Rob McElhenney

Robert McElhenney III was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 14, 1977. Both of McElhenney's parents were of Irish descent.{{cite web|url=http://greginhollywood.com/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphias-rob-mcelhenney-talks-about-upcoming-gay-marriage-episode-34593|title='It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's' Rob McElhenney talks about upcoming 'gay marriage' episode|publisher=Greg in Hollywood magazine|date=August 7, 2010|access-date=December 10, 2014|archive-date=June 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615062917/http://greginhollywood.com/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphias-rob-mcelhenney-talks-about-upcoming-gay-marriage-episode-34593|url-status=live}} He was raised Catholic. Through his father, he is a cousin of Olympic rower Marcus McElhenney. When he was eight years old, his parents divorced after his mother came out as a lesbian. He and his two younger brothers were primarily raised by their father, though their parents remained close after the divorce.{{cite interview|first=Rob|last=McElhenney|interviewer=Marc Maron|date=July 9, 2016|title=Interview with Rob McElhenney|work=WTF Podcast}} His two brothers are gay, and he describes himself as having "always been part of the gay community".{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/11/rob-mcelhenney-interview-its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-season-finale-1202491621/|title='It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia' Season Finale: Rob McElhenney On Keeping The Gang Together For A Shining Season|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|date=November 7, 2018|access-date=February 7, 2020|archive-date=February 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213140337/https://deadline.com/2018/11/rob-mcelhenney-interview-its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-season-finale-1202491621/|url-status=live}} Through his father's subsequent marriage, he also has a half-sister and step-brother.

McElhenney attended Waldron Mercy Academy and St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia.{{Cite web|title = "It's Always Sunny" star Rob McElhenney returns to St. Joe's Prep|url = http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillygossip/Its_Always_Sunny_star_Rob_McElhenney_returns_to_St_Joes_Prep.html|website = Philly.com| date=September 23, 2009 |access-date = January 9, 2016|archive-date = January 26, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160126021342/http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillygossip/Its_Always_Sunny_star_Rob_McElhenney_returns_to_St_Joes_Prep.html|url-status = live}}{{Cite web|title = 'It's Always Sunny's' Rob McElhenney spoke at St. Joe's Prep today|url = http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillygossip/Its-Always-Sunnys-Rob-McElhenney-stopped-by-St-Joes-Prep.html|website = Philly.com| date=September 11, 2014 |access-date = January 9, 2016|archive-date = January 26, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160126020741/http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillygossip/Its-Always-Sunnys-Rob-McElhenney-stopped-by-St-Joes-Prep.html|url-status = live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.waldronmercy.org/notable-alumni|title=NOTABLE ALUMNI|website=Waldron Mercy Academy}} He later briefly attended Temple University{{Cite web |date=2009-03-24 |title='Sunny' star still a Philly guy at heart - The Temple News |url=https://temple-news.com/sunny-star-still-a-philly-guy-at-heart/ |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=temple-news.com |language=en-US}} and then temporarily lived on the Fordham University campus with friends, but chose not to enroll.

File:Rob McElhenney (28295155670).jpg

McElhenney had his first major acting role with a small part in the 1997 film The Devil's Own, though his role was cut out of the final edit. He followed this with small parts in the films A Civil Action, Wonder Boys, and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing. He later had more substantial parts in the films Latter Days and The Tollbooth, and a guest role in the Law & Order episode "Thrill". When he was 21, a screenplay he wrote was optioned with Paul Schrader attached to direct, but the project fell through after a year of edits and rewrites.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_582_-_rob_mcelhenney1|title=Episode 582 - Rob McElhenney|website=WTF with Marc Maron Podcast|date=March 5, 2015 |access-date=May 11, 2015|archive-date=June 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180625082014/http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_582_-_rob_mcelhenney1|url-status=live}}

Initially based in New York City, McElhenney moved to Los Angeles at the age of 25. When he was 27 years old, he was waiting tables between acting jobs and had met Glenn Howerton through his agent, as well as meeting Charlie Day while shooting a horror film in New York City. His idea for a sitcom starring himself, Howerton, and Day came from a suggestion originally made by one of his closest childhood friends. The pilot was filmed on a budget of $200 and pitched to various cable networks.{{cite web|url=http://smallscreen.monstersandcritics.com/features/article_1355166.php/The_Sunny_side_of_life_a_chat_with_Rob_McElhenney |title=McElhenney interview |access-date=November 3, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226224616/http://smallscreen.monstersandcritics.com/features/article_1355166.php/The_Sunny_side_of_life_a_chat_with_Rob_McElhenney |archive-date=December 26, 2007}} After receiving offers from many of the networks, McElhenney chose to sign with FX as they allowed him more creative freedom, and the show was eventually titled It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. McElhenney was contracted as its showrunner, while both Howerton and Day were listed as executive producers.

