Danny DeVito Correctly Picks the Funniest ‘Always Sunny’ Cast Member

Everyone has their favorite TV cast, and I won’t sit here and pretend mine is the correct choice. There are plenty of shows that have assembled amazing talent who have amazing chemistry. Still, even given the myriad of shows there are to choose from, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia has my favorite cast. Every member is a heavy hitter who has proven their comedic (and dramatic) skills on the show and elsewhere. But who among them is the funniest? Danny DeVito knows and has said as much.

Is this a subjective exercise? Hell yes. But dammit, it also gives me a chance to talk about how wonderful every star on the show is. I moved to New York City in 2007 with some clothes, a loose sense of self, and the first two seasons of It’s Always Sunny on DVD. The show gave me comfort in those first months away from home, and I spread my love for it to as many fellow classmates at my conservatory as I could. I’ve been thinking about this for a long time!

Let’s start with DeVito. You read the headline. You know where this is all going, and can probably guess that he wouldn’t pick himself. You are correct. Regardless, what DeVito brings to the show cannot be oversold. The man is game for anything, making his character, Frank Reynolds, a reliably unpredictable curmudgeon who is just as likely to chug a beer as he is to fire off a handgun at his fake children. Watching Frank’s descent from morally bankrupt but relatively calm businessman to crazed imp has been a true joy.

I love Mac, played by Rob McElhenney, who is a mess of contradictions with no sleeves and slicked-back hair. He’s one of those characters that somehow gets more endearing the more he sucks, because you can see the childish struggles he’s going through. He also became a symbol of how the show has grown and changed over the years, with how they finally addressed the running joke that he might be gay (and turned it into something much more meaningful). Mac rules, but he was not DeVito’s choice.

Charlie Kelly, played by Charlie Day, was my first favorite character in the show. I got such a kick out of Charlie that I happily accepted being called the “Charlie of my gang” at school, which was supported by my having a crush on the girl in my group who was referred to as the “Waitress of our gang.” To make the comparisons even easier, she and I were two of seven people in a railroad apartment when we graduated, and I had to hear her having sex with her boyfriend when her room was right next to mine. Then they broke up, and later, she and I started dating and moved in together, and she cheated on me with a heroin addict who sailed boats. So, maybe not a one for one but… uhh… Anyway. Love Charlie. So funny. Not DeVito’s choice.

Dennis Reynolds has developed into something truly frightening over the show’s run in a way that is deeply hilarious. He’s pretty much a confirmed killer at this point? A terrifying man with tools, sex tapes, and a fiery stare that Glenn Howerton imbues with all the passion and hatred his Julliard-trained face can muster. What they’ve done with Dennis is a testament to the show’s unflinching willingness to lean into what makes the characters despicable while not losing the humor by glorifying their behavior. You’re supposed to think Dennis being unhinged is bad, and Howerton nails that. He was also not DeVito’s choice.

If you skipped right to this part to see who DeVito chose, you missed me sharing some pretty embarrassing stuff. If you’ve been following along, you’ve likely noticed that there is only one person left. But let’s set the scene! DeVito was recently reached for comment for a Variety article about a hot Hollywood power couple. His thoughts on the duo, Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson, were pretty straightforward. “He’s an impressive guy,” DeVito said of the Man who plays Mac. “And I’ve always thought that Kaitlin was the funniest one on the show. She’s not only gorgeous, but has the timing and is a natural comedian.” Boom! Payoff!

Forget what I said about subjectivity, DeVito is one hundred percent correct. Kaitlin Olson is incredible as Deandra Reynolds. Olson not only has impeccable timing, as DeVito notes, but she also has physical comedy chops that are unmatched. She succeeds at everything that makes the rest of the cast special, like being able to dial up her intensity in an instant, like Dennis. Kaitlin Olson is an amazing talent, and as Jean Smart later says in the same piece, it’s about time she gets her due.