Craig T. Nelson’s Salary Demands for ‘Modern Family’ Cost Him a Ton of Money in the Long Run
Before starring in Parenthood, Craig T. Nelson had a pretty storied career. The famed actor appeared in Coach in the 1990s after his breakout role in the 1982 horror flick, Poltergeist. Nelson’s previous roles and Hollywood success led him to miss out on a role in the hit series Modern Family. His “star” level demands cost him money in the long run.
Craig T. Nelson was offered the role of Jay Pritchett in ‘Modern Family’ before Ed O’Neill was cast
Ed O’Neill ultimately took on the role of Jay Pritchett in Modern Family, but the part almost didn’t belong to him. Before the series ever aired, network executives and the show’s creators, Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, were torn between two actors for the role of Jay. Craig T. Nelson and Ed O’Neill were the top contenders, but O’Neill had made some noise about not being interested in returning to a sitcom.
That all changed when he read the script, explained the show’s co-creators. In Modern Family: The Untold Oral History of One of Television’s Groundbreaking Sitcoms, a book about the show, Levitan and Lloyd explained how the casting process went. Nelson was more interested in the series and seemed to connect with the role, but he was looking for “star money” from the ensemble series. Nelson attempted to negotiate a much higher rate than the network was willing to pay, but not everyone was sold on his casting.
According to the book, Nelson was only offered the role because he won a coin flip. His salary demands and several other factors forced the show to withdraw the offer. The part ultimately went to O’Neill. It would prove costly for Nelson.
Ed O’Neill turned out to be the right fit all along
It all worked out in the end. Ed O’Neill was great in the role, and the Modern Family cast got on well. O’Neill even said he would have done the sitcom for free but noted that no one was to tell his agent that. A coin flip and Nelson’s demands were just some of the factors that swayed the show’s creator to ultimately go with O’Neill.
In the book, Levitan revealed that the actors’ reputations also factored into the final casting decision. Levitan explained that word around TV sets was that Nelson could be a bit particular and difficult to work with. In contrast, O’Neill was beloved, with many industry insiders insisting he was a dream cast member. What really sealed the deal was an ill-timed interview (or perhaps a well-timed one, depending on who you ask) Nelson gave.
So, just how much money did Nelson miss out on?
Ed O’Neill signed on to portray Jay Pritchett for just over $100,000 per episode. When it was clear Modern Family was a success, the Married…With Children alum negotiated for a higher salary. In the show’s final two seasons, O’Neill earned $500,000 per episode. He is making a pretty penny in residuals, too. According to Deadline, O’Neill’s final contract negotiation included a piece of the backend, meaning O’Neill is a profit participant, although the details remain confidential.
To be fair, Nelson didn’t do too bad for himself, either. After all, he did appear in a hit TV show for several seasons, and guest starred in Netflix’s hit, Grace and Frankie. Still, Parenthood didn’t enjoy the steady success that Modern Family had.
Premiering a year after Modern Family, Parenthood had a pretty rocky run. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Parenthood was a consistent performer for NBC. Unfortunately, it didn’t have the same appeal in other markets as it did in the United States. Simply put, the show, despite solid ratings, was not particularly profitable. An expensive adult cast, many of whom were established names before signing on for Parenthood, made the show expensive. While the cast’s salaries have never been revealed, The Hollywood Reporter notes that pay raises were nixed fairly early in the show’s run. The series was ultimately canceled after its sixth season. Modern Family signed off in 2020 after 11 seasons. So, it’s safe to say that O’Neill came out as the fiscal winner, although both shows were great.
