Jesse Tyler Ferguson says unemployment paid “more” than his first job

Jesse Tyler Ferguson recalled that he had to choose between working at his craft or being unemployed to feed himself early in his career.

“I started in the theater. I got my stock card pretty easily (when) I was doing Shakespeare in the Park,” Ferguson, 49, said Kathy Bates on Tuesday, January 14, in an episode of his “Dinner at my expense» podcast that was recorded before Wildfires in Los Angeles broke out last week.

He noted that when the show moved to Broadway, it “only lasted a few months” and his career stalled. Worked several odd jobs to make ends meet.

“I worked in a gift shop. I worked in coffee shops,” Ferguson recalled.

While he was still involved in the theater, money was minimal. “I would do non-Broadway stuff. But there (were) times when the pay you were getting doing these off-Broadway shows wasn’t as good as unemployment,” he explained, adding, “I really had to think, ‘Do I want to eat? or do I want to grow my artistic personality and take on these great roles?” And there were (were) times when I was very worried about it.”

He noted that “taking the job would actually mean taking a pay cut because my unemployment was higher.”

Ferguson made his Broadway debut in 1998 In the town. He later starred in the original cast 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Beewhich started in 2006. His Shakespeare in the Park concerts include 2007 A summer night’s dream2010s A winter tale and Merchant of Venice and 2015 A storm.

On the subject: Jesse Tyler Ferguson Jokes On ‘Modern Family’ Daughter Sends Him To ‘Voicemail’

Tyler Ferguson’s Jesse has nothing but love for his Modern Family co-stars — even if his TV daughter, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, sometimes leaves him at readings. “I just called her the other day and it went straight to voicemail,” Ferguson, 49, told Us Weekly exclusively about Anderson-Emmons, 17, promoting his partnership with Toval for their (…)

His career on the small screen started in 2006 when he started playing Richie Welch Class before landing his biggest TV role to date, playing Mitchell Pritchett Modern family in 2009. The sitcom ran for 11 seasons, ending in 2020. (It was nominated for five Emmy Awards during the show’s run.)

In 2022 Ferguson made a splash on Broadway again with take me. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Mason Marzak. It returned to the big screen in 2023 Cocaine bear and followed it Everything we love in 2024. Ferguson also had a guest starring role Elsbeth last year.

In addition to acting, Ferguson hosts her own podcast and has two children with her husband Justin Nikita. (The couple welcomed their sons Beckett and Sullivan via surrogates in 2020 and 2022, respectively.)

On the subject: How much is Jesse Tyler Ferguson like us? We are testing it

Jason Mendez/Getty Images Jesse Tyler Ferguson is just like us — he has a cute but simple nickname for his significant other! “We both call each other that, but it started as ‘the boy,'” Ferguson, 49, exclusively tells Us Weekly in the latest issue, referring to her husband Justin Mikita. “I’m like, ‘Hey, (…)

“Sometimes we’re a little overbearing and we want to hug them and hold them down,” Ferguson exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2024 his parenting style.

“Together, they’re both saying, ‘Okay, enough, go back, and we’re collectively deciding that you guys are a little overmatched,'” he teased. “I like that they’re already sort of drawing a line in the sand around us.”

Ferguson noted that he’s fine with his kids teaming up against their parents us“It’s really cute. I love that they will have each other for life.”