March 29, 2006
The TV Tattler interview from aol.com
Interview:
Sex and the College Campus? Milo Ventimiglia Jumps Into 'The Bedford Diaries'
March 29 -- Must be nice to have a television studio like Warner Bros. on your side.
That's the case of actor Milo Ventimiglia, who first won over audiences as Jess on the WB's 'Gilmore Girls.' Since then, the network attempted to create a spinoff for his character and now has placed him in their midseason college drama, 'The Bedford Diaries.'
In an interview with editor Kelly Woo, Ventimiglia chatted about the WB's support, the need to shave every day and playing Rocky Balboa's son.
What's 'Bedford Diaries' about?
It's six college kids going to school in New York, taking a class on sexual behavior and the human condition. That sets up a platform for love and sex and friendship and camaraderie.
What drew you to the show?
I sat down with Warner Bros. and they put a couple projects in front of me. I'd always been a fan of Tom Fontana ['Oz,' 'Homicide: Life on the Street']. The character I play, Richard, was one I had thought a lot about. I'd begun to play a similar type character in another project I did that didn't go anywhere.
What do you like about your character, Richard?
I like the mystery between who he was and who he is now. Through the course of the eight episodes we've filmed, there's this talk of how he used to drink and do drugs. He was a little more fun, a little more wild. But now, in his more reserved state, people approach him with caution, because they don't know what he's thinking. That frightens people.
What was it like working with Matthew Modine, who plays the sex seminar professor?
Working with Modine was pretty amazing. I've been a fan of his work for a long, long time. When I was in high school, 'Vision Quest' was my favorite movie. I watched it every day.
Every day?!
I wrestled in high school. The movie's about wrestling and it was like the only movie about wrestling. And not only was it the only movie about wrestling, it was actually a really good movie about wrestling -- collegiate wrestling, not WWF stuff. I remember the first day of work, I'm thinking, "I'm sitting next to a guy I've watched over and over again. I can probably quote his lines better than he can." Over the course of shooting the episodes, he'd come up and we'd throw lines back and forth from the movie. It was cool.
You're always playing younger characters. At least now you're in college.
I know, thank God ...
Do you get annoyed by that?
The only thing that really gets annoyed is my face, if I have to shave every day. You'd always hear rumors about how guys have to shave twice a day. Here I am, 28 playing 21. It doesn't bother me so much; if it's a good character, it's a good character. If producers and directors believe I can play that young, and still treat me with respect, I'm OK with it.