The Real Life Inspiration For It's Always Sunny's McPoyle Brothers
"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" is a beloved show with millions of adoring fans, but you don't get to be one of the most boundary-pushing comedies on air without ruffling a few feathers. Although the gang is larger than life, many of the characters draw inspiration from real people, particularly in their names. A few of the main and recurring characters in the show are named after real-life people like celebrities, close friends of the series creators, or the actors that portray them. Unfortunately, not everyone was flattered by their namesake.
The proprietors of Paddy's Pub are pretty darn despicable, but some of the show's minor characters are even less likable. The McPoyles are among some of the most repulsive characters in the show, and their sweaty, unibrowed, incestuous family often finds itself at odds with the gang. The family name, which evokes unpleasant words like "boil" and "spoil," was inspired by a real-life person that series co-creator and star Charlie Day was acquainted with in school.
"Now the name McPoyle, I went to college with a guy named Brendan McPoyle who is absolutely nothing like those characters whatsoever," Day confessed to LAist, "although he did have 13 brothers and sisters. I just always thought it was a funny name, so I gave them that name."
Nothing else about these characters is inspired by the real McPoyle, but Day still assigned the name to some of the least charming characters in the series. Consequently, it's safe to say that Brendan McPoyle is not a huge "Sunny" fan.
"I've since heard from friends who were at a wedding that he's not happy about it, so I do apologize," the "Fool's Paradise" director repented. "I no longer have his phone number, but it's all in good fun."
Charlie Day's former classmate inspired the McPoyle family name
McPoyle is far from the only "Sunny" character to be named after a real-life person, and none of the characters are particularly flattering. Dennis Reynolds, for example, was named after three old friends of series co-creator, star, and showrunner Rob McElhenney.
"I have a number of friends named Dennis, and then one of my best friend's name is Tom Reynolds, and so I just fused those together for Dennis Reynolds," he said, giving the underwhelming backstory behind Dennis' name on the "Always Sunny" Podcast.
Dennis' sister Dee, nicknamed Sweet Dee, was also inspired by someone that McElhenney knew in real life, but he wasn't exactly paying homage to the namesake in question. The series co-creator was introduced to Tom Morello from "Rage Against the Machine" at a barbecue in the early aughts, and his wife was nicknamed Sweet Dee. Although their meeting was brief, the name stuck with him.
"I always thought, God, that's an interesting, funny name, Sweet Dee," the showrunner continued. "Why do they call her that, I don't know? And then I kind of forgot about it, for like three years. Three years I forgot about it. And then when I sat down to write the show, I don't know why it popped into my head. I was like, maybe they call her Sweet Dee, that's kind of fun. Yeah, that's just a funny name."
Other people have inspired "Sunny" characters that don't share their name, like the father of writer-producer Scott Marder (who inspired some of Frank's weirdest moments). Charlie's tailgating alter-ego the green man, for instance, was another old friend of McElhenney's, Day told Vice.
Jimmi Simpson and Nate Mooney were the true inspiration for the McPoyles
Although characters like Dennis and the McPoyles got their names from real-life people, they were written with specific actors in mind that informed the characters even more than their namesakes. These characters were written around the actors' strengths and are meant to draw out some of their stranger qualities. While a small element from their namesakes (like a big family) might make their way into the characters, they are primarily inspired by the actors for whom they are written, Day explained to LAist:
"Jimmi Simpson and Nate Mooney, the two very inspired actors who play Ryan and Liam McPoyle, are good friends of mine from way back when. Jimmi Simpson and I were roommates in New York City for many years and all the original home videos started with Jimmi. I think he even helped us out a little bit when we made the 'Sunny' pilot; I think I remember him coming in and holding cameras for us one day. Nate Mooney as well, I've been friends with for a long time. When we were writing their first episode, we had this idea for these crazy brothers and we basically tailor-made the roles for Jimmi and Nate, knowing what they could bring to a scene and how very talented they are."
Despite the similarities to the real McPoyle, Day attests that these actors were the real basis for the unibrowed brothers. "I think the inspiration behind the characters was really the talents of Jimmy Simpson and Nate Mooney," he concluded.
Should the real McPoyle be offended?
So, should the real McPoyle be offended that Day and his fellow "Sunny” creators named a family of characters after him? A fan of the show would naturally be flattered, but not everyone wants to be likened to the deplorable people in the "Sunny" universe.
Although it's understandable that the real McPoyle is apparently unhappy with Day for using his name in his irreverent series, it's important to remember that characters are often composites of real-life people (see, for instance, the origin of Dennis' name). Whether the writers intend to or not, the people that the characters embody the most are the actors who play them and the writers who create them.
The McPoyle brothers probably share much more in common with Jimmi Simpson, Nate Mooney, and the series creators than they do with Day's former classmate. Writers will always draw source material from real life, but they frequently exaggerate their lived experiences for the sake of the story. Unless the real McPoyle's family is rife with incest and hooked on Mother's Milk, he shouldn't be too concerned about Day using his likeness.