'That would be a slap in the face,' the 39-year-old actor tells ET of keeping answers to Jack's death under lock and key.
This Is Us isn’t messing around in season two!
NBC’s breakout family drama returns for new episodes this fall on a brand new night, Thursdays (more on that later!), but the circumstances surrounding the death of the beloved Pearson patriarch, Jack, still remains one of the show’s biggest mysteries.
ET caught up with series star Milo Ventimiglia, who addressed whether fans will learn just how Jack died in the new season. Short answer: It may come sooner than you think!
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“I mean, look, for it not to happen, that would be a slap in the face,” the 39-year-old actor told ET’s Leanne Aguilera at the NBCUniversal Upfront blue carpet in New York City on Monday, seemingly confirming that the question will be answered in season two. “It blows me away that everybody is dying to know, but at the same time, I get it. It’s a curiosity.”
“But what I tell people is the novel that is Jack’s life is much more interesting than the footnote of his death,” he continued. “Paying attention to how the man lived, especially now with dire times. His wife [Rebecca] and he [Jack] are not together at the end of the season, so you want to see them repaired and put back together.”
Ventimiglia referenced the heartbreaking season finale, in which Jack and Rebecca (Mandy Moore) decided to split up following pent-up tensions and diverging paths. Though it’s unclear how soon after Jack dies, there’s a ticking clock on his mortality (it’s established that he died when The Big Three were teens), something Ventimiglia is well aware of.
“Jack’s ultimate death, I think that question may get answered relatively quick,” he assured.
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As for how much he’s been tipped off as far as the new season goes, Ventimiglia was coy, only to say, “I know a good amount, but also it’s early on.”
“I do know a thing or two and I’d say we’ll start seeing scripts early July. We go back to work mid-July, so [by] early July we’ll really start knowing what’s coming out,” he said.
When the show does return for its anticipated sophomore run, it’ll be anchoring NBC’s resurrected “Must See TV” lineup on Thursdays, alongside the return of Will & Grace, and will snag the post-Super Bowl slot in February.
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“I'm excited, I'm honored. I'm humbled by the decision to make the move,” Ventimiglia said of the schedule shift. “It's a scary moment when you hear that your show is being moved, but I have nothing but confidence in NBC and their decision to do that. It's a coveted place and I think the opportunity to have that post-Super Bowl spot is also very telling. It's a network that is very truly believing in their material. They are there to tell great stories.”
This Is Us returns Thursdays this fall on NBC.
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