Sofia Vergara Dishes on Ed O’Neill’s Gross On-Set Habit
“Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara recently got candid about the bad habit her former on-screen husband Ed O’Neill struggled to break behind the scenes of the beloved sitcom – much to his co-stars’ disgust.
Speaking on an episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Sofia Vergara, 50, spilled secrets from the “Modern Family” set, revealing that O’Neill constantly picked his nose in front of the cast and crew. Although she claims he’d tried to be discreet, Sofia Vergara and her fellow actors inevitably caught him in the act. Let’s explore this surprising revelation and why it left such an impression on the actress, a decade after the show first aired.
Recurring Nose-Picking Problem
As portrayed by O’Neill, 76, family patriarch Jay Pritchett seemed curmudgeonly but lovable – not one to showcase impolite habits. But according to Sofia Vergara, O’Neill struggled to repress nose-picking urges around his TV family.
Addressing host Kelly Clarkson, Sofia Vergara confessed: “He was always doing it on set! He picked his nose all the time. He thought that he was being slick on the side [turns head] picking his nose, but it was like, ‘Oh my God!'”
Sofia Vergara admitted it was an ongoing issue, saying: “Ten years working with him… I stand behind him and he’s on the side just digging!” No matter where O’Neill tried concealing the act during scenes, his co-stars caught sight of it.
Despite gently ribbing him, Sofia Vergara made sure to note O’Neill was very professional overall. But his persistence with nose-picking despite reminders became an endless source of amusement and disgust for the cast.
Speculating on Causes for the Habit
So what would cause a veteran performer like O’Neill to habitually pick his nose around others for a decade? We can only speculate, but perhaps:
- Lingering childhood habit resurfacing
- Nervous tic due to stress
- Subconscious distraction during memorization
- Nasal blockage issues
Regardless, this quirky backstage act gave his co-workers endless laughs and “O’Neill Nose News” updates.
Impacting How We See Jay Pritchett
Even a dozen years since “Modern Family” premiered, O’Neill’s iteration of Jay Pritchett remains one of television’s most legendary patriarch characters – albeit now with gross new context! When we watch reruns, scenes showing Jay’s grumpy one-liners may be colored by imagining what his fingers were secretly doing just off-camera.
This behind-the-scenes revelation adds a wink of mischief to O’Neill’s lovable curmudgeon. Who knew the actor’s nose obsession would become part of the show’s legacy! It just goes to show that after a decade working together, your weird habits won’t stay secret for long.
So what do you think? Does it change your perception of Jay Pritchett knowing Ed O’Neill was frequently nose-picking on set? Share your reactions to this goofy “Modern Family” revelation.