| Elite Fan
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 29,680
| Milo is featured in the May 2007 issue of Farmer's Magazine:
Vegging Out with Milo Ventimiglia
By Paul Fischer
He's dark and brooding, quietly unpretentious yet a young man genuinely unaware of his true ability as an actor. Through it all, in NBC's hit show 'Heroes', he holds his own, and for this actor, it's the work, and nothing else, that counts. Milo Ventimiglia's brooding quality he encapsulates on-screen initially seems to have been transmuted off camera as well. Dressed all in black, his thick hair slightly unkempt, there's a hesitation to his answers to even the most obvious of questions. He pauses continuously, emerging as nervous and guarded. He's clearly unaware of the kind of charisma that generates from the screen.
Since 18, the actor has worked steadily in Hollywood, solidifying both his experience and reputation. And now as the empath Peter Petrelli he plays on television, Ventimiglia is an arresting and hypnotic presence. It appears, though, the actor doesn't seem to realise how good an actor he is. "First of all, I really think that the greatest fear for actors, is reaching the point in which they go: '****, I'm good at this', because I think the work will really suffer. It's not a conscious effort, it's just I always hope I can do justice to the projects and characters. I feel that I've been choosy in my roles as much as I can be, and I only work on projects that I REALLY want to make." Such projects included 'Rocky Balboa', a movie that became a hit with both critics and fans. Therefore, Ventimiglia adds, "I feel immense pressure from myself to do the best job that I can do, and I'm never really satisfied. On 'Heroes', the actor was nervous about doing the series. He begins laughingly. "I'd never worked on a project on quite this scale, and initially it was a little overwhelming. When I first arrived at the camp, saw the sets and just the size of the crew, all that played a part in my nervousness. But the entire cast have such a calm nature about them and they put me immediately at ease." That includes regular off-set get-togethers, ranging from miniature golf, glow in the dark bowling, and bingo.
Another thing that makes him feel better is his eating habits. Born into a family of vegetarians, he sees being a vegetarian as a healthier way of living. "I don't give advice though, just information. If you think meat is essential and beneficial to your diet, do some more studying on the subject." And concerning the dumb things he hears from non-vegetarians, like How do you get enough protein?- "I ask them how many people they know who have been hospitalized for lack of protein." Working as an actor allows him to easily maintain his eating style on the set, but off-set can be another story. "It's only hard when I travel outside California. In Iowa, for example, even the salad has meat on it." He says that vegetarian cuisine has improved over the years, and tries to cook when he has free time. One of his favorite recipes are Bean and Bell Pepper Fajitas.
Bean and Bell Pepper Fajitas
Ingredients:
medium can of beans, rinsed and drained (I use Kidney)
1 large bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 medium onion, sliced into strips
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil for sautéing
tortillas
salsa
guacamole
lime juice
Directions:
To make the fajita filling: Saute onion and bell pepper strips in a bit of olive oil for a few minute until the onions start to soften. Add a bit of the broth and sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder mixture. Continue to sauté for another minute or two. Then add the rest of the broth and the and the can of beans to the pan. Stir together, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
To make the fajitas I spread guacamole on a warmed tortilla, top with a big spoonful of the bean/pepper filling, and top that with salsa and a little squirt of lime juice. Then I just roll it up and enjoy! This is all good cold the next day as leftover too.
Serves: 6 big fajitas
Preparation time: 30 min.
With Heroes already renewed for a second season, he says it's nice to feel involved in something steady, and his love for the industry is clearly felt. "At the moment, acting is my passion. It's liberating and I love it."
'Heroes' returns on Monday April 23.
 Note: There are 3 more photos of Milo in the magazine that you can see HERE. __________________ -Kelly |