A core star of Modern Family recalls the pressure to get their groundbreaking comedy role right during the series’ massive 11-season run. The cast of Modern Family managed to put on memorable performances as their characters, offering dynamics that made the series a present-day classic. This includes Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet’s roles as gay couple Mitchell and Cam.

Speaking on his Dinner’s on Me Podcast (via The Hollywood Reporter), Ferguson explained the pressures of playing Mitchell on Modern Family to positively represent the LGBTQ+ community. The actor explained how he’d been championing gay marriage prior to his role, explaining what it was like to juggle expectations from the community and the audience. Check out what Ferguson said below:

I was in the trenches fighting for marriage equality, and I felt so lucky to be part of a pop culture touchstone that was also part of that same issue. [I] felt a responsibility from the [LGBTQ+] community when I was given a role like the one I had on Modern Family to get it right and to do it with care and precision.

It was tricky for me because I had to tune out that noise of a community wanting me to do it correctly and preciously and, you know, my desire to do it with nuance and levels and layers and also poignancy. I just felt like there was no way to please both camps.

No one wants to see perfect people. No one wants a sitcom or a movie where it’s like everything just happens neatly. And yet, I felt like, you know, at least in the first few seasons of Modern Family, being put on a pedestal in a way as far as like, OK, this is the gay couple that’s on network television on a huge show. They better get this right.

What Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s Statement Says About Mitchell In Modern Family

Ferguson’s statement emphasizes the important role he had portraying Mitchell in Modern Family. His character, alongside Stonestreet’s Cam, offered a positive gay male couple on TV in 2009, years before gay marriage became legal in the United States. The pair eventually did get married in season 5, coinciding with when gay marriage become legal in California in 2013.

As the seasons of Modern Family progressed, the couple became a cornerstone of the larger cast. Their weekly antics alongside those of their adopted daughter, Lily, became a core part of the series, strengthening over the years. However, based on Ferguson’s statement, it wasn’t always easy balancing Mitchell’s character flaws with the positive representation he was aiming for.

However, by the time Modern Family ended, the series had managed to circumvent attributes of negative LGBTQ+ representation because of the realistic imperfections both Mitchell and Cam displayed. While originally critiqued for not being physically affectionate with each other enough, the pair’s development over time has made them positive examples of comedic LGBTQ+ TV characters with memorable personalities and stories.

Our Take On Jesse Tyler Ferguson Wanting To Get LGBTQ+ Representation In Modern Family Right

Although Mitchell and Cam’s relationship was sometimes criticized throughout its history, the show’s over-the-top comedy makes their characters fitting for the tone of the series. The fact they’re just as flawed as every other character on the show makes them feel realistic, even if the series’ main focus is on comedic situations they get into week-to-week.

Ferguson’s attempt at making Mitchell a positive LGBTQ+ figure shows how much care he put into his role on Modern Family. Because of how long the series ran for and how much praise it received throughout its time on the air, it seems like he’s succeeded at bringing to life a gay character who will stand the test of time.