Posted in: FX, Hulu, TV | Tagged: always sunny, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Is "'I Love Lucy' on Acid": DeVito

Danny DeVito and Colin Farrell discussed what attracts DeVito to FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the role of Frank Reynolds.

As we inch closer to the July 9th return of FXX's Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson, and Danny DeVito-starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia for its 17th season, we're getting some excellent insights into the series from DeVito – and in a very cool setting. As part of Variety's "Actors on Actors" series, DeVito and Colin Farrell had a chance to talk one-on-one about the mutual bond that they share, having played Batman's big bad The Penguin. In addition, Farrell had a chance to ask DeVito about his run on the long-running FX/FXX series.

One big takeaway is that DeVito has a ton of love and respect for what McElhenney, Day, and Howerton bring to the table from a creative standpoint and how they give him a chance to work off the script when filming It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. "You can go anywhere you want. I love it. It's not the same thing as what you do with the Penguin, or what I did with Oswald. Oswald, I stuck to the script. There's no riffing," DeVito shared, explaining the difference in how the two productions differ from an acting standpoint and how he appreciates the opportunity to be able to improvise.

Noting that Frank Reynolds was one of his top three favorite characters os his career, DeVito offered what might be the best tagline yet for the show: "I always looked at it as 'I Love Lucy' on acid. You could do anything you wanted." But our favorite part of the conversation (which you can check out above) kicks in when DeVito shares with Farrell how he came to join the series. Having known and worked with FX Networks' John Landgraf for years, DeVito revealed that he was sent the first eight episodes well before getting the offer to join, and liked what he saw. "

I watched the eight episodes; it was hysterical. And he [Landgraf] said, 'I'm thinking of picking it up and doing it.' I said, 'Yeah, this is what people would love to see, this show." Sometime later (DeVito puts it at between 4-6 months), DeVito got the call about joining the cast. His biggest concern? What would be the reason for him joining the ensemble cast? Meeting with McElhenney, Day, and Howerton addressed those concerns. "I said, 'If you can make it in an organic… you know, some kind of character that would fit in," said DeVito, noting to the trio that he was concerned about disrupting "the mold" that they established together over the run of "eight wonderful episodes." McElhenney, Day, and Howerton assured DeVito that they could make it work – and thus, Frank Reynolds (father to Howerton's Dennis and Olson's Dee) was born.

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