The actor, who has unfinished business with Dexter: Resurrection, recently discussed being part of the cast.
One of the standout elements of Dexter: Resurrection Season 1—aside from its gripping storytelling and slick production—was its unforgettable casting choices.
The season made headlines with the additions of Peter Dinklage and Uma Thurman, two of the most celebrated actors of their generation. But the casting department and showrunner didn’t stop there. They packed the season with high-profile guest stars including Neil Patrick Harris, David Dastmalchian, Krysten Ritter, and Eric Stonestreet, creating one of the most star-studded ensembles in the franchise’s history.
Despite their own impressive résumés, many of these guest stars admitted to being in awe of working alongside Dinklage and Thurman. Over the past few months, we’ve heard fun behind-the-scenes stories from Michael C. Hall, Krysten Ritter, and Neil Patrick Harris—especially about filming the now fan-favorite “serial killer dinner party” scene in Episode 4. Now, it’s Eric Stonestreet’s turn to share his experience.
In a recent interview with Etalk, Stonestreet opened up about his first time working with Uma Thurman, the instant friendship they formed on set, and the unforgettable invitation he received to celebrate her birthday at her New York City apartment.
“Uma was great,” Stonestreet said. “I mean, I can’t believe how fast of friends we became. She invited me to come over to her apartment for a little impromptu birthday party, which was incredible. Ask me months ago if I thought I’d go to Uma Thurman’s Manhattan apartment for a birthday party—I don’t think that would have been on my list of things that were probably going to happen.”
Fun fact: Uma Thurman’s birthday is on April 29, and on that exact day the Dexter: Resurrection cast and crew were filming Episode 7 at Leon Prater’s castle just outside New York City. The team surprised her with a birthday cake on set, but the celebration didn’t end there—later that evening, a more intimate gathering continued at Thurman’s Manhattan home.
Stonestreet, who plays Al Walker in the series and is set to return in Season 2, also shared insight into his approach to the character:
“My job then becomes not to try too hard to create something—just let it come naturally. Geographically, I knew where he was from. And then the wardrobe—I love contributing and getting into that, and they were great. But really, it was about finding the little nuances of him. If you notice different things about my character, I don’t know, it’s just kind of being a fish out of water with all these people.”
The Modern Family star admitted he wasn’t prepared for the sheer scale of the Dexter fandom and the international attention his casting would generate.
“I realized that when they announced me, and I just couldn’t believe all the articles in so many languages that were written. Then the premiere blew my mind—the press, the people who were interested and excited for the series. It truly blew my mind. And I knew it was great. Dexter wouldn’t be coming back after all these years if it wasn’t such a beloved and well-followed series.”
Watch Eric Stonestreet's Zoom interview below: