Adrian Pasdar as Nathan Petrelli on NBC Hit Television Show "Heroes"

"Heroes" talking head Nathan Petrelli is a real piece of work. He's a congressional hopeful with the right look and the right family - or at least that's what he'd like people to think. This is a man who is all about image. So much so, in fact, that he has kept his wheelchair-bound wife indoors for months because his advisers have told him that, if she's seen outside she will make him appear weak. She's utterly devoted, however, and doesn't seem to mind, but the irony is unmistakable. He is willing to be cruel to his family in order to seem like the perfect family man.

Petrelli is portrayed by Pittsfield, Mass., native Adrian Pasdar, who has appeared in several episodes of "Desperate Housewives" as David Bradley, as well as "Judging Amy," "Secondhand Lions," "The Twilight Zone," "Crossing the Line," "Mysterious Ways" and "The Big Day." He was born in 1967, however, and has been at this a long time. In the '90s, he was both "Touched by an Angel" and "Touched by Evil." Seems there's a lot of touching going on in Pasdar's life. You may have also seen Pasdar in his role as Chipper in "Top Gun" in 1986.

Sounds like a life of cushy jobs, right? Well, being involved in acting productions can be dangerous. According to TV.com, Pasdar went to work in theater with the People's Light and Theater Company in the '80s on the sound and lighting crew. That means set construction, and in set construction there are sometimes injuries. Pasdar managed to cut off the end of his thumb and attend the "Lee Strasberg Theater Institute" on the medical compensation. He was 19 when he auditioned for "Top Gun." In fact, online sources write that the part of Chipper was actually created just for him.

One bit of onscreen irony happened began for Pasdar when he auditioned for a role in "Gilmore Girls" as the father of a character played by Milo Ventimiglia. According to online sources, Pasdar was passed over for the role, and was told it was because he and Milo look like brothers. As it turns out, he is now playing Ventimiglia's brother in the "Heroes" series.

Pasdar is doing a fantastic job in his role as the "not really evil, but pretty darned hard-hearted" Nathan Petrelli. He has the right look and the right delivery for the role, so his resemblance to Ventimiglia is paying off in the end. Personally, I don't think he looks a thing like Ventimiglia, who looks as though he should be an Anime character, where Pasdar is more old-style comics. ###