After 20 years, one might think that Danny DeVito has gotten tired of playing the bumbling and inexplicably indomitable Frank Reynolds in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. After all, how often is it that a television comedy goes on for two decades? Anyone who thinks that could not be more wrong.
As Season 17 of It’s Always Sunny rolled out its first two episodes on FX and Hulu on July 9, DECIDER sat down with DeVito, who opted to candidly speak about his wild and unruly character, who made his first appearance in the show’s second season, joining the ensemble as the deep-pocketed father of Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Dennis (Glenn Howerton).
Now, 17 seasons later, Frank has become perhaps one of the most iconic FX characters of all time thanks to bits like his roommate situation with Charlie (Charlie Day), his confusing relationship with Mac (Rob Mac), and his various business schemes ventures. For the Matilda alum, it’s all just one big opportunity to play dress up and work with some of his favorite people in the business.
“I’ve been saying it now a lot: It’s like a beautiful day and the river is running and it’s crisp and just the right temperature and you dive in. It’s full of creativity, and this metaphor is like never going to end with me,” he shared of what it’s like to work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. “For all these years with all the many, many situations that Frank has been in and we’ve all been in, it’s I Love Lucy on acid. It’s been a joy and I look forward to it.”
And the best news? He’s going to be looking forward to it for a little bit longer as the show is returning for Season 18, he shared. While the details on the timeline are still up in the air — it typically takes the series one to two years between seasons — DeVito said they are planning to get back to Paddy’s Pub and he cannot wait to see what it has in store.
Check out DECIDER’s full interview with DeVito below.
DECIDER: I want to start by asking about the first and the last episodes of the season. How much fun was it to get to go and play in Abbott Elementary for a little bit?
DANNY DEVITO: Oh, that was so much fun. I can’t say enough about that experience, they were so kind of loose and cool. And I saw that one coming for a while because Rob [Mac] has been talking about it. And I was looking forward to that because they’re such a good show and they’re so different than we are. So we invaded their space, but it was a lot of fun and I loved [it]. The first day I shot was the raccoon day. I was in the cage, I got caught in the cage, but you know, I had a lot of pelts, so I kept warm.
Yeah, never a dull day on set with this crew, huh?
No, with Sunny, it’s never — I’ve been saying it now a lot: It’s like a beautiful day and the river is running and it’s crisp and just the right temperature and you dive in. It’s full of creativity, and this metaphor is like never going to end with me. For all these years with all the many, many situations that Frank has been in and we’ve all been in, it’s I Love Lucy on acid. It’s been a joy and I look forward to it. All good things have to come to an end, they say. I know we’re doing another season. I’m really happy about that. I look forward to it. We had a couple of little breaks when babies were born, all good things. I went and did a play in London, and did something in New York. We’ve really been together, even though we’ve, I wasn’t in the first season, but we still have known each other for 20 years.
Well, when you inevitably hit 20 seasons, a monumental moment, how do you think you guys will celebrate? What will Season 20 look like, you think?
That’d be cool. I really feel like we’re going to. Every year, we push the envelope a bit and I think that now, you know, there’s no reason to certainly stop doing that. We’ve got to keep expanding and going farther and farther — I have no idea how you would end it, although it would be — I’m sure it’s going to be like a hell of a good show [ending]. Whatever it is that Rob and Charlie and Glenn basically dig into all of that. Kaitlin and I have a lot of fun […] I had experience with Taxi where we got canceled after four seasons by ABC and NBC picked us up for the last season. We knew that it was going to be our last season so we really all geared up for it. It was not something that was so off the charts that you couldn’t forget it, but I do know we had a blast, we always had a blast on that show, so I’ve been really blessed with two experiences in television. You know, off the charts.
One of the things that stuck out to me during the Paley Fest panel last week was that all of you guys kind of commented on how it’s a priority that you come back. And even as lives have become crazy, what is it about the show that you are willing to shuffle for?
Well, actors just want to have fun. We just want a good time and know that the show is received well by our loyal fans. We love to entertain them, that’s what we do. We like to entertain and be silly and funny and, you know, take the lid off of the box. So that’s the thing. So if we can do that and get an opportunity to do that. [John] Landgraf is just eager to give us 12 weeks of work. Let’s get to it. You know, like let’s have some fun. FX has always been just the best to work with. They just know how to deal with creative talent.
Well, you said you love to entertain — what moment from Season 17 do you predict is going to entertain the fans the most?
Oh, I don’t know. You saw it, you tell me.
I mean, I think the cake is going to be up there.
Oh, the cake? Oh, yeah. Oh, my God, that was hysterical. That was fun to do.
Did you get to eat it?
I ate it, yeah.
And how does Danny DeVito taste?
Good, sweet. It was good. Yeah, the icing was sweet. They were all — I mean, they’re not all on diets, it’s not true. But I just went for it.
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 is now streaming on Hulu. New episodes air Wednesdays on FX and drop the next day on Hulu.
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