Sofía Vergara declares Ed O’Neill isn’t allowed to die.
Recently nominated for an Emmy for her lead role in Netflix’s crime drama “Griselda,” the Colombian star revealed in her Variety cover story that she is open to reprising her role as the hilarious trophy wife Gloria Delgado-Pritchett from ABC’s “Modern Family.” However, there’s one condition: Ed O’Neill, who played her husband Jay on the sitcom, must still be alive to join her.
“I’d die to be on that set,” Vergara says. “It’d be so much fun. A TV movie, maybe?”
While she believes now is too soon to bring the Pritchett family back to screens, Vergara regularly jokes with O’Neill about the possibility.
After watching him in the FX miniseries “Clipped,” in which O’Neill portrayed former L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Vergara says she humorously told him, “You look fucking old.”
“I always joke with him [saying], ‘Ed, don’t die because if we do the sequel, it will take some time, and you’re the oldest of us. You can’t be dead,’” Vergara told Variety.
The Emmys are not unfamiliar to Vergara. She received four consecutive noms in the supporting comedy actress category, from 2010 to 2013, for her role as Gloria in “Modern Family.” But despite her frequent nods, Vergara has yet to win a statuette — though many believe she deserved to win at least one Emmy during her time on the ABC sitcom.
“That’s what I tell Julie Bowen,” Vergara jokes about her “Modern Family” co-star, who took home the Emmy twice for her role as Gloria’s step-daughter, Claire. “I was nominated four times. Julie was also, and I always rub it in her face, ‘One of those is mine, but I’m just letting you have it in your house.’”
The relationship between Bowen and Vergara is quite different from their characters’ on-screen rivalry. Vergara shared that Bowen sent her a video of herself voting for the Colombian actress on this year’s Emmys ballot. (Vergara’s nomination this year makes her the first Colombian-born actress and the second Latina nominated in the limited series category.)
Vergara noted that the “Modern Family” cast remains close after the series ended in 2020. Co-creator Steven Levitan tells Variety she was always the cast member everyone wanted to sit next to at dinners.
“Sofía has that rare combination of being strong, funny and beautiful,” he says. “Sofía is naturally savvy. She knows how to make people feel good about themselves … She was never pretentious. Despite all her hard-earned success, when she messed up, she was always the first one to laugh at herself, which signaled to everyone on set that it was fine to laugh along with her.”
The first gay couple ever to appear on American television dates back to 1975 — in Norman Lear’s groundbreaking and highly controversial sitcom Hot I Baltimore.
Back then, featuring an LGBTQ+ couple on national TV was considered horrifying, even shameful. Although it’s far more common nowadays to see LGBTQ+ characters represented in film and television, we still have a long way to go.
These days, we’re lucky to have such a diverse array of incredible gay and lesbian couples gracing our screens, both big and small. Let’s take a look at some of the most fabulous same-sex pairings represented in the media over the years.
Jack and Ennis – Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain was one of the first same-sex romance films to make it to the mainstream media. Back when the movie was in production, A-list celebrities turned down the leading roles of Jack and Ennis right and left. Back then, the idea of a gay gay love story was so taboo in Hollywood that actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg were quick to say “no” because they were terrified that the world would think they were gay and their career would be over.
It looks like it was their loss, though, since the 2005 film was an Oscar-winning triumph. The roles were given to Jake Gyllenhall and Heath Ledger, respectively. Gyllenhall and Ledger play Wyoming cowboys caught up in a 20-year-long forbidden romance.
Despite their undying love for each other — Jack famously tells Ennis, “I wish I knew how to quit you!” — they’re held back by spousal duties and the restrictive social norms of the time.
Ronit and Esti – Disobedience
Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz play forbidden lovers in this gut wrenching 2018 film. Esti (McAdams) and Ronit (Weisz) seem to have all the odds stacked against them. Set in an Orthodox Jewish community, the highly religious standards make it just about impossible for the two to express their passions. But gloriously, they find a way.
In private, when no one’s watching, Esti and Ronit are able to act on their years of pent-up emotions.
Grab a box of tissues for this one. Disobedience is a total tear-jerker.
Carol and Therese – Carol
This 2015 film captures the sizzling love affair between Therese (Rooney Mara) and Carol (Cate Blanchette.) While the film is a stunning visual masterpiece, the snowy Manhattan backdrop and lush mid-century decor pale in comparison to Mara and Blanchette’s on-screen chemistry. In the film, our leading ladies Therese and Carol must keep their love affair a secret because Carol has a daughter and is going through a tough divorce. Their forbidden romance is constantly disrupted by Carol’s suspicious husband, a private detective, and … you guessed it … the constricting social norms of the 1950s.
Elio and Oliver – Call Me By Your Name
Call Me By Your Name is an exquisite love story that’s set “Somewhere in Northern Italy.” Based on the novel by Andre Aciman, the 2017 film put Timothee Chalamet on the map and launched him into the stratosphere.
What separates Call Me By Your Name from the other films listed is that there’s no bloodthirsty antagonist determined to tear Elio and Oliver apart. In fact, the only people preventing Elio and Oliver from living happily ever after are… Elio and Oliver.
Since there’s no evil force lurking in the corners, Call Me By Your Name unspools like a sun-dappled fantasy. Their romance is met with nothing but support from friends and family.
Due to the film’s lack of obstacles, a handful of critics have labeled this story unrealistic. It doesn’t have the many hurdles that same-sex love interests usually face, both in real life and in media portrayals.
Yet author Aciman says this is very much intentional. Quoting Aristotle, he said of Call Me By Your Name: “Art is not about what happens, but about what should, and ought to happen.”
