This past season Saturday Night Live drew to a close with a surprisingly tender graduation-themed sketch that served as a tearful and spirited farewell to the show's golden girl, Oscar-winner Kristen Wiig. Having completed her contract, Wiig decided to move on, following the massive success of Bridesmaids to continue making movies. While this is undoubtedly good news for movie fans, it was hard not to tear up when Wiig embraced her long-time scene partner Bill Hader.
But it seems their farewell is short-lived as the two have a new movie in the works. In The Skeleton Twins, the pair play twins Milo and Maggie, who have long been estranged, but after a strange coincidence where both simultaneously cheat death, they reunite and try to figure out where their lives went wrong. For both, this means getting closure from landmark romantic relationships in their past. When news on the project emerged earlier this week, Luke Wilson was already attached to play Maggie's ex-husband Lance, and now Milo's former flame has been cast.
Variety reports Modern Family's Ty Burrell has signed on to play Rich, who was once Milo's high school teacher, then his lover. Following the uncovering of their clandestine affair, Rich was fired, which pushed him to hide his sexual orientation. When Milo rediscovers him, he's married to a woman and working at a bookstore. So, expect their reunion to be incredibly awkward to say the least.
I have to confess, my first impression on hearing this casting news was, "Aren't those two about the same age?" Short answer: not really. Burrell is actually 11 years Hader's senior, but it'll be interesting to see how costuming and makeup will attempt to address the age differential, and if Hader will be playing teen Milo in flashbacks. Beyond this, Burrell seems a solid addition to the cast, and this will likely be a welcomed opportunity after so much family-friendly comedy to dabble in something that's seems to be much more taboo.
The Skeleton Twins rolls into production later this month in New York City.
