One of the most renowned figures on US television, Ed O’Neill is best known for his iconic portrayals of Al Bundy in the ’90s sitcom Married with Children, and patriarch Jay Pritchett in the Golden Globe-winning comedy series Modern Family.
Initially pursuing ambitions as a defensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers, O’Neill joined Youngstown State University’s newly-created theatre program after injuring himself during training. After starring as a boxer opposite Danny Aiello in the 1979 Broadway play Knockout, the actor was spotted by acclaimed director William Friedkin, who gave him his first big-screen appearance alongside Al Pacino in the 1980 crime thriller Cruising.
After excelling in a range of supporting parts, O’Neill played a New York detective in the 1996 crime thriller Popeye Doyle. He has since performed in many major motion pictures, appearing alongside the likes of Carrie Fischer in Sibling Rivalry, Mike Myers in Wayne’s World 1 and 2 and Jared Leto in the 1997 drama Prefontaine, based on the life of Olympic runner of the same name. O’Neill has made multiple appearances as a voice actor, voicing Hank the Septopus in Disney’s Finding Dory, and Mr. Litwak in Oscar-nominated adventure comedy Wreck-it Ralph.
