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Jesse Tyler Ferguson Reflects on How Playing a Gay Character in Modern Family Became His Real-Life Armor; Calls It 'Superpower'
Jesse Tyler Ferguson reflects on his role on Modern Family stating that it gave him real-life protection and empowerment, also changing how others perceive his sexuality.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson said playing a gay character on Modern Family helped him feel more acceptable and safer in real life. In one of the latest episodes of his podcast Dinner’s on Me, the 48-year-old actor opened up about how playing a beloved gay role in a popular series has offered him a different kind of real-life protection.
Jesse, who portrayed Mitchell Pritchett in the sitcom called Modern Family, reflected on how his character has had a transformative effect on others’ opinions about him and his sexual preferences.
Ferguson told an anecdote about himself before he was casted on Modern Family in 2009. When he visited Las Vegas, he felt that people were not so supportive because of his sexuality. Though there was no violence, he still sensed negativity from people who were uncomfortable around him and his then-boyfriend.
However, upon returning to Las Vegas after the show became known around the globe, it seemed like everything had changed very much.
At first all appeared rather negative again; however, once they realized that this was just an actor playing Mitchell, their attitude towards him shifted. He defined it as ‘a weird superpower’ since performing gave him some kind of protection coming from liking Mitchell.
He said, “There was some weird superpower that I felt like I was being protected by this role that I was also playing. It kind of gave me this coat of armor, and I had this protection of being this character that people also loved. I don't know. It was really weird.”
When Modern Family started, he got married to producer Justin Mikita whom he met at the gymnasium. Their romance sprouted after they accidentally met again leading them into marriage during July 2013.
He said to Variety, “Justin and I both walked down the aisle — basically two separate aisles — at the same time, being ushered by both our parents. Then we met at the altar together, where Tony Kushner was standing to marry us, which was insane for me because he's such an idol of mine.”
Now Justin Mikita and Jesse Tyler Ferguson have two children together - Beckett Mercer and Sullivan Louis.
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