In a recent interview, the actor who played Cam in the production revealed the team’s frustration with the rejection of the project.
In January 2021, a spin-off project from the renowned series“Modern Family” was one step away from being approved by ABC. The spin-off would focus on the lives of Mitch (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and Cam (Eric Stonestreet) in Missouri. However, the network decided not to move forward with the initiative, a decision that Stonestreet described as “a little painful.”
In a interview granted to Graham Bensinger last Wednesday, 18th, Stonestreet expressed the frustration shared by him and Ferguson upon learning of the project’s rejection. “Chris Lloyd and some screenwriters wrote a really great script that involved Jesse and I living our life [Cam e Mitch] in Missouri, and they said no. It hurt people’s feelings. Jesse, mine and also yours Chris Lloyd”, said the actor.
The idea for the spin-off began to take shape after the end from “Modern Family” in April 2020, when the narrative took Mitch and Cam to Missouri, where Cam got a job as a coach. Lloyd, co-creator and executive producer of the original series, had expressed interest in exploring this new phase of the characters, stating that “we would probably be idiots if we didn’t explore that”.
Commissioned script
The studio 20th Television, responsible for the production of “Modern Family”, invested in the idea, commissioning a script and involving Ferguson and Stonestreet in the negotiations, even without a formal commitment from the network. The approval of the script depended on the new leadership of the ABCwhich had undergone an executive restructuring, according to the Hugo Gloss portal.
Craig Erwichthe network’s new head of entertainment, chose not to move forward with the project. He justified the decision by claiming that the continuation did not reach the same level of the original and raised concerns about the diversity of the new setup. The actor reflected on what happened:
“I think that Jesse and I felt like they saw us as the old guys who didn’t seem worthy of continuing to play these characters. It was a little painful. But people make business decisions… I get it,” he said. He added that with the original creative team involved, the spin-off would have been a “sure win.”
It wasn’t like these were two side writers looking for a quick cash-in with a spin-off. It was something genuine, with the potential to last longer than a year and really add to the legacy of the series,” he added.
Check out the full interview, in English, below:
Source: Maxima
I am an experienced author and journalist with a passion for lifestyle journalism. I currently work for Buna Times, one of the leading news websites in the world. I specialize in writing stories about health, wellness, fashion, beauty, interior design, and more. My articles have been featured on major publications such as The Guardian and The Huffington Post.