This Is Us Star Milo Ventimiglia Takes A Lie Detector Test

So this is just gonna go over the chest first.

Okay.

Do you ever hook boyfriends up to this thing?

It's a little unethical but yes.

[laughing]

I'm kidding.

Totally have, totally have.

[Interviewer] So, you're about to take

a lie detector test.

That's what that box looks like, yes.

[Interviewer] Do you have any questions before we begin?

Is this yes or nos?

Just say whatever I want?

[Interviewer] Just speak naturally.

I feel weird 'cause everybody just got like really quiet.

[laughing]

[Interviewer] Are you ready?

I think I'm ready, yeah.

[Interviewer] Is your name Milo Ventimiglia?

No.

[Interviewer] Are you 42 years old?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Are you about to take a polygraph exam?

No.

[Interviewer] You nervous?

No.

[Interviewer] So we'll start by going into

a little about your life.

Great.

[Interviewer] Is it true that you grew up

in Anaheim, California?

No.

Oh, wait, am I supposed...

I'm just gonna, okay.

I'll just give it straight.

Yes.

[Interviewer] Did you know that this singer

is also from Anaheim?

Yes.

I might have seen her play a show in a backyard

at a party when I was a kid.

[Interviewer] So you knew her songs growing up?

Gwen Stefani?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Would you say that Gwen Stefani

has better songs than this woman?

Mandy Moore.

[laughing]

You guys are assholes.

I'll say I grew up listening to a lot

of Gwen Stefani and No Doubt.

I really didn't listen to Mandy Moore's songs.

I was familiar with Mandy,

but I never really listened to her.

But let me tell you something,

Emmy-nominated Mandy Moore, the actress,

is phenomenal.

I love Mandy.

[Interviewer] You didn't answer the question though.

There was a question to that?

[Interviewer] Who has better songs?

There's this thing called media training,

answer the question you wanna.

Who has better songs?

Oh man.

I guess because I've never really listened to Mandy's songs,

I'm gonna say Gwen Stefani.

That is correct.

[Interviewer] Thank you for telling the truth.

But the thing is, Emmy-nominated Mandy Moore,

I mean, she's got a whole other career.

[Interviewer] It says you have two older siblings.

Is that right?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Would you say you're the baby in the family?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Were you the most spoiled?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Was there ever a time you could

get away with things that your sisters couldn't?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Care to elaborate?

I thought this was yes or no and the truth.

I was just saying, I got away with like

all kinds of things as a kid.

Oh man, you're gonna have to like...

I'm not just gonna give the dirt up that easy.

You gotta ask questions.

[Interviewer] On an episode of Ellen

you said that you and your sisters

used to play dress up as kids.

Yes.

[Interviewer] Did your sisters ever dress you up

as this person?

100% yes they did.

There were photos of me dressed up like Madonna.

I found them when I was 13 and I tore them up.

What do you think, Sam?

[Sam] That's the truth.

It's the truth.

[laughing]

[Interviewer] Would you say you're a big Madonna fan?

Yeah, yeah.

Actually, I listened to a Madonna song not,

I think two or three days ago.

Sam, did I?

That is true.

It says I did.

[Interviewer] Do you know how to Vogue?

Jack Pearson knows how to Vogue.

Jack Pearson had to learn how to Vogue by me.

So yes, I know how to Vogue.

[Interviewer] Would you give us a sample?

It's like that...

Sorry, Sam.

Yeah you have to like Vogue.

And then you're, oh come on, do Vogue.

[Interviewer] Would you call yourself an animal lover?

Yeah, I had a dog, a dog named Deano.

Loved Deano.

And he bit me.

Actually this scar right here

is from my dog when I was a kid.

[Interviewer] Have you been a vegetarian your whole life?

Mm-hm.

[Interviewer] So would you say people who eat meat

are bad people?

[laughing]

No.

I think everybody should do what their body

tells them they should do.

[Interviewer] Did you know you were voted

as Peta's sexiest vegetarian back in 2009?

Did you know they wanted me to pose naked

with a bunch of chicks and have a thing

that says chicks dig me?

I don't know about the nudity part

but they definitely wanted like a bunch

of like baby chickens.

And they wanted the tag to be chicks dig me.

I was like ah I don't know how I feel about that.

Sam agrees.

Sam agrees.

[Interviewer] Would you say that's one of

your prouder accomplishments?

Being a Peta's sexiest guy in 2000...

Was it 2009?

[Female] Mm-hm.

Is it sad that I remember that it was 2009?

What else did I have going on in 2009?

I was in Heroes in 2009.

I think I've been more proud in other moments.

[Interviewer] Is it safe to say you'd rather

go naked than wear fur?

Yes.

That is correct.

[Interviewer] Moving on.

She's the boss, man.

I'm just here for the questioning.

[Interviewer] Let's talk about your career.

Cool.

This is gonna be fun.

[Interviewer] Your first agent wanted you

to go by the name Milo Vent?

Venti.

Venti.

My last name, it was too difficult for them, I think...