McElhenney has said that 50 weeks per year are taken up by acting, producing, and writing for It's Always Sunny, though he did find time to appear in the Lost episode "Not in Portland". This was a result of him meeting Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof, who is a fan of It's Always Sunny. He later reprised his Lost role in another episode. He is a fan of Game of Thrones and said that he was thrilled when the series' creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss asked him if they could write an episode of It's Always Sunny. He and his co-producers accepted the offer,[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/15/game-of-thrones-david-benioff-db-weiss-always-sunny-episode_n_3278015.html Huffington Post] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103070444/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/15/game-of-thrones-david-benioff-db-weiss-always-sunny-episode_n_3278015.html |date=January 3, 2015 }}, Retrieved January 2, 2015 resulting in the episode "Flowers for Charlie" in 2013. In 2019, he had a cameo appearance as an extra in the Game of Thrones episode "Winterfell".

In July 2015, McElhenney was confirmed by Mojang as the director of the upcoming animated Minecraft movie,{{cite web |url=https://www.mojang.com/2015/07/weve-chosen-a-director-for-the-minecraft-movie/ |title=We've chosen a director for the Minecraft movie! |url-status=dead |via=Wayback Machine |date=July 21, 2015 |archivedate=August 11, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811145023/https://mojang.com/2015/07/weve-chosen-a-director-for-the-minecraft-movie/}} but he later left the project.{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/minecraft-movie-delayed-after-rob-mcelhenney-leaves-project-515739.phtml |title=Minecraft Movie Delayed After Rob McElhenney Leaves Project |website=Destructoid |date=August 4, 2018 |access-date=October 17, 2018 |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405155450/https://www.destructoid.com/minecraft-movie-delayed-after-rob-mcelhenney-leaves-project/ |url-status=live }}

In 2017, McElhenney appeared in a guest role as a police officer in the acclaimed Fargo episode "The Law of Non-Contradiction". He received praise for his performance from critics, who saw many of his character's traits and plot points as references to It's Always Sunny.{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/gloria-heads-to-hollywood-for-a-fargo-highpoint-1798191215 |title=Gloria heads to Hollywood for a Fargo highpoint |work=The A.V. Club |date=May 3, 2017 |access-date=May 6, 2017 |archive-date=August 16, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816003106/http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/gloria-heads-hollywood-fargo-highpoint-254755 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.indiewire.com/2017/05/fargo-review-season-3-episode-3-law-of-non-contradiction-recap-1201812032/ |title='Fargo' Review: Carrie Coon Heads to La La Land in Bananas Episode That Upends Expectations For Year 3 |work=IndieWire |date=May 3, 2017 |access-date=May 6, 2017 |archive-date=May 6, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506061907/http://www.indiewire.com/2017/05/fargo-review-season-3-episode-3-law-of-non-contradiction-recap-1201812032/ |url-status=live }}

In 2020, McElhenney co-created the Apple TV+ comedy series Mythic Quest alongside Charlie Day and Megan Ganz. He also stars as Ian Grimm on the show and serves as a writer and executive producer. The series has received critical acclaim, with the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes giving the series an 89% approval rating.{{Cite web |title=Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet (2020) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/mythic_quest/s01 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116033654/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/mythic_quest/s01 |url-status=live}}

Since November 2021, McElhenney, Day and Howerton have been releasing The Always Sunny Podcast.{{Cite web |title=The Always Sunny Podcast on Apple Podcasts |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-always-sunny-podcast/id1594627983 |access-date=2022-09-24 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The Always Sunny Podcast |url=https://open.spotify.com/show/0xDEeqWuoMNBUFGNrhIz6L |access-date=2022-11-16 |website=Spotify |language=en}} The three discuss topics of all sorts with the general framing of the podcast usually focusing on the creators discussing each episode of the show, sharing behind-the-scenes information, and what was going on to inspire the episodes. Cast members from the show also appear to discuss their own characters, and how they got into the show.

