Who did Nathan Lane play in Modern Family? Character arc explored

Modern Family has had many guest stars throughout the eleven-season run on ABC, but actor Nathan Lane remains one of the iconic characters on the show.

Lane portrayed the character of a gay friend of Pepper Saltzman, Cam, and Mitch on the show, who often appears with the couple's other friends. While everybody in their friend group had their quirks, there was nobody like Pepper.

Pepper was introduced in Season 2, and he was a wedding planner who loved going over the top with his guests. He later marries his assistant Ronaldo on the show and their couple was also a fan favorite on the show.

More on Pepper's character in Modern Family in our story.

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Nathan Lane is a fan-favorite guest star on Modern Family

Nathan Lane's character, Pepper is a fan-favorite character on Modern Family. Although Lane has only eleven total appearances on the show, fans cannot get enough of Pepper and love the drama he brings with his character.

Debuting with Season 2's episode, 'Earthquake', Pepper is introduced as Mitch and Cam's friend, and unlike the couple, he is very extravagant and open about his sexuality. He is often very judgemental at times, even towards Mitch and Cam, but his qualities as a friend, make up for his judgemental nature.

During the course of Modern Family, he even made friends with Mitch's family, particularly with Jay and Phil, with whom he became drinking buddies.

He planned Mitch and Cam's wedding, and although he was off the rails initially, he managed to host the most beautiful wedding for the couple.

Later in the show, he realizes that his assistant Ronaldo has feelings for him, and the two get married eventually. They adopt a son, Lionel, and a daughter, Andrea.

Reddit fans like u/Sad-Blacksmith-3271, think Pepper's character was amazing on Modern Family:

''Pepper was iconic''

''Nathan lane is a goddamned international treasure. If aliens were to land and demand to be entertained or else they destroy the world, I would nominate him as our champion.'' u/ozdanish

''He has one of my favourite moments: when he goes to storm out the door and has to apologise because he thought he was wearing a cape that day.'' u/Guilty_Dream8050

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What other roles has Modern Family star Nathan Lane done in his career so far?

Modern Family guest star Nathan Lane is known for his comedic and dramatic on and off-screen characters. Among his TV appearances, he is best known for Only Murders in the Building, Sex and the City, Elsbeth, A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa, and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

He has also appeared in films like The Vanishing of Sidney Hall, Spellbound, Once Upon a Studio, Stuart Little 2, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and Love's Labour's Lost.

In 2022, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for Only Muders in the Building. He is also the recipient of three Tony Awards, two for Best Actor in a Musical for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and The Producers and one for Best Featured Actor in a Play for Angels in America.

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