The Man Behind Charlie’s Uncle Jack on ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Is Totally Fine with His Hand Size

There are a lot of strange characters on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but Charlie’s Uncle Jack might just be the strangest. He’s supposedly a lawyer, yet seems perplexed by even the smallest of legal issues. He’s obsessed with his hands, fearing they’re too small, which eventually results in him wearing fake, unconvincing rubber hands to hide his self-perceived abnormality. And while nothing has ever been confirmed, we’re pretty sure he touched his nephew Charlie when Charlie was little.

Andrew Friedman has played Uncle Jack for almost 20 years now, as the character debuted in Season One back in 2005. He’s returned sporadically in the years since to defend the gang in court and to offer Charlie a chance to “wrestle with his uncle” — you know, just like they used to. Although it’s doubtful that any of us would want to spend time alone with Uncle Jack, Friedman himself is a perfectly nice guy, which was abundantly clear when I spoke with him a couple of weeks ago.

How did you get the part of Uncle Jack?

Artemis Pebdani, who plays Artemis in the show, and I were in the Sunday company at the Groundlings Theater in 2004 or 2005. Charlie came to a show because he was friends with Artemis. I got a call two weeks later when they were shooting Season One. 

You’ll play the character maybe once or twice in a season, then you won’t play him for another three years. Are you always surprised when you get that call?

Always. I never know if I’ll ever go back or if Uncle Jack will appear in a season. Whenever they do call, though, I’m always excited to do it. 

Do you recall any of the initial direction they gave you for the character?

They said I could add some lines in there when he’s touching the doll like, “Touch him there” and “Keep going.” Uncle Jack just grew from that — from what I improvised and, of course, the majority of it is what they wrote. 

I do remember that, back then, I said this guy should have a mustache, but makeup didn’t have a mustache, so we cut part of my hair in the back, and they combined it with some other stuff they had to make a mustache.

Have you ever had a real mustache in the show, or is it always just a prop mustache?

If I have enough time to grow it, I prefer to have a real mustache. So, sometimes it’s real.

How has It’s Always Sunny changed over the past 19 years?

From my perspective, it’s the same positive, welcoming energy that they’ve had since day one. It’s always been playful. A lot of the crew are the same people over all these years, and I think they retain people because it’s such a nice set where they feel welcome and appreciated. When I do the show now, they’re all so busy that it feels a little bit faster, but it’s still loose and fun. 

You know what has changed, though, is that Rob, Glenn and Charlie are well versed now in how to shoot stuff. They’re always co-directing inside the scene, and they’ve become great producers as well.

Do you think Uncle Jack had a breakout moment, or a time where he finally came into his own?

I think when the hand stuff came into play. That was another level of Uncle Jack that hadn’t been there. I don’t think he’s evolved though. He’s always suspiciously creepy — is he a pedophile or not? We don’t know. 

Speaking of the hands stuff, can we talk about those giant rubber hands he wears sometimes? What are your thoughts on them?

I don’t think he thinks the hands are weird. He’s like in a bubble. He thinks people see them and think, “Oh wow, that guy has nice hands!” That’s how I’ve always justified it. He’s proud of these giant hands. He thinks they make him look better, more masculine. Even though they’re absolutely ridiculous, he’s oblivious to that. 

When you swing that giant hand off in the courtroom episode, and you scream, “Nobody look! Nobody look!” That was so funny.

I have to credit Charlie for that. We did that scene maybe five or six times, but after the second time, Charlie just said, “Start screaming. Amp it up. Push it to a 10.” 

In real life, are you comfortable with the size of your hands?

Yeah! I have great hands! Although my son’s hands are almost as big as my hands, and he’ll ask me, “Why are your hands so small?” I just tell him, “I’m sorry.” He’s 10, and he wants to be in the NBA but he’s worried his hands won’t be big enough.

So, Uncle Jack’s concerns have become your son’s concerns?

Exactly, right.

What’s working with Charlie Day like?

Charlie and I get along really well. He’s really giving on set, and we have mutual friends so sometimes we’ll see each other outside of set. Super talented, low-key, just a great guy.

You’ve also been paired with Danny DeVito a few times. What’s that been like?

DeVito is amazing. He doesn’t come on until the very end. He’s off set, but then right when you’re about to shoot, he walks in. 

Is his rehearsal done with a stand-in?

Yeah, there’s a stand-in. Sometimes we’ll run lines if it’s a line-heavy scene, but he’s pretty much on when he’s on, then he’s gone, in his trailer right outside. He’s great though — never pretentious and always there to have fun. He improvises a ton and adds so much. Plus, he’s Danny DeVito! He’s a legend!