Rob McElhenney first heard about the performance a few weeks ago at a Wrexham soccer match. He knew that Glenn Howerton, his longtime “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” co-star, had shaved his glorious locks for his first major starring film role in “BlackBerry.” What he didn’t know is how much of his sitcom character Howerton had also buzzed away to play the volatile businessman who helped launch the mobile device revolution.
“I just have to tell you, your friend, Glenn, is fantastic,” Shawn Levy, the director of “Night of the Museum” and the upcoming “Deadpool 3,” told him at the game.
“Well, have you ever seen him before?” said McElhenney.
“I only know him from ‘Sunny,’” said Levy, “and I just never put two and two together.”
Since 2005, Howerton, 47, has played Dennis Reynolds on the FX sitcom with McElhenney, Charlie Day and Kaitlin Olson. (Danny DeVito arrived in Season 2; the show’s 16th season arrives in June.) Dennis is a handsome man with ugly ways, a predatory narcissist who just happens to keep zip ties and duct tape in his trunk. “Sunny,” on which Howerton also serves as a writer, has maintained its popularity as the cable era morphed into the streaming era, becoming the longest-running live-action sitcom in television history. (Surpassing, yes, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.”) And while Howerton has had a range of small outside gigs, one network sitcom starring role (“A.P. Bio”) and a few dramatic close calls — nearly beating out Chris Pine to take on Captain Kirk and Chris Pratt for “Guardians of the Galaxy” — he is best known for playing Reynolds of the patented “D.E.N.N.I.S. System.”
Which is to say he occupies an odd spot in popular culture. “Sunny” is a television staple, lauded by fans for putting a fearless, satirical twist on hot-button topics such as abortion, race and sexual harassment. But the closest it has come to an Emmy is being nominated three times for stunt coordination. That general lack of establishment respect extends to Howerton, whose turns on “Sunny” range from sordid soliloquies to the slapstick of a covid-induced coughing fit.
“The most frustrating part,” says Day, “is we just sold out Royal Albert Hall, two shows with thousands of screaming fans, yet within the industry somebody might be surprised that Glenn is a great actor. And it just goes to show you that they’re not actually watching the show. Or they’re not watching it closely enough. Because for any person who’s a real fan of ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,’ there’s no question in their minds that Glenn is an elite performer.’” [More at Source]