In 2009, McElhenney and his wife Kaitlin Olson along with others purchased Skinner's Bar, now Mac's Tavern at 226 Market St in Philadelphia.{{cite web|url=https://www.macstavern.com/about|title=About|publisher=Mac's Tavern |date=2009-12-17 |access-date=2023-10-02}}{{cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Always_Sunny_.html |title=Mac and Dee from "Always Sunny" getting into bar business for real |work=Philadelphia Inquirer |publisher=Philly.com |date=2009-12-17 |access-date=2023-10-02}}{{cite web |date=December 17, 2009 |title=Mac and Dee from "Always Sunny" getting into bar business for real | Philadelphia Inquirer | 12/17/2009 |url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Always_Sunny_.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111105225020/http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Always_Sunny_.html |archive-date=November 5, 2011 |access-date=November 16, 2011 |publisher=Philly.com}}

On September 23, 2020, it was announced by the Wrexham Supporters Trust that a business partnership had been formed by McElhenney and Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds and that they were in talks to purchase the Welsh football team Wrexham AFC.{{Cite web|date=September 23, 2020|title=Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney make shock bid for Wrexham AFC|url=http://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/23/ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-shock-bid-to-invest-in-wrexham-football|access-date=September 24, 2020|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=September 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924070207/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/23/ryan-reynolds-rob-mcelhenney-shock-bid-to-invest-in-wrexham-football|url-status=live}} On November 16, 2020, it was confirmed that the two had successfully taken over the club after receiving the backing of the Wrexham Supporters Trust.{{cite web |url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/31660/done-deal-ryan-reynolds-and-rob-mcelhenney-acquire-wrexham-afc/ |title=DONE DEAL: Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney acquire Wrexham AFC |date=November 16, 2020 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |work=The Non-League Paper |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116140059/https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/31660/done-deal-ryan-reynolds-and-rob-mcelhenney-acquire-wrexham-afc/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54956962 |title=Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney: Hollywood stars to take over Wrexham |date=November 16, 2020 |access-date=November 16, 2020 |work=BBC Sport |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116074550/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54956962 |url-status=live }} On April 22, 2023, Wrexham achieved promotion to League Two and also became National League champions under their ownership. This marked a return for Wrexham to the English Football League after a 15 year absence.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65283910|title=REPORT : Wrexham AFC 3-1 Boreham Wood|website=www.bbc.com|date=22 April 2023|accessdate=22 April 2023}} On April 13, 2024, Wrexham secured promotion to League One finishing 2nd in League Two and securing automatic league promotion. In April 2024, some of Club Necaxa's owners purchased a 5% stake in Wrexham, reciprocated by Reynolds and McElhenney purchasing a minority ownership stake in Club Necaxa.{{Cite news |title= Wrexham Adds Club Necaxa Backers in Reciprocal Soccer Investment |url=https://www.sportico.com/business/team-sales/2024/necaxa-backers-invest-wrexham-reynolds-mcelhenney-1234776933/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |work=Sportico |language=en-US}}

On June 7, 2022, McElhenney announced the launch of a new entertainment-tech company named Adim, co-founded by himself, Chase Rosenblatt, Melissa Kaspers, Spencer Marell, and Richard Rosenblatt.{{Cite web|last=Otterson|first=Joe|title=Rob McElhenney Among Co-Founders of Entertainment-Tech Company Adim|url=https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/rob-mcelhenney-adim-1235286188/|date=June 7, 2022|access-date=June 7, 2022|website=Variety}}

In 2023, McElhenney along with his It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-stars Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day launched an Irish American Whiskey company to bottle the spirit of Paddy's Pub, named Four Walls as a tribute to the four walls of the bar they call home on the show.{{cite web | url=https://fourwallswhiskey.com/pages/our-story | title=Our Story }}{{cite web | url=https://www.masterofmalt.com/distilleries/four-walls/ | title=Four Walls }}

On June 26, 2023, it was announced that both Ryan Reynolds and McElhenney were part of an investor group that bought a 24% equity stake in the Alpine F1 Team.{{Cite news |title=Reynolds and McElhenney take stake in F1's Alpine |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/66016904 |access-date=2023-06-26 |archive-date=June 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626075453/https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/66016904 |url-status=live }}

image:Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson (12064473996).jpg in July 2010]]

McElhenny has a sister, Katie, who wrote for Side Quest, an offshot of his show Mythic Quest.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/side-quest-review-mythic-quest-spinoff-apple-tv-plus-1235110934/|title=‘Side Quest’: Can a TV Show Expansion Pack Attract an Audience of Its Own? Apple Is About to Find Out.|first=Ben|last=Travers|date=March 26, 2025}}

