‘ Us’ connects
the Heroes and Gilmore Girls alum understands the special nature of the critically acclaimed Us. The series, which has brought many viewers to tears, received a rare two- season renewal, reflecting its status as TV’s No. 1 new series among young adults.
“With Heroes, it felt like we were there to entertain, whereas This Is Us feels like we’re doing important work,” he says. “When someone approaches me just to talk about how one moment in one episode got them to reach out to their adopted father or connect with their sibling, I feel like we are getting ( people) to face themselves and then reflect a little differently.”
Ventimiglia praises Moore for helping to make the Pearsons’ marriage feel real. “Any of the struggle I’ve ever had with ( interpreting) Jack, the second I look in Mandy’s eyes, I’m right there with her and I’m him,” he says. “The nice part has just been having Mandy to partner with, shoulder to shoulder, the whole time.”
Executive producer Ken Olin credits Ventimiglia for providing early insight about “salt of the earth” Jack, who’s less lyrical and expressive emotionally than some other Us characters.
“For Jack, Rebecca was enough, but that’s not who Rebecca is. Rebecca is unsettled and Jack has a certainty. Milo found that in the pilot,” says Olin. “This character is so important to the show because he’s different.”
Although Jack is a decent man, whom Ventimiglia modeled on his own father, his family focus squelches his wife’s dream of being a singer. He is hardly supportive when she goes on tour, leaving him to care for their teens.
Frustration leads to heavy drinking, a dangerous prelude when Jack decides to drive to his wife’s first tour stop at the end of last week’s episode.
To avoid spoiling the finale, Ventimiglia gets philosophical when discussing Jack’s fate and future on a show where characters, including Randall’s biological father, William ( Ron Cephas Jones), can die but continue to be seen in another era.
“I always go back to: The answer is going to reveal itself when it’s supposed to,” he says. “Even when we discover how Jack died, it doesn’t mean his story is ending, which is a nice thing about the show. There is no real end.”