‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ star reflects on being raised by two mothers: ‘A great gift’

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Translated by Fefo Campos

Rob McElhenney, known for his role in “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and also co-owner of Wrexham, shared his love and admiration for his two mothers, Helena McElhenney and Mary Taylor. “It was a great gift”, he says in an interview for the documentary “Welcome to Wrexham”.

Helena, Rob’s biological mother, had the courage to come out as a lesbian after her divorce, a decision that Rob applauds, acknowledging the bravery required during a time when gay relationships were frowned upon.

In a recent interview, Rob expressed his empathy for Helena, highlighting her courage in living authentically. He praised her ability to “recognize the amount of courage it took for them to do exactly what they did”. The actor views Helena’s decision as one of the most beautiful aspects of current culture and acknowledges the progress in acceptance since then.

About growing up with two mothers, Rob shared that he doesn’t know any other reality and described it as a positive experience. He emphasizes that it shaped his worldview and perspective, recognizing that not all families are the same.

On Mother’s Day 2021, his two mothers appeared in a video discussing the challenges they had overcome in their 39-year relationship. Rob shared the video on social media, expressing pride in calling them “mom” and emphasizing the diversity of families.

In addition to praising his mothers for the loving and supportive upbringing they provided him and his siblings. “By the standards of South Philadelphia in 1984, our upbringing wasn’t conventional, but my brother, sister, and I were able to recognize from the very beginning that not all families were exactly the same or looked like what we saw on TV. However, we had nothing but love, support, compassion, and empathy. And I think that’s what allowed us to thrive.”