Some time has passed since This Is Us finally revealed the circumstances of Jack Pearson's death, but some fans aren't any less emotional about it and are reacting to it in strange ways. Actor Milo Ventimiglia shared that several fans are so touched by the story that they're approaching him out in public for a specific reason:
I get a lot of hugs, I get a lot of hugs now a days. People want to make sure I am alive, they kind of reach out, they touch me. They want to make sure that I am actually physically here.
Unless Milo Ventimiglia is hiding behind things and whispering "Bec" as people pass by on the street, the whole checking to make sure he's physically here thing is just a bit strange. Of course, the excuse could just be a non-creepy way for fans to justify physical contact with Ventimiglia, who's been a Hollywood heartthrob since his days as Jess on Gilmore Girls. Ventimiglia seems fine with the hugs in either case, as it's probably much better than fans breaking down and crying like many viewers tend to do during every episode of This Is Us.
It'd be hard not to hug Milo Ventimiglia upon meeting him. Megyn Kelly Today really made a point to ensure its audience he's every bit the great guy This Is Us has portrayed Jack Pearson to be. In addition to Ventimiglia being the type of guy who knows the name of every crew member on set, the story of Jack is one that a lot of fans of This Is Us can relate to in various ways. For example, Jack's passing by the way of a "widowmaker" heart-attack is not at all an uncommon way to die and an event anyone from Kevin Smith to Megyn Kelly (who lost her father from a heart attack when she was 15) can relate to. Ventimiglia talked about the various hugs and interactions he's had with people who experienced stories similar to Jack, and while he said he can't wholly understand their experience in a short exchange, he gets the impact he's had in their life:
I feel the desire for someone to just feel this presence that they've watched in their homes on a television set. That's the thing that I always have to consider is that I've been in people's homes before. I may be meeting them for the first time, but I've been in their home. So, I try and respectfully understand that embrace that I'm given and try and just respond in kind.
Who can hate Milo Ventimiglia after reading a response like that? Better yet, who could resist from giving the This Is Us actor a hug after having an exchange with a guy that empathetic and understanding? Ventimiglia is the television dad America needs, which makes it great that his stories on This Is Us will continue even though his death has happened.
This Is Us' Season 2 finale airs on NBC Tuesday, March 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET. For a look at other television to check out once the season is over, head on over to our midseason premiere guide!
