, the actor still lives in a house they describe as "modest" — a "three bedroom ranch on a side street in ... [a] suburb in west Los Angeles" which he bought in 2002 at the start of his career. But then, Ventimiglia isn't exactly the type of person to throw money at a McMansion when he could be off seeing the world. 

During an interview with Architectural Digest, the actor revealed that he hasn't "made a whole lot of changes" to the home he bought when he was 24, which prompted him to invest in a luxurious 27-foot Flying Cloud model of Airstream trailer instead. On top of enjoying road trips across the US, the actor hinted to the publication that he aims to ship his camper "down to Australia" at some point for an adventure Down Under. Clearly, he's spending his money well.