'Modern Family' Online Cast News & Season 6 Spoiler Rumors: Nathan Lane, Elizabeth Banks Returning to Hit Show This Season?
Two very recognizable and well-loved recurring characters will be making their returns to "Modern Family" quite soon.
Entertainment Weekly reports that both Elizabeth Banks and Nathan Lane will be coming back to the hit sitcom this season.
Banks plays Sal, a party girl who is long-time friends with both Mitchell Tucker-Prichett and Cam Tucker-Pritchett. Sal never quite grew out of her heavy boozing, wild girl phase. Lane plays Pepper Saltzman, a flamboyant and biting wedding/party planner who is also a good friend of Mitchell's and Cam's.
When Banks and Lane re-appear on the show in an upcoming episode that's due to air sometime next month, the plot will revolve around Mitchell and Cam throwing Sal a late baby shower, with Pepper planning the event.
Both Banks' and Lane's characters were last seen in the Season 5 "Modern Family" finale, where a pregnant Sal and determined Pepper were both heavy participants in Mitchell's and Cam's wedding.
Aside from her "Modern Family" duties, Banks has a busy year ahead of her. Due out this year alone are "Pitch Perfect 2," "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" and "Magic Mike XXL."
Lane, meanwhile, was most recently a castmember in "It's Only a Play" on Broadway.
Elizabeth Banks' character first appeared on "Modern Family" during the first season in 2009 in an episode which featured Sal, Cam and Mitchell meeting up at a bar to catch up and reminisce about their fun times together. However, Cam and Mitch begin to have second thoughts about reconnecting with Sal once she continuously makes remarks about how their child, Lily, is getting in the way of their friendship according to her.
Pepper Saltzman first appeared on "Modern Family" in a Season 2 episode where an earthquake hits the town where Mitchell and Cam live. The two attempt to use the earthquake as an excuse to get out of attending a party that Pepper was hosting that day, but their cover is blown when Pepper decides to come over to help clean up the "damage" that their home sustained during the tremors.
It will be interesting to see how Sal, Pepper, Cam and Mitchell all mesh together once Banks and Lane return to their respective recurring roles next month.
"Modern Family" airs at Wednesday 9 p.m. ET on ABC.