Milo Ventimiglia recently nabbed his third Emmy nomination for playing Jack Pearson on This Is Us, but that doesn’t mean his parents understand the significance of the honor.
In fact, the 42-year-old actor just revealed that his parents—Carol and Pete—had no interest in attending the annual awards show up until this year. During an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ventimiglia joked that his mom and dad weren’t impressed by his nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
“The first time I got nominated, I said, ‘Hey, guys, I’d love you to come to the Emmys with me,’” he explained. “And my mom was like, ‘No, no, no, I don’t want to be in the big crowd.’ And my dad said he’s holding out for the Oscars. And I was like, ‘OK.’”
When his second nomination rolled around, the same thing happened. “Second year, I was like, ‘Hey, guys, so do you want to go to the Emmys with me this year?” Ventimiglia added. “My mom was like, ‘Oh, no, no, no, it’s fine, Sweetheart, you go.’ And my dad is like, ‘I’m holding out for the Oscars.’ And I was like, ‘Dad, these are like the Oscars of TV.’”
However, when he received his third nomination for the 71st annual ceremony, his parents appeared to have a change of heart.
He continued, “But then, third year, the nomination happens, Mom and Dad, of course, are like one of the first phone calls you make, and I pick up the phone and I’m like, ‘Hey guys.’ And I was so ready to be like, ‘I’d really, really like it if you came to the Emmys with me this year.’ Before I even got that out, both of them are like, ‘Oh, we’re going. We’re going.’”
When Kimmel asked Ventimiglia’s parents about their decision to finally attend, Pete responded, “[Milo] embarrassed us.”
On the bright side, the family pics will be priceless.
