Milo Ventimiglia on his 'touchstone' to This Is Us character Jack Pearson — a childhood photo with his dad

Ventimiglia tells EW he kept the photo in his trailer along with a sign that read "Be a good father. Be a good husband."

Milo Ventimiglia's own father informed his portrayal of patriarch Jack Pearson in NBC's sweeping familial drama, This Is Us.

In an interview with EW for SCAD TVfest, the Savannah College of Art and Design's annual celebration of all things television and streaming, Ventimiglia — honored with the Virtuoso Award at this year's virtual fest — shared that a childhood photo and sign with a two-line mantra in his trailer helped him embody his role in the tearjerker.

"I used to have this photo in my trailer of myself and my dad when I was a little boy, and taped above it, I had a sign that said, 'Be a good father. Be a good husband,'" Ventimiglia said. "Two simple things. So if I were to have a hard time connecting to the words — which didn't happen at all on the show because we've got wonderful writers [and] wonderful scripts — or if I was having a hard time connecting to a scene — which never happened because Mandy Moore has been there with me completely present in every way — I could always go back to my trailer to that photo of my dad and I."

THIS IS US
Milo Ventimiglia as Jack Pearson in 'This Is Us'. Ron Batzdorff/NBC

Ventimiglia added, "And that little note that I wrote saying, 'Be a good father. Be a good husband.' That would be my touchstone."

Now in its sixth and final season, the Emmy-winning series follows the lives and families of Jack (Ventimiglia) and Rebecca Pearson (Moore) and their three children Kevin (Justin Hartley), Kate (Chrissy Metz), and Randall (Sterling K. Brown), set against a format that spans several eras, intertwining each of the respective stories along the way.

The series has explored a number of topics that pertain to alcoholism, racism, mental illness, loss, and grief, among others — cumbersome themes that required its actors to fully give themselves to the roles. Ventimiglia recounted meeting Moore for the first time at their chemistry read, noting the supportive friendship that followed and that shared understanding to give each other "100 percent, 100 percent of the time."

This Is Us - Season 3
Milo Ventimiglia and Mandy Moore as Jack and Rebecca Pearson in 'This Is Us'. Ron Batzdorff/NBC

"We started this friendship where we were very communicative [and] very supportive. I remember saying to her, 'If you're not happy, I'm not happy," Ventimiglia said. "And there have been moments where she and I have been on set together and she has not been happy with the direction a scene is going, or I haven't been happy with the direction a scene is going."

He continued, "But where we ultimately find ourselves is her saying, 'Hey Mi, what do you think?' or me saying, 'Hey Man, what do you think?' And we would always find our way together... I think it's rare that two people in the trade of acting can give so much of themselves to these characters and these roles, but Mandy has given me 100 percent, 100 percent of the time, and I give her exactly the same."

Watch Ventimiglia's full interview with EW above for more on This Is Us and his SCAD TVfest honor.

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