Young Sheldon Star Was Almost Jay on Modern Family, but Asked for Too Much Money

Modern Family was crafted as just another ensemble sitcom, and no one expected it to turn into a big hit. However, much to the creators' surprise, the comedy series became one of the defining shows of the 2010s, making every cast member a huge star.

Today, it's hard to imagine anyone other than fan-favorite Ed O'Neill as family patriarch Jay Pritchett. For this role, the actor received three Primetime Emmy Awards nominations and won four Screen Actors Guild Awards as part of the ensemble cast. However, he wasn't actually the producers' first choice for the role of Jay.

Thanks to Marc Freeman's book Modern Family: The Untold Oral History of One of Television's Groundbreaking Sitcoms, fans now know that two actors fought for the chance to play Jay on the show — Ed O'Neill and another character actor, Craig T. Nelson, known for his role in the hit 1990s show Coach.

Nelson was even cast for the role and preparations for filming began, but then the actor's demands proved to be a bit too much for the project.

'He wanted star money, but it wasn't a star show. It was an ensemble show. I understand from his agent that he regretted his decision. I'm not surprised,' the series' casting director Jeff Greenberg said.

In the end, O'Neill's demands were much more reasonable compared to Nelson's, which is why the producers chose him to play Jay. Undoubtedly, the unfortunate actor was beating himself up every day Modern Family was on the air.

Interestingly, Nelson did not suffer financially as a result of his refusal to take the iconic role. As of 2023, O'Neill's net worth sits at a comfortable $65 million, and Nelson is not far behind, boasting a respectable fortune of $50 million.

While it looks like the actor didn't really lose much money, O'Neill's role in Modern Family definitely made him a lot more famous. In recent years, Nelson was forced to play mostly supporting roles, appearing in shows like Young Sheldon and Hawaii Five-0.

In any case, fans of Modern Family are happy that Ed O'Neill got the role, as he managed to make Jay Pritchett one of the most beloved characters in modern television history. We must also note that Craig T. Nelson gave a lovable performance as Dale Ballard in Young Sheldon, and we hope to see more of the actor in this or other roles in the future.