Milo Ventimiglia started his acting career with his first television credit in 1995, at the age of eighteen, as “Party Guest #1”, on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. As small as this part was, his dedication to his craft never waned and this showed in every single character he portrayed ever since then. Today, Milo is considered a serious actor with a depth and essence that always leaves viewers wanting more.
Since 2016, with the premiere of the hit show, This is Us, Milo has been touching the lives of families everywhere and setting the bar pretty high for husbands and fathers tuning in to the Pearson family every week. Including his critically acclaimed work on This Is Us, here are his 10 best performances, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
The Art Of Racing In The Rain (2019) - 43%
Milo Ventimiglia’s portrayal of a race car drive named Denny, with a best friend, who happens to be a golden retriever named Enzo, brings audiences a lot of joy and a lot of tears. The film, based on the novel by Garth Stein with the same name, was released in 2019 and received lackluster reviews from critics.
However, the movie touched audiences' hearts thanks to it being a must-see feature for dog and book lovers already familiar with the heartfelt storyline. It’s a classic story of man’s best friend, and it’s one Milo tells well. Also, did we mention that the dog is cute?
Second Act (2018) - 45%
Second Act is another film on Milo Ventimiglia’s resume that did not fair well with critics or viewers, despite it having an incredible cast with solid chemistry and onscreen talent.
The biggest negative critique for this film was about the storyline, or lack thereof, and the confusion most audiences felt while watching the film. Regardless of the critiques, Milo gives a stellar performance as Jennifer Lopez's love interest, Trey.
Heroes (2006-2010) - 55%
Heroes, a primetime drama about ordinary people obtaining extraordinary superpowers was a hit show for NBC early on. The show aired for four seasons and boasts an incredible cast, with Milo Ventimiglia playing Peter Petrelli.
The first season of Heroes caught a lot of attention and praise. In fact, The American Film Institute called it one of the ten best shows of the year on the same year it premiered! Unfortunately, the show couldn’t keep the momentum and suffered a steady drop in ratings over the course of the final three seasons.
Kiss Of The Damned (2012) - 60%
This film about a vampire falling in love with a human was written and directed by Xan Cassavetes, the daughter of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands. She's also the sister of director Nick Cassavetes, who directed great films like The Notebook and Alpha Dog.
In this film, Milo plays a screenwriter named Paolo, who while staying in Connecticut to write, falls in love with a woman name Djuna. Djuna is a vampire and when she tells Paolo her secret, he decides to become a vampire too. The movie may not exactly be a household name today, but it has since garnered a cult following.
The Whispers (2015) - 71%
The Whispers was a short-lived TV show on ABC, executive produced by Steven Spielberg. Here, an alien life form contacts Earth through children of powerful government employees. Despite its good reviews, the show failed to capture audiences' interest.
The first season of this series was well written and beautifully executed, with Milo leading a stellar cast as Captain Sean Bennigan. Captain Bennigan is was presumed dead after a plane crash, but he re-emerges as John Doe and a manhunt begins once the government realizes he may be under the command of the aliens’ leader, Drill.
Rocky Balboa (2006) - 77%
This much anticipated sixth feature film in the Rocky franchise and the sequel to the underwhelming Rocky V introduces audiences to Rocky’s first and only son, Robert Balboa Jr., played by Milo Ventimiglia. Rocky's son was first seen in Rocky V, but it's only here that he's finally given a character.
This film was released sixteen years after its predecessor and was a surprise box office hit, raking in over three times what the studios estimated it would on opening night. It’s gone on to become on of the highest grossing boxing movies of all time, trailing only behind the franchise’s first four installments. It has since spawned a sequel spin-off in the Creed movies, which now focus on Apollo Creed's son Adonis who Rocky mentors.
Boys Life 2 (1997) - 80%
This feature film, comprised of four short films, telling different stories of being gay in America in the 90’s, stars a very young Milo Ventimiglia in the first of the four short films called, “Must be the Music."
Milo plays a gay teenager, Jason, growing up in Los Angeles who falls for a guy after he and his friends, who are also gay, sneak into a club using fake ID’s. Jason’s friend, Kevin, also gay, falls for the same guy that night and the two friends have to navigate their feelings and their relationship.
American Dreams (2002-2006) - 84%
American Dreams was a television show on NBC, which ran for three seasons. The series dealt with being a teenager during the 1960’s and facing serious issues like the Vietnam war, racism, and sexism.
Brittany Snow stars in the series as Meg Pryor. The third and final season of the series introduces Milo Ventimiglia as Chris Pierce, who catches Meg’s eye and heart. Chris and Meg fall in love, but his bad boy nature gets the best of their relationship, which steadily turns into a rocky one.
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) - 85%
Gilmore Girls is arguably the show that really put Milo Ventimiglia on the map. In the second season, Milo’s character Jess Mariano arrives in Stars Hollow and sweeps Rory Gilmore off her feet.
Jess is the quintessential bad boy, stealing Rory’s attention away from her current relationship, keeping her out past curfew, and causing tension between Rory and her mom, Lorelei. Jess and Rory don’t end up together, much to many fans’ disappointment, but everyone seems to have a special place in their heart for this bad boy. He, along with many of the original cast, reprises his iconic role in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
This Is Us (2016- ) - 91%
Milo Ventimiglia’s portrayal of Jack Pearson on NBC’s hit prime time drama, This is Us, sets the bar pretty high for husbands and fathers watching the show. Jack seems to be the perfect man in a lot of ways, despite having been dealt a couple of bad hands early on in life.
He adores his wife Rebecca and passes on a lot of love and wisdom to his three children, so when Jack dies suddenly, the Pearson family isn’t sure how or if they will ever recover from such a big, tragic loss. The series has garnered glowing reviews all around, with many considering the show to be Milo's best role to date.