Ventimiglia was born in Ridgewood, Queens to Sicilian immigrants from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily and grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey.

In August 2007, Ventimiglia and the David Amram quartet presented a musical and oral homage to sociologist C. Wright Mills and beat author Jack Kerouac.

Ventimiglia starred in the comedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Undead (2008), playing the role of Theo Horace.

Police officers allegedly spotted Ventimiglia weaving in and out of traffic, and tested his blood-alcohol content at 0.12 (above the legal limit of .08); while also finding a zip-lock bag with cocaine residue in his possession.

[10] In June, Ventimiglia pleaded guilty to drunk driving; he was fined $500 and had his license suspended for 90 days.