Jesse Tyler Ferguson

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Eric Stonestreet (cropped).jpg
Ferguson at a PFLAG event on October 1, 2010.
Born (1975-10-22) October 22, 1975 (age 37)
Missoula, Montana, USA
Occupation Actor
Years active 1998–present
Partner(s) Justin Mikita

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (born October 22, 1975) is an American actor known for portraying Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom Modern Family, which has earned him 3 nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Previously he played the role of Richie Velch in the CBS sitcom The Class.

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Early years [edit]

Ferguson was born in Missoula, Montana, and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he was raised.[1] At age eight he decided to become an actor, and joined the Albuquerque Children's Theater, where he was a member for six years.

At St. Pius X High School, Ferguson played Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie and General Bullmoose in Li'l Abner. He participated on the speech and debate team and graduated in 1994. He worked as a dancer/singer at Cliff's Amusement Park.[citation needed]

After high school, Ferguson attended The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City.

Career [edit]

Jesse Tyler Ferguson with Modern Family co-star Eric Stonestreet at the 2010 HRC National Dinner

In New York City, Ferguson worked mainly in off-Broadway and Broadway theatre, including the Tony Award-winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, where he originated the role of Leaf Coneybear.[2] In the summer of 2007, Ferguson starred in the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He co-starred in the 2008 thriller Untraceable.

On television, Ferguson was among the large ensemble cast on the short-lived CBS sitcom The Class, playing Richie Velch. He plays the role of Mitchell Pritchett, the openly gay lawyer on the ABC sitcom Modern Family. For his performance, Ferguson has received three consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (2010, 2011 and 2012).

In March 2012, Ferguson was featured as Dr. Ilan Meyer in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play, 8, a staged reenactment of Perry v. Brown, the federal trial that overturned California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage.[3] The production was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and broadcast on YouTube to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights, a non-profit organization funding the plaintiffs' legal team and sponsoring the play.[4][5]

Personal life [edit]

In September 2012, Ferguson announced his engagement to lawyer Justin Mikita, his boyfriend of nearly two years.[6]

Filmography [edit]

Stage productions [edit]

Awards [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Mitchell Played by Jesse Tyler Ferguson". ABC. Retrieved August 6, 2011. 
  2. ^ Stated on Inside the Actors Studio, 2011
  3. ^ "'Glee' Stars 'Touched' By Pitt & Clooney's Support of '8'". Access Hollywood. Retrieved March 18, 2012. 
  4. ^ "'8': A Play about the Fight for Marriage Equality". YouTube. Retrieved March 18, 2012. 
  5. ^ "YouTube to broadcast Proposition 8 play live". Pink News. Retrieved March 18, 2012. 
  6. ^ Chi, Paul (19 September 2012). "Jesse Tyler Ferguson Is Engaged to Justin Mikita". People. Retrieved 19 September 2012. 

External links [edit]


Preceded by
originated role
Portraying Leaf Coneybear in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
2005–2006
Succeeded by
Barrett Foa