‘This Is Us’: Is Milo Ventimiglia’s Jack Pearson Leaving the Show?

Is This Is Us‘ Jack Pearson ready to say goodbye? The NBC family drama is moving forward after the beloved character’s tragic death, and the mystery surrounding how it happened. While the show’s time-bending storytelling methods allow for the story to go back to the past and revisit moments from Jack’s (Milo Ventimiglia) life, it seems we might be seeing less of the character in the future.

Ventimiglia opened up about the show’s main characters moving forward from Jack’s traumatic death, as he celebrated the premiere of the episode of the NBC drama he directed. The actor, as well as creator Dan Fogelman, have said before Jack will always be a part of the show. However, Ventimiglia said there might be less of the character on-screen in future episodes.

“Maybe that is a possibility,” Ventimiglia told The Hollywood Reporter when asked if future episodes might have less of Jack Pearson. However, he said Jack continues to be a key character in the beloved family drama.

“Even though there may be the perception that his storylines are limited, there’s always going to be some kind of relation between what the kids are going through today and what they experienced in the past, what they saw from their father in the past, or how Jack impacted or Rebecca in a way that he’s always going to be with her,” the actor said.

Ventimiglia, who had stepped on the director’s chair in commercials and web series in the past, told the outlet he understands the show’s complicated timeline could lead to Jack being benched on screen from time to time.

“I’m pretty familiar with what Jack’s presence is going to be through the next couple of seasons,” the actor told the publication. “I know through six. But I also know that, if maybe there’s some moments where you need to put Jack on the bench because some other story storylines are taking over, they can always call me out to direct those episodes. I think there’s always going to be a version where I’m around, but maybe I’m not in front of the camera on the show.”

The move to directing made sense to Ventimiglia after acting for more than 20 years. The actor said he sees himself stepping into more roles behind the cameras in future jobs. He won’t stop acting, however, as he already has a new project set as an actor and producer for the upcoming Evel Knievel limited series coming to USA Network.

“I don’t imagine myself doing anything different than what I’ve been doing now,” he told THR. “I think it’s a natural transition for actors when you are exposed to great writers, great directors and actors and executives and everything. You just want to put projects and people together and you want to do things, hopefully, that audiences are going to like and love. So I would just imagine moving forward and doing more of the same of what I’ve already been doing for years at a lot of different levels.”

This Is Us airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.