Rico Rodriguez, who played the adorable, last-chosen-for-kickball Manny Delgado on ABC’s family sitcom “Modern Family” recently took to Tik Tok to reminisce about working on the show. He shared updates on his current project, the animated film “Sneaks.” Rodriguez shot to fame as the Colombian-American teenage son of Gloria, played by Sofía Vergara. He has great memories from working on the series, which aired from 2009-2020. Only 11 years old when cast, he stayed with the show until its series finale, a time that remains to this day one of the most defining in his career.
The legacy of “Modern Family” on Rodriguez’s life and career is still being felt today. He realizes that it’s been five years since the show wrapped, which time he calls “wild.” “It doesn’t seem like it, but it is,” he said. He reminisced about his experiences alongside the cast and noted their amazing evolution and development through the years. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he was quick to recognize the show’s far-reaching impact on his future career pursuits.
In the new animated film “Sneaks,” Rodriguez stars as a hissing sneaker-shaped character called Ice. Ice is no ordinary cool character, he’s a super cool pair of sneakers! Ashland Hill and GFM Animation co-produced the film. It has an amazing supporting cast, including Swae Lee, Macy Gray, Ella Mai, Mustard, Roddy Ricch, Quavo and Laurence Fishburne. Rodriguez was deeply happy when tracking vocals for “Sneaks.” He likened the excitement of the ride to going up against NBA superstar James Harden.
“It was really fun because afterwards I felt like I had just played a game against James Harden,” – Rico Rodriguez
Rodriguez teased the thrill of being part of a basketball sequence featured in the movie. He expressed satisfaction with his involvement and remarked, “I’m really glad they wanted me to join this.”
Rodriguez is in the process of finding his own space in the entertainment industry. He is incredibly grateful for the launchpad that “Modern Family” has provided. As he moves on to other projects, he noted the show’s importance.
“And I appreciate so much of my time on that show. And it is definitely going to help me in the long run of any other projects or things that I create on my own that moving forward, it’s definitely going to be a part of me,” – Rico Rodriguez