Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, who played Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker on the hit sitcom Modern Family, proved that opposites really do attract. Their characters, a gay couple raising two adopted children, became a groundbreaking TV duo whose love story resonated with audiences for 11 seasons, from 2009 to 2020.
Chemistry from the Start
Ferguson and Stonestreet first met during the casting process, when producers tested potential Cams with the already-cast Mitchell. Ferguson recalls it as "like speed dating," adding that he was "certainly drawn to Eric as a person." Stonestreet, who had three auditions under his belt, was confident until the network test, where a missed laugh led him to panic and perform a "gay Z snap." Ferguson reassured him, saying, "Really good job, that was awesome."
Their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, but off camera, their personalities were reversed. "I'm more Mitchell off camera and Jesse's more Cam," Stonestreet explains. "He's breezy and will let things go and I'm the one who's uptight and constantly worrying about everything."
Opposites Attract, On and Off Screen
The actors attribute the success of Mitch and Cam's romance to their differences. "The most iconic romances develop when opposites attract, like Sam and Diane in Cheers or Ross and Rachel in Friends," Ferguson says. "Mitch lived a very sheltered life as far as being in the closet and he finds a lot of comfort in Cam's free spirit." Stonestreet adds, "Here are these two imperfect people who've found each other and the perfectness in each other."
Their relationship was not without criticism. Some fans wanted more public displays of affection and fewer arguments. Stonestreet notes, "What really hurt my feelings in the beginning was people saying because I was straight I didn't want to kiss Jesse. First of all, that's stupid and secondly I'd been in a very gay cult classic movie called Girls Will Be Girls where I'd made out with a drag queen." The writers responded with an episode called The Kiss, which Ferguson found "so moving."
A Legacy That Lives On
Ferguson, who grew up gay and closeted in Albuquerque, New Mexico, reflects on the impact of their portrayal: "I didn't have anyone on television who was aspirational for me, like 'I could get married and have kids.' To know that Eric and I are that for people makes this job feel like a gift." Stonestreet shares a poignant fan encounter: "A woman stops me and she says: 'Seeing you here tonight has brought my daughter back to life. You were my daughter's favourite character and the last time I saw her laugh was watching you on Modern Family and you being here right now is like her being here.'"
Both actors kept mementos from the set. Stonestreet has the portrait of Mitch, Cam, and Lily that hung above their fireplace, and a basket of fake lemons as an inside joke with a producer. Ferguson took a painting from the Cam and Mitch house. Their real-life friendship remains strong, with Stonestreet's "love language" being long-game pranks. As Ferguson says, "A lot of our relationship is him ruthlessly pranking me and teasing me and it all comes from a place of love."
Ferguson stars in Tru at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London from 19 September to 14 November.
