Movies - TV
‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper Went Full Method For His It’s Always Sunny Role
By DANIELLE RYAN
In two episodes of the hit series “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the late and great wrestler “Rowdy” Roddy Piper showcased his A-game, portraying the character “Da Maniac.”
Piper used method acting, staying in character even off-set. His energy added depth to the role of a down-on-his-luck amateur wrestler, making him more than just a one-note joke.
In the “It's Always Sunny Podcast,” series stars Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, and Rob McElhenney engage in discussions about the wrestler with writer and co-producer Megan Ganz.
Howerton stated, “[Piper] would interact with us, but he was — He kind of stayed in character to a degree. And I remember thinking [...] he was so good and [...] so haunted…”
Despite Howerton discussing Piper’s “method acting s***,” Piper was very fun and normal to be around in dressing rooms, but on set, it was hard to engage in conversation with him.