Jesse Tyler Ferguson is breaking new ground on MODERN FAMILY
The portrayal of gay men takes a step forward with the premiere this week of ABC’s new sitcom Modern Family, a mockumentary style series looking at an American family living in today’s complicated world. In the pilot episode of the series, gay son Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and his partner Cameron (Eric Stonestreet), who have been together for five years, are bringing home their newly adopted daughter from Vietnam. Like many American families, the level of comfort with the gay couple varies with different members and adding a child to the mix definitely stirs things up, too. I talked Jesse Tyler Ferguson about when he knew his role was groundbreaking, what he knows about potential gay marriage storylines and how he feels playing the ‘straight’ man in his on-screen relationship.
Jim Halterman: The pilot to Modern Family really struck me as one of the most honest depictions of family life and it also happens to have some of the best buzz of any other fall show. How does that feel?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: It’s always great to have good buzz but it’s slightly terrifying, I’m not going to lie, because we’re not on the air yet. I’ve been on the other side of buzz – the bad buzz – and this is a better place to be.
JH: When you first read the script, did you realize this was a groundbreaking role?
JTF: At first I didn’t really step back and look at the gay couple as being incredibly groundbreaking. I just sort of read the script and fell in love with it. I wasn’t necessarily wanting to do a television series because I had some theater stuff lined up but this just came out of left field and I just wanted to be a part of it. After doing it and we were doing early press I kind of realized that Mitchell and Cameron were groundbreaking characters and I was able to step back and think about what a social impact they could possibly have, which is exciting.
JH: On the show, the gay thing is already out and the various family members have different levels of being comfortable with it, which again felt very honest and contemporary.
JTF: It’s so accurate and so real and it’s not handled with kid gloves. It’s all handled very matter-of-factly, which I think is a groundbreaking in its commonality, which is awesome.
JH: I know the show is still new but how well do you know Mitchell at this point?
JTF: I’m obviously still discovering a lot and they keep introducing new nuggets of information to me so I’m kind of learning about him as the audience is but I’m definitely coming in with a pretty specific perspective and I’m not playing him terribly different from myself so I’ve got him on that.
JH: Do you aspire to be a parent or, by chance, are you already a parent?
JTF: I’m not a parent and I have been thinking about it but however, working with these new twins…they’re a little bi-polar. You never quite know what you’re going to get on the set with them. They’re obviously very attached to their parents, as a child would be but I don’t get it. There has been some difficulty so I’m glad to hand them back to their parents and I’m not sure I want to do this at home but the broad answer is yes, I would someday love to be a parent.
JH: What’s parenthood going to be like for Mitchell and Cameron?
JTF: Well, they’re new dads and I think it’s interesting because they’re trying to find their roles in this child’s life. Not necessarily in the ‘mother’ and ‘father’ roles but finding out how they’re going to bring up this child and they’re trying to be as normal as they can be for the sake of Lily. In one episode, Cameron and I take her to a Mommy & Me class and you can just imagine how that goes. I love playing that dynamic more than just the fact that it’s a gay couple. It’s two new parents trying to take care of this child and worrying about the slightest thing and that’s a fun angle to play.
JH: Are your characters married?
JTF: They are not married on the show but I’m not sure how we’re going to touch on it in the future. I would certainly think it would be something that would have to be discussed at one point. I think Chris [Lloyd] and Steve [Levitan, the creators] are very aware that these people are groundbreaking and people are looking at them with a stern eye and I think it’s going to be interesting. We haven’t discussed it but I would be interested to find out.
JH: As Cameron, Eric Stonestreet must be a blast to work with. His Lion King moment in the pilot is hilarious. How has it been working with him?
JTF: He’s fantastic and I’m kind of loving watching him take this ride because this is his first big job and I love people discovering him and people don’t really know who he is because he hasn’t been around a lot so I just love sitting back and waiting for the show to air so he can explode and people can fawn all over him like they should. He’s great.
JH: Of the two characters, you seem to be more of the “straight” man who is more grounded and calm in crisis. Is that going to change along the way?
JTF: He’s definitely more uptight and trepidatious, which I find very funny when people take themselves a little too seriously. I think it’s hilarious. I was actually asked to audition for Eric’s character initially but I was more drawn to Mitchell because he is more straight-laced and it’s something I hadn’t played before. I’m enjoying finding humor in his seriousness and I love playing the straight man to Eric because it’s just so easy. We get along perfectly.
JH: You have a presence in the Broadway world but do you miss it when you’re working in television?
JTF: Theater is my first love and I definitely always want to go back to that. I always miss it and being in NY but I’m definitely enjoying this ride right now and focusing on this job.
Modern Family airs Wednesdays on ABC at 9/8c.
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