Milo Ventimiglia talks "This Is Us" and how he's using Jack's death to spotlight fire safety
After two years of anxious anticipation, last month, "This is Us" fans finally learned how beloved TV dad Jack Pearson passes away: He dies because of a fire. However, as is typical of "This Is Us," the circumstances around that fire are far more nuanced than fire deaths we've seen onscreen in the past.
For starters, Jack makes it out of the fire alive. After heroically rounding up Kate and Randall from their bedrooms, he gets the kids and his wife out onto the roof, where it seems that everyone is safe. That's when they hear the barking and Jack runs back into the flames once again to save Kate's dog. Even then, as his sobbing family (and horrified fans) watch the front door become completely engulfed, Jack improbably emerges from the flames with Louie in his arms.
But in the end, it's the smoke inhalation that gets him, and it happens hours later in the hospital. The drama has died down. The doctor has left. And it happens so quickly, so quietly, that you could almost miss it. In fact, Rebecca does.
It's the sort of quiet death that are far more common than TV shows and movies typically indicate. And dramas rarely choose them for characters as beloved and as larger-than-life as Jack Pearson.
Simply put, Jack Pearson has singlehandedly made gushy grand gestures and fatherly advice sexy again, and he was taken from us in a way so completely un-sexy that it's jarring. In fact, the least sexy part of it all may be the root cause of the fire that ultimately claims his life: Jack and Rebecca forgot to change the batteries in their smoke detector.
It's an action -- or rather, an inaction -- that families across America do every day. According to the National Fire Protection Association, two thirds of all fire deaths occur in homes in which smoke alarms either aren't present or aren't working. And now, thanks to Jack Pearson, viewers are finally talking about it.
Actor Milo Ventimiglia has teamed up with Duracell on a new PSA that seizes upon Daylight Saving Time to promote fire safety. Here's what the actor had to say about the unexpected partnership, his role on "This Is Us" and the effect that it's had on his life.
There's a lot of great surprises that have come out of your role on "This Is Us" -- your Emmy nomination being one of them -- could you have ever anticipated shedding a light on fire safety like this?
No! You know, I never thought that I would be speaking up on fire safety, but why wouldn't I? It's a common sense thing that I think a lot of us don't pay attention to or consider until it's there. So, if you can add some preventative measures to your home to protect your family, I think people should absolutely do it. I never thought that it would be tied to the death of the character that I play that's been beloved by an audience, but I think it's very apropos: Jack Pearson and Rebecca Pearson forgetting batteries in their smoke detectors, which ultimately led to a home fire. I thought it was the right moment to team up with Duracell, especially on Daylight Saving, to remind people when they're changing their clocks, put a new set of Duracell batteries into your smoke detectors. It will help alert you if there is in fact a fire.
It's a pretty common thing that leads to a huge percentage of fire deaths.
Oh yeah. Two-thirds of fire deaths are because there's faulty equipment or smoke detectors aren't present. I know even in my home, I've changed all mine since learning this statistic.
That's probably true for a lot of people.
I think a lot of people have. And I think that's good because it helps families out, helps fire departments out. It's a good reminder. Just like Jack Pearson, to put a positive message out there. I'm trying to do the same.
On the show, your daughter Kate bears a lot of guilt for the fact that you ran back in to save her dog. In your heart, do you think that was the reason, that extra smoke inhalation, that killed him in the end?
You know, the smoke inhalation of being in the fire was what led to Jack's cardiac arrest. That is a fact. The fact that Kate holds and carries that weight of believing that it was because he went in for the dog -- it wasn't just the dog. There were things within that home that I think defined that family. When he comes out, of course with the dog, but with a bag of memories that become cherished to this family -- photo albums, a video cassette for Kate, a necklace for Rebecca -- these are things that, you know, Jack made a decision. He made a decision and he ran back into the house. And what happened happened.
Your character is sort of the perfect man. He's the perfect father, the perfect husband and always says the perfect thing.
At the same time, though, I think he's human. You know, Jack's made mistakes and he's looked to correct those mistakes and do good. So, you know who he is? He's human. People may put him on a pedestal, but I think they'd almost be better served standing next to him and seeing themselves reflected back from him.
Has playing somebody like that changed you at all?
I think it's reaffirmed how I've tried to live. You try to put a positive message out. You try to be a good person. We're all going to have missteps. But at the same time, you lead with love. You lead with positivity and try and leave a good imprint on the world.
I think there's a lot to choose from, but do you have -- in all of Jack's amazing moments -- do you have a favorite speech or a favorite scene that you've done?
I feel like I have a favorite with regards to each character and that may keep us here for a while.
Was there a scene that was the hardest for you to film?
The fire was difficult. It wasn't hard, but it was difficult. The logistics of it, the technicality of it. Hard, though, are the moments that I may not personally agree with Jack. You know, Jack's not understanding when his wife wants to go on tour and kind of fighting it and going to a jealous place. I think Jack should just be okay with supporting his wife going out. Or moments where I have to be the stern father and raise my voice to the kids or have those conversations. Those are difficult moments because, you know, all the acting impacts us actors emotionally, physically, all of that. So, it's tough when you've got to play those trying times.
You've played a wide range of characters in your career. You've played a lawyer for the mob, a killer on "Gotham" -- someone with super powers. Is there any role that you haven't had the opportunity to tackle that you hope to someday?
There's a lot of different roles out there in the world. You know, hopefully, God willing, I'll have a long career playing a lot of different men. I mean, I'm sure at some point I'll play a grandfather.
Maybe even next episode.
Maybe even next episode. We'll see.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
