Rico Rodriguez, who gained international recognition as a child actor on the sitcom "Modern Family," was seen this week at a movie premiere. Rodriguez is now 28 years old.
He began his role as Manny Delgado, the son of Gloria Pritchett (Sofia Vergara), in 2009 at the age of 11. The character was the stepson of Jay Pritchett, played by Ed O'Neill. "Modern Family" concluded in 2020 after 11 seasons.
Rodriguez attended the premiere of the horror film "It Ends" on Wednesday. He appeared with a goatee, a change from his youthful appearance on "Modern Family." He was dressed casually in a short-sleeved print shirt, black trousers, and tan leather sneakers. He posed for photos with his sister, Raini Rodriguez, who is also an actress.
Rodriguez's career began in Los Angeles at age six, with early roles in shows such as "That's So Raven," "ER," and "iCarly." He was cast as Manny Delgado at age nine.
During "Modern Family," Rodriguez sometimes found his character's dialogue challenging. He recalled on the podcast "Dinner's On Me" that Manny, often portrayed as an "old soul," was given lengthy speeches with complex vocabulary that he did not always understand. He would consult with his studio teacher for explanations.
"Modern Family" received critical acclaim, winning four Screen Actors Guild Awards for best ensemble cast in a comedy series. Rodriguez was among the cast members honored.
Following the series finale in April 2020, Rodriguez has pursued roles in other projects. He has appeared in Nickelodeon reality series and lent his voice to the animated basketball comedy "Sneaks" last year, alongside actors such as Anthony Mackie and Chloe Bailey.
In late 2023, Sofia Vergara hosted a "Modern Family" reunion that included most of the principal cast, the show's creator Steven Levitan, and showrunner Christopher Lloyd. Ty Burrell was the only main cast member unable to attend due to surgery.
