Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s performance as Mitchell in 11 seasons of Modern Family was instrumental in bringing LGBTQ+ representation to a broadcast network’s primetime television shows. In 2022, Ferguson brought the character of Mason Marzac to life in the Broadway revival of Take me with you – and once again lends his talents to tell a story about how gays exist in a larger context.
Partner studios MSNBC Films and The New Yorker Documentary are releasing a new short film, It’s okayon Sunday, August 11. Directed by David Moses, the film subtly explores how the LGBTQ+ community, transgender people, and drag performers are dealing with the recent rise in hatred against them among conservatives. Even behind the camera, as a producer on the film, Ferguson seems determined to challenge prejudice by showing people exactly what they’re so afraid of… and as it turns out, what’s actually so scary about it?
“We were in New York City a few weeks ago and were walking home from dinner on one of those perfect New York evenings,” Ferguson says Out of. “It was me, (husband) Justin (Mikita) and our son Beckett. We were walking by an event that was pouring out of a restaurant and had a red carpet outside on the sidewalk. Nina West, an acquaintance of mine, was on the red carpet, so she came over to talk to us and give us all a hug.”
Ferguson recalls: “Nina picked Beckett up and Beckett admired her makeup, her huge hair, her big tits and her sparkly dress. He just took it all in. It was almost like he took Santa Claus in. It was just amazement and excitement. So, “What kind of creature is that?” And the only question he had for Nina West was: “Why are your hands so big?” It wasn’t like a man in a dress. It was nothing else. He just wanted to know why the hands were so big.”
Modern Family and Ferguson – along with co-star Eric Stonestreet, who played Mitchell’s husband Cameron in the series – introduced audiences in the US and around the world to the idea that homosexuals can be a loving couple who Also got into arguments from time to time. They were incredible parents who Also had no idea what to do in certain situations. They enjoyed spending time with their relatives, but Also sometimes had silly little niggles with family members.
Plays in North Carolina, It’s okay tells the story of two young brothers and their mother who attend their very first Drag Story Hour. The event is hosted by drag artist Shelita Bonet Hoyle, who seems a little nervous as she looks out into the crowd, but immediately puts everyone at ease as she starts telling the kids a sweet little story.
“David France, a friend of ours, is a wonderful director. We worked with him on Welcome to Chechnyaand I love and respect him so much,” says Ferguson. “I was looking for something to do with him, apart from Welcome to Chechnyaand we started discussing a little bit about the drag bans. We both have friends in the drag community, so we talked about how disappointing and heartbreaking it was that Drag Story Hour was politicized in this way… marginalized in this way.”
Ferguson continues: “We had the idea of making this very simple short film that gives us a glimpse into the lives of two children who are taking part in Drag Story Hour for the first time. I’m just delighted with how it turned out. I think it says so much with so little – and I think that’s the hallmark of any good story.”
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When Modern Family Premiering in 2009, gay marriage was not yet legal across the country, and a mainstream platform for drag artists like RuPaul’s Drag Race was just beginning to air its first low-budget season on Logo TV. Over the years, while Ferguson and his queer colleagues ushered in a new era of LGBTQ+ visibility that we are all grateful for, our community also became an even bigger target of conservative rhetoric.
As a Tony Award-winning actor and five-time Emmy Award nominee, Ferguson continually tells stories that center the LGBTQ+ community. But as a married man of over 10 years and a father of two adorable children, what does he think about this relentless narrative from conservative voices that label our community, as well as our stories, as “dangerous” for children?
“I mean, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t terrifying,” Ferguson says. “I grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at a time when it wasn’t particularly safe to be openly gay. I wasn’t out at the time. I was a teenager. If anyone had known I was gay, I would have felt like that would have been my death sentence. I really wouldn’t have survived that. And it’s interesting that as a 48-year-old man with two kids, a loving husband and an incredibly happy marriage, I still feel the same feelings of fear after all these years.”
He continues, “There’s only one common denominator: the bullies. The bullies I dealt with in the playgrounds of my Catholic high school are now just older men making laws, and that’s really terrifying. It’s ridiculous that there are so many parallels and similarities between the kids who act like assholes on the playground and these people who make laws. That’s really shocking, and I’m worried for my family and my children.”
“I’m lucky to live in Los Angeles,” Ferguson says. “I feel like there are protective measures around us so we don’t have to be afraid to walk the streets together as a family. But there are other places where I still feel that, and it’s heartbreaking. I look at my kids, and they look at their daddy and their dada, and they have so much love for us. They look to us to protect them.”
He continues: “I am afraid of the time they will grow up in and the rhetoric they might hear on television… the thought that they will feel other or less than because they hear something on TV or hear about a law being passed or a Drag Story Hour being banned. That’s very scary because they’re very intuitive and they pick up on everything.”
Still, Ferguson is “always looking for new ways to tell stories,” which is often the most effective way for artists to push back against bias-driven political agendas. When asked if his work as a producer inspired him to get into writing and/or directing, he doesn’t rule it out.
“I’ve been thinking about directing,” says Ferguson. “I find that I’m particularly drawn to stories that uplift the LGBTQ+ community, so I’m always looking for ways to help people tell those stories – whether it’s as a writer, a director or a producer. If my name helps a new writer write a beautiful script, then I’m all for helping them do that.”
He adds: “A lot of people have held the door open for me, and now I feel like I’m in a position where I can certainly open the door for others as well. I’m really excited to be able to expand the way I tell stories, not just in front of the camera, but behind it as well.”
Finally, we ask Ferguson about drag performers who have inspired him and the It’s okay The producer is pleased to highlight actress, singer, drag performer, trans pioneer and Broadway darling Jinkx Monsoon.
“I’ve developed a very, very close friendship with Jinkx Monsoon,” he explains. “She’s someone who’s obviously forging her own path, and I’m so proud of how she’s been embraced by the theater community. To be able to come to New York and play these cis women on Broadway… I mean, it’s amazing.”
He adds: “Jinkx is a perfect example. Seeing Jinkx Monsoon on stage in Chicago or on Little Shop of Horrors gives people so much hope. “If Jinkx Monsoon can play these roles, why can’t I? Why can’t I do things that might be on the page and aren’t necessarily an obvious choice?”“
“That representation is so important,” Ferguson concludes. “It helps people dream big, and it helps them create these personalities that are then celebrated. I think we’re all inspired by what we see, and Drag Story Hour is just another way for kids to feel inspired.”
It’s okay Premiers Sunday, August 11, at 9 p.m. ET on MSNBC and The New Yorker’s digital platforms.
