Milo Ventimiglia

One of the bright spots of the 2006-07 television season was NBC’s Heroes, and at the center of Heroes’ intricate storylines is UCLA alumnus Milo Ventimiglia. The Emmy-nominated drama series follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Ventimiglia stars as Peter Petrelli, an idealistic nurse and politician's younger brother who is plagued by nightmares that he can fly. The ensemble cast also includes fellow Bruin George Takei ’60, M.A. ’64.

After studying English for four years at UCLA, Ventimiglia landed a small role on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. He soon secured a holding deal with Warner Brothers, a move that launched a promising television and film career for the young actor. Ventimiglia guest-starred on series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Boston Public before gaining widespread audience attention in 2001 as rebellious teenager Jess Mariano on the critically acclaimed television drama Gilmore Girls.

Though he is most known for his work in television, Ventimiglia has acted in studio and independent film. In 2006, he completed work on the sixth installment of the Rocky series, playing Sylvester Stallone's son Robert "Rocky Jr." Balboa in Rocky Balboa. His additional credits include the horror film Stay Alive, the Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson thriller Cursed and the independent film Dirty Deeds. He also co-owns and operates Divide Pictures, a production company.

Ventimiglia recently starred in Tom Fontana's series The Bedford Diaries, which focused on a group of college students in a human sexuality class. The job may have inspired him, as he has stated in interviews that he is anxious to return to UCLA in the future and complete his studies.