I don't know if it was like there were

too many letters like in...

It was just too much for them.

They said Milo Venti, and I was like,

Yeah but my last name's Ventimiglia.

And if, let's say I do well enough,

people are gonna figure that out,

and if they figure that out then they'll know

that my name's Milo Ventimiglia.

So let's just do that.

But also like now, these days,

I'm kind of happy about it because that means

I would have been Milo big cup of coffee.

And nobody wants to be Milo big cup of coffee.

[Interviewer] Did you ever think about using

a different stage name?

No, I never did.

Never did.

Although I was like stoked to have

nicknames when I was a kid,

like when I played football I was like Spike.

Or like my friends, they would call me Face.

Or other like nicknames and whatnot.

I went by Anthony, my middle name, in seventh grade.

Right, Sam?

That's true.

Yeah.

[Interviewer] So Face, you act, produce and direct.

Is there one you like to do more?

I like 'em all equally, I think, I would think.

I'm always gonna act.

I feel like that's just things I get to do with my friends.

As a producer, like creating opportunities with my partners.

And directing, I haven't directed in a little while.

It's been a minute since I directed.

But I think that's going to change soon.

[Interviewer] Would you say there's one skill

you're better at than the others?

Do you wanna ask which one or be more specific

so it helps Sam out?

I think Sam, it was questionable if she's the boss

of that box or not.

[Interviewer] Would you say you're a better actor?

Is it bad to give an I don't know?

Like usually do people give like yeses or nos.

You're doing just fine.

You're just going truth or fiction.

Got it.

I think I'm as good a producer as I am an actor,

and as good an actor as I am hopefully director,

and as good a director as I would want to be as a producer.

That was the most confusing answer ever fucking given.

[Interviewer] Was your first role on

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?

Yeah, that was my first paying gig.

Wasn't my first gig gig.

I'd done music videos before that,

but that was my very first like where I actually

made a paycheck from acting.

[Interviewer] Would you say you're a better

actor, producer, director than this guy?

Will Smith?

No.

Absolutely not.

I don't, I truly don't.

This guy, this guy is a legend, he's legendary.

And you know what, like he gave me one of

the best lessons I could have learned when I was a kid.

I had one line on a show, took me under,

like not under his wing but like he talked to me.

I was a kid with like one line on the show

and Will Smith fully talked to me.

Biggest movie star back then and one of the biggest now

and he took the time to talk to me.

So it's like be good and gracious and kind

to everyone on set because they deserve to be there.

Right, Sam?

You're not lying.

[Interviewer] Do you know the entire

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song?

Yes I do.

[Interviewer] Do you wanna rap it for us?

I could.

I'm gonna choose not to right now.

[Interviewer] But you know all the words.

Oh yeah.

In West Philadelphia born and raised

on the playground is where I spent most of my days.

Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool

and all shootin' some b ball outside of the school,

when a couple of guys that were up to no good

started makin' trouble in my neighborhood.

I got in one little fight and my mom, she got scared

so she said you're movin' with your auntie

and uncle in Bel-Air.

I whistled for a cab and when it came near

the license plate said fresh and had dice in the mirror.

I thought that if anything like this cab is rare

but I thought man forget it, yo homes, Bel-Air.

I pulled up to the house about seven or eight

and I said to the cabbie yo homes smell ya later.

I was looking at my kingdom I was finally there,

I was gonna sit on that throne as the prince of Bel-Air.

Those are all the words, right, Sam?

He did pretty good.

[Interviewer] Moving on.

[laughing]

You played the character Jess Mariano on Gilmore Girls.

Yes, I played Jess Mariano on Gilmore Girls.

[Interviewer] You said before you were on team Dean.

Is that still true?

Yeah, absolutely.

But it's kind of influenced by my love of Jared Padalecki,

'cause he is such a wonderful human being,

and because of that I'm like forever I love Dean.

I love the character because I love Jared.

But also, Matty Czuchry.

Matty Czuchry is a really great guy too.

But I was not such a fan of Logan, his character,

but Matty, like Matty's the best.

[Interviewer] Do Gilmore Girls fans still approach you?

Yes.

And what's crazy is when you get a kid,

like someone who's like 12 years old,

just being like, I love Gilmore Girls.

And I'm like you were negative five when I was making it.

How do you love it?

But people still love it.

[Interviewer] Do you know the opening theme song

to Gilmore Girls by heart?

Can I think about it for a second?

[Interviewer] Take your time.

♪ If you lead ♪

♪ I will follow ♪

No I don't.

Actually I really don't.

I know the melody, how it goes,

but I don't know the words entirely.

[Interviewer] Are you bitter that Dean

came before you in the opening?

No, not at all.

I don't think so.

Could be, but not really, 'cause he was,

I mean if you think about it, Dean was there first.

[Interviewer] Sam?

That's questionable.

Don't shake your head at me, Sam.

That's not questionable.

[Interviewer] You played the character

Peter Petrelli in NBC's Heroes?

I did.

[Interviewer] Your power on the show

was to mimic and replicate other people's powers?

