Ed O’Neill’s portrayal of Jay Pritchett in Modern Family stands as one of the most beloved and integral parts of the show. As the patriarch of the family, Jay brought a unique blend of humor, complexity, and a little bit of grumpiness. Through his performance over the series, O’Neill developed his character into a genuine figure who improved himself as a father and a husband.
However, having portrayed the character for a few years, O’Neill admitted he didn’t know the most basic details about his character Jay. In an old interview, he surprisingly forgot to answer the strengths and weaknesses of his character in Modern Family. Reflecting on the old video, his response is sure to upset many fans.
Modern Family star Ed O’Neill said he is a “hired gun”
In a 2013 interview with Television Academy Foundation’s The Interview, Ed O’Neil shared some surprising thoughts about his role as Jay Pritchett. O’Neill was asked about his input on Jay’s character, and he candidly responded he doesn’t concern himself with these things,
I’m a hired gun, basically. I like just doing the acting, and I like the separation of church and state— I like that the writers write, and the actors act.
O’Neill explained that he preferred not to get too involved in the creative process of the writing, trusting the writers to shape the character’s evolution. He further said, “There are lots of actors who go to improv things, you know, I don’t know what the point of all that is.”
For O’Neill, the focus was on performing the material in front of him, not on analyzing the character’s backstory. However, it is interesting to notice his answers came with lots of pauses and random words, which made it look like he was not interested in talking about his character. However, his approach emphasizes his trust in the writing team.
Ed O’Neill also couldn’t answer specifics about his character, Jay’s strengths and weaknesses
When asked about Jay’s strengths and weaknesses, Modern Family star was quick to point out that those were better questions for the writers to answer. He stated,
I don’t really know, I mean, you know in other words…I want to use the same expression like he’s not real. It’s just words on a page so strength and weaknesses happen over each show and each week.
He reflected on the shifting nature of his character: in one week, “he’s messed up,” and the next week, “he does something noble.” He also said that he was the last to know about it. The actor also noted how he works scene to scene, without any deep understanding of where Jay’s character is headed in the broader narrative. He explained,
I go scene to scene, there’s no arc of the character for me… I just do each scene with the intention or close to the intention of what the writers want.
The interview took place in 2013 when the show was in its fifth season. By then, O’Neill had developed a solid grasp of his character after five seasons. Therefore, he should have shared his insights about his character’s strengths and weaknesses. That said, O’Neill did offer some observations about Jay’s personality.
He noted that Jay was initially focused on his business and often neglected his family in the process. However, Jay finds a second chance at love and parenthood with his Colombian wife Gloria (Sofia Vergara) and her son Manny. O’Neill pointed out that this time around, Jay was trying to be a better father and husband, “I think now he’s given a second chance, and he’s trying to do better.”
O’Neill’s portrayal of the beloved character is one of a man who is constantly learning throughout the seasons. In his interview, he shared some insights into playing Jay Pritchett, which is still the bare minimum. While fans wished for more detailed answers, it’s nice that he was all about trusting the collaborative process and letting the writers guide his character’s journey.
Modern Family is available to stream on Hulu.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
