Jesse Eisenberg has rightly been praised for his work on the big screen, but he gave one of his best performances as a guest star on Modern Family. Modern Family had some great celebrity guest stars throughout its run, from Edward Norton as a fictional Spandau bassist to Matthew Broderick as a recently single gay man who, through several comic misunderstandings, ends up on a date with Phil Dunphy.
But one of Modern Family’s best one-off characters doesn’t get enough love: Asher, Cam and Mitch’s judgy green neighbor, played brilliantly by Eisenberg. In season 5, episode 12, “Under Pressure,” Asher moves in next door and starts shaming Mitchell for overwatering his lawn and stuffing his boxes with packing peanuts.
Jesse Eisenberg Was One Of Modern Family’s Funniest Guest Stars
Just on paper, Asher is one of Modern Family’s funniest creations. Environmentalism is ripe for satire, because the urgency of ecological collapse is relatable (sadly), the temptation to favor convenience over greenness is relatable, and the condescension of people who go the extra mile to make a difference is relatable. Just at the concept stage, Asher was a classic comic character in the making.
But a world-class actor like Eisenberg can bring that material to life and take it to the next level. Eisenberg isn’t afraid to come off as unlikable — this is the guy who played Mark Zuckerberg — and that’s a quality that shines in comedy. Eisenberg, much like John Cleese or Danny McBride or Melissa McCarthy, is happy to make himself the butt of the joke.
Eisenberg shares an instant rapport with Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Their scenes together give Ferguson a chance to play the droll, deadpan everyman — a role he plays spectacularly — opposite Eisenberg affecting this pitch-perfect satirical caricature of a passive-aggressive environmentalist.
Eisenberg’s Character Should’ve Come Back As A Recurring Nemesis For Mitchell
On a recent episode of his podcast Dinner’s on Me, Ferguson recalled that Eisenberg was a fan of Modern Family. When he guest-starred in this episode, he wanted to watch it, but he didn’t want to watch himself, so he asked for a copy with his scenes cut out. Most actors would ask for a copy with only their scenes in it.
This might explain why Asher never came back, despite being a promising arch-nemesis for Mitchell. I would’ve loved to see Asher’s rivalry with Mitchell become a multi-episode arc, but it makes sense that, if Eisenberg wants to watch Modern Family but doesn’t want to watch himself act, he should probably limit his appearances on the show.