He hired actress Kaitlin Olson to play Dee Reynolds on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and became romantically interested in her "around season 2" of the series.{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Michael |date=2024-08-15 |title=Emmy Duo Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney on Their 'Hacks' and 'Welcome to Wrexham' Nominations — and How His 'Deadpool & Wolverine' Cameo Was Cut |url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/awards/kaitlin-olson-rob-mcelhenney-emmys-hacks-welcome-to-wrexham-1236107386/ |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} He has called her "the funniest woman in show business". They were married in California on September 27, 2008.{{cite magazine |date=October 1, 2008 |url=http://www.okmagazine.com/news/view/9366 |title=OK! Exclusive: Kaitlin Olson & Rob McElhenney Wed |magazine=OK! |access-date=October 12, 2008 |archive-date=September 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912012516/http://www.okmagazine.com/couples/ok-exclusive-kaitlin-olson-rob-mcelhenney-wed |url-status=live }} They have two sons.{{cite web|last=Johnson|first=Zach|title=Meet Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney's Son Leo Grey!|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/meet-kaitlin-olson-and-rob-mcelhenneys-son-leo-grey-2012104|work=US Weekly|date=April 10, 2012 |publisher=US Magazine|access-date=August 1, 2012|archive-date=September 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180911081815/https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/meet-kaitlin-olson-and-rob-mcelhenneys-son-leo-grey-2012104/|url-status=live}} Olson went into labor with their first son while at a Los Angeles Dodgers home game against the Philadelphia Phillies.{{cite magazine|url=http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/09/02/kaitlin-olson-rob-mcelhenney-welcome-son-axel-lee/|title=Kaitlin Olson, Rob McElhenney Welcome Son Axel Lee|magazine=People.com|date=September 2, 2010|access-date=September 2, 2010|archive-date=September 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927075839/http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/09/02/kaitlin-olson-rob-mcelhenney-welcome-son-axel-lee/|url-status=live}}

In July 2023, McElhenney announced that he had been diagnosed with "a host of neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disabilities".{{Cite web |date= July 13, 2023 |last=Carras |first=Christi |title=Rob McElhenney diagnosed with 'neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disabilities'|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-07-13/rob-mcelhenney-diagnosed-neurodevelopmental-disorders-learning-disabilities|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 4, 2024}}

In preparation for the seventh season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, McElhenney put on 60 lb (27 kg) of fat and let his beard grow out to give extra humor to his character and add a new comedic direction for the season. His co-star Charlie Day described the weight gain as "disgusting" and said that the rest of the cast was "a little on the fence about it for his own personal health and safety". McElhenney subsequently lost 23 lb (10 kg) in a month after the season was finished filming, and lost the rest of the weight later in the year in time to film the next season.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS423067654120110810 | work=Reuters | title=Fat Mac: Rob McElhenney Goes Into Graphic Detail About 'Sunny' Weight Gain | date=August 10, 2011 | access-date=July 6, 2021 | archive-date=November 10, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110030129/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/10/idUS423067654120110810 | url-status=live }}{{cite news |last=Maerz |first=Melissa |title=Rob McElhenney: How To Get Fat for TV |url=https://ew.com/article/2011/09/16/rob-mcelhenney-how-get-fat-tv/ |work=TV Article |publisher=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 2, 2011 |date=September 16, 2011 |archive-date=January 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110214116/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20528256,00.html |url-status=live }}

In preparation for the show's 13th season, he transformed his body again, though this time he became excessively fit and athletic. He later joked in an Instagram post, "Look, it's not that hard. All you need to do is lift weights six days a week, stop drinking alcohol, don't eat anything after 7pm, don't eat any carbs or sugar at all, in fact just don't eat anything you like, get the personal trainer from Magic Mike, sleep nine hours a night, run three miles a day, and have a studio pay for the whole thing over a six to seven month span. I don't know why everyone's not doing this. It's a super realistic lifestyle and an appropriate body image to compare oneself to. #hollywood ".{{cite news|last=Jussim|first=Matthew|title='It's Always Sunny' Star Rob McElhenney's Body Transformation Is Insane|url=https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/its-always-sunny-star-rob-mcelhenneys-body-transformation-is-insane/|work=Men's Journal|access-date=September 23, 2020|archive-date=January 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108132443/https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/its-always-sunny-star-rob-mcelhenneys-body-transformation-is-insane/|url-status=live}}

McElhenney has named the Marx Brothers, Woody Allen, Carl Reiner, Norman Lear, George Carlin, Gary David Goldberg, Larry David, and David Sedaris as his comedic influences.{{Cite web |date=October 16, 2013 |title=I am Rob McElhenney AMA! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1olm4y/i_am_rob_mcelhenney_ama/cct6cy5/?context=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220311001442/https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1olm4y/i_am_rob_mcelhenney_ama/cct6cy5/?context=1 |archive-date=March 11, 2022 |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=Reddit}}

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