Charlie Day Bio
Charles Peckham Day (born February 9, 1976) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer best known for playing Charlie Kelly on the critically acclaimed FX/FXX comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which he co-created and executive produces alongside Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton. Day has built a multifaceted career spanning television, film, voice work, and directing. He is also recognized for his work on the Apple TV+ comedy Mythic Quest (2020-2025), which he co-created, and for his memorable film performances in Horrible Bosses (2011), Pacific Rim (2013), and the animated franchise The Lego Movie. Day made his feature directorial debut with Fool’s Paradise in 2023. He has been married to actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis since 2006, and they have one son together.
Early Life and Background
Day was born on February 9, 1976, in New York City, where his family lived in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. He spent most of his childhood in Middletown, Rhode Island. He is the younger of two children, with an elder sister named Alice. His father, Dr. Thomas Charles Day, is of Italian and Irish descent and served as a professor of music history at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. His mother, Mary Peckham, is of English descent and worked as a music teacher at The Pennfield School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Day’s paternal grandfather originally changed the family name from Del Giorno to Day during World War II to assimilate, and he tragically died in a military training accident when his son Thomas was only four years old.
Day attended Pennfield School and later graduated from Portsmouth Abbey School, both located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. He continued his education at Merrimack College, where he majored in art history. During his time at Merrimack, he was an active member of the Onstagers theater organization, participating in student productions. He graduated in 1998 and later returned to deliver the commencement speech in May 2014, receiving an honorary doctorate in performing arts from the college.
Path to Acting
While still in college, Day participated in the training programs at the Williamstown Theatre Festival every summer starting in 1997. This experience allowed him to work alongside emerging actors who would later become collaborators, including Jimmi Simpson, David Hornsby, Kathryn Hahn, Justin Long, and Sterling K. Brown. Following his college years, Day played the lead role in the stage production Dead End at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, gaining valuable theater experience that would serve his future career.
After graduating from Merrimack College, Day pursued opportunities in small television roles, advertisements, and voiceovers for the Independent Film Channel (IFC). To support himself financially during this period, he worked waiting tables and answering phones for a telethon. In the early 2000s, he began securing guest and recurring appearances on television programs including Law and Order, Third Watch, and Reno 911!. These early roles provided him with essential industry experience and exposure that would later contribute to his breakthrough opportunity.
Charlie Day Career
Early Career (1997-2005)
During the formative years of his career, Day collaborated with Jimmi Simpson and several friends, including David Hornsby, Nate Mooney, and Logan Marshall-Green, to create comedy sketches and absurd short films in their spare time. Many of these collaborators had met through the Williamstown Theatre Festival. These home videos and short films eventually inspired the development of scripted content that Day would create with Rob McElhenney and Glenn Howerton in 2003, after he had relocated to Los Angeles. Among these early works were scenes featuring three self-involved, struggling actors navigating awkward and darkly comedic situations, which would form the foundation of what became one of television’s longest-running comedies.
Breakthrough (2005-Present)
In 2005, the first season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia premiered on FX television. In addition to executive producing and writing for the show, Day stars as Charlie Kelly, a role that has become synonymous with his identity as a performer. The series, which Day co-created with McElhenney and Howerton, follows a group of friends who run a bar in Philadelphia and regularly engage in morally questionable activities. In 2021, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia became the longest-running live-action comedy in American television history with the premiere of its 15th season. The show remains ongoing, continuing to attract a dedicated audience and critical praise for its dark humor and satirical edge.
Day has developed and produced numerous television projects beyond It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 2011 and 2012, he produced the short-lived comedies How to Be a Gentleman (2011-2012) and Unsupervised (2012), both created by writers from the It’s Always Sunny team. In 2017, he co-created the Fox sitcom The Cool Kids (2018-2019), starring veteran actors including Vicki Lawrence, Martin Mull, David Alan Grier, and Leslie Jordan. Additionally, in August 2019, Mythic Quest was announced as an original production for Apple TV+. Co-created by Day, McElhenney, and Megan Ganz, the half-hour comedy series aired for four seasons from 2020 to 2025, with Day serving as an executive producer and star.
Notable Works and Milestones
Day has built an impressive portfolio of film work across multiple genres. In July 2011, he starred in Horrible Bosses alongside Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, and Jamie Foxx. His performance as Dale Arbus was praised by critics, and the film achieved commercial success. He reprised the role in the sequel Horrible Bosses 2 in November 2014. Day also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in November 2011, becoming the second cast member from It’s Always Sunny to host the show after Danny DeVito.
Day demonstrated versatility with his role as biologist Dr. Newton Geiszler in Guillermo del Toro’s science fiction film Pacific Rim (2013). He was cast based on his performance in an It’s Always Sunny episode, as del Toro was a fan of the show. He reprised the role in Pacific Rim Uprising (2018). In 2015, Day and Ice Cube were cast as leads in Fist Fight (2017), a comedy about two teachers who engage in a physical altercation. Day played Andy Campbell, a high school English teacher, in the film directed by Richie Keen.
Day has also contributed significant voice work to animated films. He voiced Art in Pixar’s Monsters University (2013), Benny in The Lego Movie (2014), and returned for The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). In September 2021, Nintendo announced that Day would voice Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which was released in April 2023. Day also played his first leading role in a romantic comedy in I Want You Back (2022) with Jenny Slate for Amazon Studios.
In 2023, Day released Fool’s Paradise (previously titled El Tonto), his feature directorial debut. The film starred Ken Jeong and Day himself, with a supporting cast including Ray Liotta, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Common, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, and John Malkovich. The story follows a silent man from a psychiatric hospital who accidentally finds celebrity through an enterprising publicist. The film was released on May 12, 2023, and while it received mixed reviews, critics noted it suggested potential for Day’s future as a director.
Charlie Day Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Day has received recognition for his performances, particularly for his work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 2011, he was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The same year, he received a nomination from the Satellite Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series for his role as Charlie Kelly on the show.
Charlie Day Awards Won
Based on the verified information available, Day’s awards recognition primarily includes nominations rather than wins. He has been acknowledged for his work on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, though specific wins have not been fully verified in the provided sources.
Charlie Day Family
Day is the younger of two children. His elder sister is named Alice. His father, Dr. Thomas Charles Day, is of Italian and Irish descent and served as a professor of music history at Salve Regina University. His mother, Mary Peckham, is of English descent and was a music teacher at The Pennfield School. The family has deep roots in Rhode Island, with both parents having notable careers in the academic and educational fields.
Personal Life
In 2001, Day met actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis in a New York City bar. The couple was already dating by 2004 when they co-starred as incestuous siblings on Reno 911!. Ellis has a recurring role on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as The Waitress, the character who is the object of Charlie Kelly’s unrequited love and obsession. Day and Ellis married on March 4, 2006, and they had their only child, a son, in December 2011. The family resides in Los Angeles, California.
Day is a skilled musician proficient in playing the piano, trombone, guitar, and harmonica. He has written or improvised most of the original songs featured on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 2023, he joined the American rock band Portugal. The Man during their performance at the Hollywood Bowl to sing the show’s iconic song Dayman. Day has stated that he identifies as agnostic. In 2014, he received an honorary doctorate in performing arts from Merrimack College and delivered that year’s keynote commencement address, highlighting his connection to his alma mater.