Yes.

Yes, he was a sponge.

[Interviewer] Is that the super power

you'd want in real life?

I think it's a pretty cool one.

I feel like Peter Petrelli was kinda like Superman,

especially once he was able to harness all of the powers.

Yeah I think it'd be kind of cool

to have Peter's sponge ability.

[Interviewer] Would you use those powers for good?

Hopefully.

[Interviewer] Would you use your powers

to get backstage at one of her concerts?

[laughing]

I don't know, yeah, maybe like invisibility,

and just go like sit there and hang out.

Maybe.

Maybe.

Or you know what, I'd just go buy a ticket.

[Interviewer] In your new movie,

The Art of Racing in the Rain,

you play a race car driver, is that right?

It is.

[Interviewer] Would you say that you're

a good driver in real life?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Are you a fast driver?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?

Oh yeah.

Like a ticket?

Several tickets, yeah.

[Interviewer] Have you ever used your celebrity status

to get out of a ticket?

I have never used it, but people have,

like police officers have noticed me

and I think gone easy on me.

My dad actually got out of a ticket with our last name.

The last name he gave me.

He got pulled over and the police officer

looked at the last name and he goes,

You know there's an actor and he has that last name.

And I think my dad just leaned into it

and was like, Oh yeah that's my son.

And I think, I don't know if it was for a left turn

or what, or speeding, whatever it was,

but I think he got out of that ticket.

[Interviewer] So you've never flirted with

a police officer to get out of a ticket?

Flirted with a police officer.

I tend to try and just know that it

finally caught up with me.

If anything.

It's like, I think one of the last times I got pulled over

I was just ready for it, I knew it was coming,

'cause I was like definitely speeding or making,

oh no wait I was making an illegal U-turn

in a business district.

And I got pulled over and the cop was like, You made a...

I was like, I'm sorry, I didn't realize,

I was trying to pull into the lot.

And he's like, The gate was closed.

And I was like, Oh, yeah I guess I wasn't.

So he just gave me the ticket.

I knew it was coming anyhow and I deserved it.

[Interviewer] Is that a no?

No I've never, I don't think I've flirted

with a police officer.

Sam's not convinced.

He believes he's telling the truth.

[laughing]

Wait hold on, that's fascinating.

He believes that to be true.

Oh wow.

Is it so mental for you when actors,

'cause what if an actor believes themselves?

Like get Amanda Seyfried plugged up to this thing

'cause like she believed that she had

a brain tumor in this movie.

There's a book out there, guys.

Read the book too.

Garth Stein, it's a great novel, go get it.

[Interviewer] You star alongside a Golden Retriever

in this movie.

I star along a couple Golden Retrievers.

[Interviewer] On set, were those dogs good boys?

Actually you know what, they were.

They were very good dogs.

They calmed everyone down.

I was the only one allowed to pet them,

which was great for me but I felt bad

for like our camera guys that were there

every single shot.

[Interviewer] Did those dogs teach you

how to be a good boy?

The dogs, did the dogs teach,

no I think the trainers taught me how to be a good boy.

But I don't think the dogs taught me how to be a good boy.

[Interviewer] So you think the dogs were good costars?

I would say they were great costars, yeah.

[Interviewer] Were they better costars than this guy?

[laughing]

No.

No.

Because this guy is one of my favorites.

One of my favorite costars ever.

I think probably could have hired anybody else

but he brought me in to play his son.

I think people still think that I'm his son, which is great.

Such a kind, giving...

One of the smartest guys I've ever known and worked with.

Just kind, giving, talented artist.

Sly's the best.

[Interviewer] What about this guy?

[laughing]

San man.

Oh please don't put these two against each other.

Like I can't answer that question.

You were about to do that weren't you?

San man, I love San man too.

He brings me into what's not called a film set,

he brings me into summer camp.

Like he literally is like yeah

but it's gonna be like summer camp.

No San man's great.

Such a great guy.

And same thing too, like looks out for his crew,

expects, not expects, demands a lot of hard work

because he's working his butt off.

So is Sly.

But two amazing, amazing guys to work with.

Right, Sam?

Yep, that's true.

[Interviewer] Which of these costars

would you say required more attention on set?

Well that's not Parker or Butler.

Looks like them, but I would say that

I worried less about San man and Sly,

and I knew that I needed a lot of focused attention

on our Enzos, on Parker and Butler.

[Interviewer] So can you tell all your dogs apart then?

Yeah totally.

Yeah you got some photos?

[Interviewer] You starred in This Is Us, correct?

I did.

[Interviewer] The show is known to make people cry.

Mm-hm.

[Interviewer] Do you cry?

When I watch the show?

Or just in life?

Yeah I cry in life.

I don't think I wept in the last week.

[Interviewer] What about the last month?

Um.

I believe I didn't.

I don't know if that's accurate it makes me heartless.

[Interviewer] Can you cry on cue?

No.

I actually can't.

[Interviewer] At any point during this interview

did you lie and we didn't catch you?

Yes.

[Interviewer] Okay.