Milo Ventimiglia Shares Passion Behind Latest Role: Need to Call People Out

It’s official: Milo Ventimiglia just got even more swoon-worthy. The This Is Us actor stopped by On Air With Ryan Seacrest on Thursday, August 22, and dished on everything from family life to his latest role in The Art of Racing in the Rain and even answered some burning Gilmore Girls fan questions!

The Emmy-nominated actor plays Denny in The Art of Racing in the Rain, a race car driver with a special relationship with his beloved dog. 

“The film is about a race car driver that has this dog and the film takes place over the course of the dog’s life from puppy until he’s old and the film is narrated by the dog as he watches his owner, Denny, go through auto racing, meeting a woman, falling in love, having a family, [and], of course, the downs of life and the ups and the victories as well,” Milo explained, adding that the dog’s purpose is to “absorb as much as he can, as much experience as he can, to imprint on his soul so in his next life when he is a human being he can be a better person.”

Milo added that the dog is voiced by Kevin Costner, making it all the better, but what initially drew him to the film was he the message behind the character.

“It felt like it was in the same wheel house as This Is Us, you know?,” Milo explained. “It was a show about tapping into emotions that I think we really need to embrace and lean into and recognize and communicate, but also he’s just a good guy. I like stories about good guys. I lean into stories about good husbands and good fathers and good friends just because I think we need to be more aware of that and we need to call people out who aren’t being the good fathers or good friends and just kind of like be a better representation of things and look out for people.” 

Speaking of looking out for people, Milo also shared with Ryan his parents have hilariously revealed to him that they expect to be taken care of. The actor gushed that his parents are working on 48 years of marriage this year and it’s “added pressure” on him.

“[It’s] like you do well -- and my sisters are both off and married with families and all that -- so I feel like the pressure of looking out for mom and dad kind of lies with me,” he explained. “And it was a few months ago and I was at my mom and dad’s house having dinner and kind of like talking through a plan. I was like, ‘I’ll buy you guys a new house and you’ll move out of your house in Orange County and I’ll remodel my house in LA and you guys can move in there.’ And my parents just kind of shared a look … and my mom goes, ‘Peter, tell him.’ And my dad goes, ‘I wanna live with you.’ And I go ‘OK’ and he goes, ‘Maybe not like in your house, but you’re going to get us a piece of property [and] you’re going to build us a house and we’ll live there.’ And this is the clincher,” Milo added. “He goes, ‘Italians they take care of their parents.’ And I was like, ‘Yes, they do, Pop, whatever you want!’”

... And this is where you swoon all over again!  

Watch back the full interview above for more including to hear Milo’s genius business idea for Ryan and to hear Tanya’s spot on Miss Tati reading. Catch The Art of Racing in the Rain out in theaters now! 


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