TV.com Q&A: Heroes' Milo Ventimiglia

Milo Ventimiglia has been on an upward career trajectory for several years now, but nothing could have prepared him for the fame he would find from starring as Peter Petrelli in the NBC breakout hit Heroes. As the power-stealing Peter, Ventimiglia is the good guy all the bad guys fear and the hero everyone wants to be.

Fans also know him as Jess Mariano from the CW hit Gilmore Girls, Rocky's son in Rocky Balboa, and Richard from The Bedford Diaries.

Recently, Ventimiglia has been spending more time behind the camera than in front of it, and earlier this year he teamed up with clothier American Eagle for a series of shorts titled It's a Mall World. His latest project sees him partnering with AE once again, this time on a series of animated shorts called AE Winter Tales.

The shorts are being produced by his company Divide Pictures, which he runs with partner Russ Cundiff. The five shorts were written and directed by Adam Green and feature narration from Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz, rapper Lil' John, Veronica Mars and Heroes' Kristen Bell, Friday Night Lights' Adrianne Palicki, and Ventimiglia. All five can be viewed on the American Eagle Web site, and they run a few minutes in length.

The busy Ventimiglia took a few minutes out of a hectic day to speak with TV.com about his new project, Heroes, and the several things he has in the pipeline.

TV.com: First things first. The Heroes season two finale. We have to ask: Who is dead?

Milo Ventimiglia: (laughs) It kind of appears that Ali Larter's character is dead, and it kind of appears that Adrian Pasdar's character is dead. That's what it seems...I honestly don't know...

TV.com: Fair enough. Tim Kring came out with an open apology to fans for the first half of season two of Heroes. What is your take on the second season?

Milo Ventimiglia: I think people had high expectations based on the first season. It's kind of a big thing Tim did admitting we may have taken the wrong direction [with Volume Two--"Generations"].

I was a big fan of the first season. I sat and watched it just like everyone else. I admit that this year things were different. I'm glad that Tim recognized that, and hopefully we will get back on the right track.

TV.com: Though the strike has stalled its production, we know Volume 3 is called "Villains." What else can you tell us about the next chapter of Heroes?

Milo Ventimiglia: Your guess is as good as mine. The writers may know, but they're on strike. Who knows the direction they're going to head in now. All I understand is it is more heavily focused on bad people with abilities.

TV.com: What we're really here to talk about is the American Eagle shorts that you are producing. I just saw them and can't get that song out of my head...

Milo Ventimiglia: (laughs) Hum does the song. They're not really a band; they're studio music producers who do commercial work. They also did the theme for It's a Mall World, and I remember hating that song at first, too. But it's a good thing that it gets stuck in your head and you don't forget it.

These holiday shorts we're doing with American Eagle are classic takes on the animated television winter tales we grew up with. We're paying homage to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, David and Goliath, and Frosty the Snowman, but with a modern twist.

TV.com: This is your second project with American Eagle. What makes the company a good partner to work with, and how did you get involved?

Milo Ventimiglia: I think they're really wanting to collaborate with creative people. It's beneficial for both sides. They're really allowing that next crop of creative types to create something to be shown to the public. It's been great getting support from American Eagle and American Eagle vice president Kathy Savitt.

TV.com: In the short you narrate, you get recognized on the plane from Gilmore Girls, and it kind of irks you. How does that compare to how things are in real life?

Milo Ventimiglia: It actually happens. That one is a combination of real experiences between me and [writer] Adam Green. A bunch of times I have found myself in that situation, where I get recognized and people just won't stop talking. That short where the girl talks my ear off on the airplane is pretty true to form.

TV.com: You are really getting into producing and directing. Do you like one more than the other?

Milo Ventimiglia: I did a lot of directing for promotions for the WB, and I have always been interested in directing. But every time I had something director-related lined up, I would get an acting job. And you know, I have to keep the acting going.

TV.com: Is there more of an anonymity you enjoy as a director?

Milo Ventimiglia: I don't think anyone gives a %*$& about me as it is... I don't really think there is a real anonymity with directing. [When you are a director,] you are the guy everyone on set knows. But I really enjoy being that guy. I love speaking to all the players, all the crew, the actors, and other producers. I really enjoy it. I'm a business type in creative clothes.

TV.com: Who are your influences as a director?

Milo Ventimiglia: A lot of different directors... Orson Welles, Michael Mann, Martin Scorcese. But they're inspirations more than an influence. [When directing] I make it specific for the material at hand as opposed to ripping off a bunch of shots. If anything, they inspire me to create something entirely my own.

TV.com: The series of shorts are all about the holidays. Is the cast of heroes doing any sort of gift exchange or Secret Santa?

Milo Ventimiglia: No, we're not really a gifting kind of group. We take care of our crews, though. For the most part, we kind of have a love and respect to be working with each other.

TV.com: What's next for Milo the actor and Milo the director and producer?

Milo Ventimiglia: As an actor, there are two features I'm working on right now. Game with Lakeshore Entertainment, from the writers and directors of Crank. The same guys I worked with on Pathology. I'm also working on Chaos Theory, which is a smaller independent movie.

As for producing, I have a few branded entertainment projects coming up. And I've got some comic book things going, but I don't have anything to discuss on that just yet!

TV.com: Obviously the topic of the town is the writers strike. What is your take on it?

Milo Ventimiglia: I really hope the writers get what they want and they're deserving of it. But I really have a hard time when my crew is not working. I'm not in favor of strikes, but I do understand them. It's an upsetting thing when there are a lot of people who are out of work who don't make the kind of money that big names do. I hope it gets resolved quickly. I really think [the strike] could have been avoided.

TV.com: Thanks for talking to us, Milo.