Milo Ventimiglia, beloved actor and professional heartstring-puller, is grappling with a devastating loss: his Malibu home is now auditioning for the role of “Smoky Rubble” in an apocalyptic drama.
The 47-year-old star of This Is Us and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, witnessed their dream home become a fiery nightmare — live, courtesy of their security cameras. (On the bright side, no buffering issues!) Thankfully, the couple evacuated safely, proving they’ve got more survival instincts than a horror movie cast.
“I mean, at first, you’re like, ‘Wait, is this real?’ Then you’re like, ‘Yep, it’s real,’” Milo explained, channeling the calm acceptance of someone who just watched their Roomba valiantly fight flames in vain. “Eventually, you just turn it off because, like, why give the fire an audience, you know? It’s already stealing the show.”
On Thursday (January 9), Milo ventured back to Malibu to check out what remained of his home. Spoiler alert: not much. While surveying the ashes, he gave an interview to CBS News, because if there’s one thing Hollywood teaches you, it’s to always stay camera-ready — even when your house isn’t.
“You start thinking about all the memories,” Milo reflected. “Like, where you spilled coffee on the carpet, or that one spot where the Wi-Fi finally worked. And then you look around at your neighbors’ houses, and it’s like, ‘Wow, this whole area really committed to the theme.’”
For those keeping score, Milo’s fictional counterpart on This Is Us met his demise in a house fire, heroically saving his family. Life imitating art? Oh, absolutely. “Yeah, that irony isn’t lost on me,” Milo admitted. “But, uh, if I suddenly develop a fondness for slow cookers again, someone please stage an intervention.”
As Milo comes to terms with the loss, fans are left wondering how he can still look devastatingly handsome while standing in a literal pile of soot. Some mysteries will never be solved.
You can watch the full interview below, but fair warning: there’s a chance you’ll end up ugly-crying, because Milo is just that good.
