How Family Impacts Work: Amanda Seyfried and Milo Ventimiglia

This is Us star Milo Ventimiglia and Amanda Seyfried star in The Art of Racing in the Rain, based on the bestselling book that spent more than three years on the list. We talked with them about their families and the impact on their careers.

Risen Magazine:  Amanda, how has having a daughter and a family changed you or the way you approach your work?

Amanda Seyfried:  I want my time to be devoted to her. When I don’t need to be somewhere I’m just there. I used to do those scripts where I used to consider movies, and say “I mean it’s fine and it’s in a cool place, with cool people, I should do it.” Now there’s no “might as well do it.” I either commit to something like this movie, and bring my family with me, or I’m not going to do it at all. I used to commit to things that, you know what they didn’t deserve me. And I don’t ever look back to say that was a regret of mine. It was a learning experience, and now I’ve learned what I don’t want to do. What’s not important to me. Because I have these people at home that I really want to hang out with. And my mom is my nanny, she’s awesome, and my husband loves her. And another thing, I’m present. I’m having the best time in Los Angeles even though Finn [dog], my daughter, my husband, and my mom are all at the farm. I’m over here alone in my house, and I’m actually so zen. Because now I know that I have to take advantage of time when I’m away. I don’t want to be miserable, I’m not going to be miserable if I’m without anybody, because I found solitude. I’m really happy when I’m by myself. I am happy to be with my family, but I am so cool here too.

Risen Magazine: Milo, how do you relate to your character? What did you learn from playing this role?

Milo Ventimiglia: I don’t know if it was learn, as much as reaffirm the way, one, how I was raised, and two, how I try to carry myself and also what I’ve learned from the good fathers and good husbands in my life. Like looking at my own dad or looking at my close friends. Two close friends in particular that have daughters and how they look to be a source of inspiration, protection and safety for their kids. There’s a lot that Denny goes through, but I think we all go through a lot in life. Life is challenging, it’s difficult, it’s hard, but if you find a way to navigate that and know that the rain’s not always going to come down, then you can make it through other side and have a successful, good, positive life.