Milo Ventimiglia, a household name owing to his roles in This Is Us, Gilmore Girls, and Heroes, takes on a new character in the action movie Land of Bad. The movie, which hit the theaters on February 16, 2024, presents him as a relentless action star named Sugar, who stops at nothing to accomplish his mission.
A New Role for Ventimiglia
In Land of Bad, Ventimiglia’s character, Sugar, is part of a team comprising three other officials: Kinney (Liam Hemsworth), Abel (Luke Hemsworth), and Bishop (Ricky Whittle). As they venture into hostile territory, the movie quickly escalates into a blood-soaked thrill ride.
Ventimiglia’s interactions with his co-stars off-camera, however, were starkly different from their on-screen encounters. “Working with Ricky Whittle, Luke Hemsworth, and Liam Hemsworth was just good times all around,” he says. “They’re light, fun, and we were always cracking jokes.”
The Bond Between Co-stars
When asked who the funniest co-star on set was, Ventimiglia didn’t hesitate to mention Ricky Whittle. “He’s devilishly funny,” he says. “He was constantly cracking jokes, and Liam Hemsworth was matching him.”
Ventimiglia had high praise for the Hemsworth brothers, but avoided picking a favorite. “I can’t do it,” he says. “I love them all equally. As similar as they are in the way of a Hemsworth, they’re also so unique.”
Insights into the Hemsworth Brothers
Ventimiglia shared his observations about the Hemsworth brothers. “I look at Luke, and I can see how he’s the older brother leading the way,” he says of the Westworld star. “Chris [Hemsworth] has gone out and done his own thing like the middle child, and then there’s Liam who’s just deep with emotion.”
“They’re all unique but they all fundamentally have this good spirit and kindness,” Ventimiglia adds. “Mom and Dad Hemsworth did well.”
Missing Out on Working with Russell Crowe
One regret Ventimiglia had was not getting to work with Russell Crowe, who plays an Air Force drone pilot named Reaper in the movie.
“No, I never met Russell,” Ventimiglia admits. “It’s actually hard when you do a Russell Crowe movie and you don’t get to work with Russell Crowe.”
Despite this, Ventimiglia was still appreciative of Crowe’s work in the movie. “I still admire the guy and love what he did in the movie and am proud of the work.”
Tragic Characters and Life Lessons
Ventimiglia is no stranger to playing characters with tragic endings, both in This Is Us and Land of Bad. He believes that such endings are a natural part of life. “We all know we have an end, we just don’t know when it’s gonna happen,” he reflects.
He further added that it’s important to live life fully and experience what these characters are experiencing. “You know what the end is for these characters…So you kind of have to just live your life fully and be a good person and enjoy yourself,” Ventimiglia concludes.