Nicky Nicholls and Lorna Morello – Orange is The New Black
Orange is The New Black made waves — seismic waves — when it premiered on Netflix in 2013. The series is groundbreaking both for its diversity and its depiction of an array of lesbian relationships.
While Piper and Alex are Orange’s primary couple, many fans found themselves gravitating more towards the second-tier couple, Nicky Nicholls and Lorna Morello.
Played by Natasha Lyonne and Yael Stone, respectively, the frisson between these two is enough to set fire to Litchfield Prison. What starts out as a casual friend-with-benefits deal eventually grows into one of the most heartbreaking romances on television.
Blaine and Kurt – Glee
Kurt Hummel went through hell and back during the first handful of seasons on Glee. As the only openly gay kid in his closed-minded Ohio-based high school, he bore the brunt of constant torment from his peers.
Just when he was at his lowest point, Blaine (Darren Criss) waltzed in to flip Kurt’s life upside down once and for all. It was a heartwarming change of pace for Kurt, who had spent his whole life on the outside looking in.
Santana and Brittany – Glee
Initially, Santana and Brittany’s liaison was played off as a joke. But as the series evolved, so did their relationship. The pair went on to become one of the most popular couples on Glee.
Tweek and Craig – South Park
Tweek and Craig, South ParkComedy Central
When we hear the term South Park, the word “progressive” doesn’t immediately spring to mind. After all, the animated series is famous for its shock humor and toilet jokes. This makes it all the more amusing that the Mountain Town series has one of the hottest LGBTQ couples on TV.
The romance between Tweek and Craig was borne out of fan service. Ever since they appeared in a 1998 episode titled “Tweek and Craig,” some starry-eyed fans of the show had been “shipping” these fictional characters.
This did not go unnoticed by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who decided to respond by making Tweek and Craig a “canon” pair.
Cam and Mitchell – Modern Family
It’s safe to say that Modern Family wouldn’t be the same without Cam and Mitchell. Their comedic charm brings so much wit to the ABC sitcom, and many regard the pair as fan favorites. Despite having conflicting personalities, their differences only seem to strengthen their bond.
Patrick and David – Schitt’s Creek
Schitt’s Creek’s David and Patrick have the perfect relationship. From the beginning, it’s been nothing but smooth sailing for these two. Their lack of drama is quite refreshing for LGTBQ+ couples, who are mostly represented in the media through a tragic lens. And while there’s certainly a place for that, it’s nice to see a breezy gay couple getting on with their lives together.
One of the cutest moments in TV history was when Patrick proposed to David. Instead of a typical engagement ring, Patrick proposed with four rings — typical of what David usually wears.
They say, “To love them is to know them.” Based on Patrick’s four-ring proposal, he certainly knows David!
A Manhattan Beach, California, home, which sold for $10.5 million, has ties to basketball star … [+] Shaquille O’Neal and Emmy-winning writer-producer Danny Zuker.
Strand Hill Properties
A Manhattan Beach, California, estate once home to a Hollywood writer-producer as well as two popular sports figures recently sold for $10.5 million. The five-bedroom estate is located in the Hill District of the Southern California coastal city, a small enclave known for its large lots and prestigious houses.
The five-bedroom home in Manhattan Beach’s Hill District was previously owned by baseball player Ken … [+] Brett, older brother of Hall of Famer George Brett.
Strand Hill Properties
The home with French Country flair at 501 John Street was sold in May by photographer Annette Lombardi and Danny Zuker, the Emmy Award-winning writer and executive producer of the popular TV sitcom “Modern Family.” The series ran 249 episodes before it ended in 2020.
In the mid-1990s, the home was leased by Shaquille O’Neal during his early days with the Los Angeles … [+] Lakers.
Strand Hill Properties
The house was previously owned by Major League Baseball player Ken Brett, the older brother of Hall of Fame third baseman George Brett. The one-time youngest pitcher in World Series history who died in 2003 raised his family here. In the mid-1990s, it was dubbed the “Shaq House” when Shaquille O’Neal rented it during his early days with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 5,725-square foot residence was remodeled a decade ago.
Strand Hill Properties
The 5,725-square foot residence on three levels was remodeled a decade ago by Andrea and Jeff Browning of Model Design Inc. in San Pedro. The oak and stone flooring as well as bespoke cabinetry throughout lend the home a timeless, contemporary feel.
Oak and stone floor are among features of the home. In the office, a box beam-style ceiling draws … [+] the eyes upward.
Strand Hill Properties
The main level features a kitchen and dining area where French doors open out to a backyard pool and spa, barbecue, fire pit and pool house.
The primary bedroom on the upper floor delivers views of the ocean as well as the nearby hills of … [+] the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Strand Hill Properties
The primary bedroom on the upper floor delivers views of the ocean as well as the nearby hills of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. It features an en-suite bathroom with a soaking tub, steam shower, stone fireplace and loft area. Four additional bedrooms plus a library are located on the upper level.
A soaking tub, steam shower and artisanal tile-work highlight the primary bathroom.
Strand Hill Properties
The lower level basement, which could be used as a media or family room, covers more than 500 square feet.
The lower basement level offers more than 500 square feet of flexible space.
Strand Hill Properties
The home is located on a corner lot with a wraparound driveway in the affluent Hill Section, which is bordered by Pacific Coast Highway to the east, Ardmore Avenue to the West, Manhattan Beach Boulevard to the north and the city of Hermosa Beach to the south. Houses here boast large lots and, as the name suggests, are located on a hilltop. Although the neighborhood dates to the 1950s, many houses were torn down to make way for modern residences.
An aerial view of the Manhattan Beach pier and community.
