It's getting hard to see Milo Ventimiglia as anything other than Jack Pearson. The actor officially became America's primetime dad after the inaugural season of This Is Us, so imagining other stars in the role feels a little weird. Ventimiglia revealed in the past he was not the first option for the Pearson patriarch, and now, the actor who was initially favored for the role has made himself known: Splitting Up Together's Oliver Hudson. Here's his explanation for how a fishing trip ended up changing his life (and Jack Pearson's death):
I went in and read, and it went very well. They wanted me to come and do a chemistry read with Mandy Moore. . . . This will tell you how much I love to fish. I had a 10-day fishing trip planned. It's my life! Fishing is a big part of my life and it was this 10-day fishing trip and my agent says, 'We have to test, and they really like you, and this, this and that.' And I said, 'Ooh, I'm supposed to go on a fishing trip'... And he's like, 'Ok, yeah... So? I mean, this is a big thing.' [I responded with] 'You know what? I'm going to do my fishing trip.'
Oliver Hudson made it sound as though the role of Jack Pearson was his for the taking. All he had to do was show up for a quick chemistry read with Mandy Moore, and his future would've been filled with hiding spoilers from fans, and making apologies on behalf of Crock-Pot. Hudson seemed to admit having some regrets about walking away from the role, and during his interview with the Ladygang podcast, he recalled seeing the ratings after the premiere and having the eloquent reaction of, "Shit." That said, Hudson has no ill-will for fellow primetime papa Milo Ventimiglia, and said he was happy for him getting the role.
Oliver Hudson's story sounds like he wasn't all that worried about missing out on This Is Us, but this tale is truly a testament to how much he loves fishing trips. Hudson assured the hosts that he actually loved the script he read for the NBC drama, which he says is rare for him, but just couldn't let that 10-day fishing trip go by. Hudson's Instagram is proof his love of fishing is "reel", and some of those pictures will really make one wonder if he perhaps had another calling in life:
Of course, missing out on This Is Us didn't turn out too bad for Oliver Hudson. The actor currently co-stars with Office vet Jenna Fischer on the ABC sitcom Splitting Up Together, which was just renewed for Season 2 not that long ago. Hudson still gets to play a dad there, and while his character might not have the ideal life right now, at least he's still alive!
Fans of Oliver Hudson can still catch him on ABC's Splitting Up Together on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET. This Is Us is set to return to NBC for Season 3 Tuesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET. For a list of other upcoming shows coming to television in the near future head on over to our summer premiere guide.
