Ed O'Neill's wife, Catherine Rusoff, and their two daughters — the family he kept almost private
Ed O'Neill's wife, Catherine Rusoff, has been by the actor's side since 1986. Rusoff made guest appearances on Married... with Children, but the couple kept their family life largely private. They raised their two daughters, Sophia and Claire, away from Hollywood's spotlight.
Source: Getty Images
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Key takeaways
- Ed has been married to Catherine since 1986, though the couple briefly separated in the late 1980s before reuniting permanently in 1993.
- Ed O'Neill's wife, Catherine Rusoff, is a former actress who appeared in TV series like Highway to Heaven and even guest-starred in two episodes of Married... with Children.
- Ed and Catherine have two daughters, Sophia and Claire, whom they raised largely out of the Hollywood spotlight.
Ed O'Neill's wife: The enduring love story of Catherine Rusoff
The Modern Family star has been married to former American actress Catherine Rusoff since 1986. Born in Teaneck, New Jersey, Catherine built her acting career with roles in television series throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Catherine's acting credits include Ohara, Highway to Heaven, Midnight Caller, The New Adam-12, The Whereabouts of Jenny, and guest appearances on Married... with Children, where she worked alongside her husband.
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Ed and Catherine met in the mid-1980s and married in 1986. Their relationship faced challenges as his career took off, and the couple separated in 1989. After four years apart, they reconciled in 1993 and later welcomed two children.
Since reuniting, Ed O'Neill and Catherine have kept their family life largely private while maintaining one of Hollywood's longest-lasting marriages. Catherine has occasionally accompanied Ed to major public events, including his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2011.
Meet Catherine Rusoff and Ed O'Neill's daughters
Here is what is known about Ed O'Neill's daughters, Claire and Sophia.
Sophia O'Neill
Born in 2000, Sophia O'Neill is the elder daughter of Ed O'Neill and Catherine Rusoff. She has largely remained out of the public eye, although she has occasionally joined her parents at red-carpet events, including the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the premiere of Wreck-It Ralph.
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Ed has occasionally shared light-hearted stories about Sophia during television interviews. During a 2019 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he revealed that Sophia once watched him film a kissing scene with Dylan O'Brien, who was her celebrity crush at the time. Recalling the awkward moment, Ed said:
I was working with Dylan O'Brien, who’s a young, handsome actor, who my daughter has a slight crush on. And in the story, we kiss. And she had to witness this and was very upset that it was me and not her.
During the same interview, Ed also recalled that Sophia was starstruck after meeting Leonardo DiCaprio at a restaurant, having admired the actor since she was young. He said:
And then I turned around and I saw a party coming in, and they sat near us. And it was Leo(nardo) DiCaprio. Now, my daughter has had a crush on Leo since Romeo + Juliet, so she freaked out.
Claire O'Neill
Source: Getty Images
Claire O'Neill, born in 2006, is the younger daughter of Ed O'Neill and Catherine Rusoff. Like her older sister, she was raised away from the public spotlight, making only occasional appearances with her parents at family outings and public events. In 2023, Claire was among those who joined Ed at a Modern Family reunion party hosted by Sofía Vergara.
In recent years, Claire has attracted attention through a few light-hearted online moments, including a viral TikTok video in which she and her father lip-synced together. Speaking on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Dinner's on Me podcast, Ed admitted he had mixed feelings about his teenage daughter gaining attention online, saying:
I brought my 17-year-old daughter… and it just blew up. She loved it, of course, but I didn't. I wasn't crazy about that.
FAQs
- Who is Ed O'Neill? He is an American actor and comedian best known for his roles as Al Bundy on Married... with Children and Jay Pritchett on Modern Family.
- Who is Ed O'Neill's wife? His wife is Catherine Rusoff, a former actress.
- What is Catherine Rusoff's nationality? Catherine is an American national, born and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey.
- What ethnicity is Ed O'Neill's wife? She is of white ethnicity.
- Who are Ed O'Neill's biological children? His biological children are his two daughters, Sophia and Claire O'Neill, whom he shares with his wife, Catherine Rusoff.
- How many times has Ed O'Neill been married? Ed O'Neill has been married one time, to Catherine Rusoff, since 1986.
- Does Ed O'Neill have mixed children? Public statements from his daughter Claire clarify that she was born via a surrogate/donor and is 25% Black.
- Is Sophia O'Neill Ed O'Neill's daughter? Sophia O'Neill is the eldest biological daughter of Ed O'Neill and Catherine Rusoff.
- What is Claire O'Neill's age? Claire was born in 2006. As of 2026, she is around 19 to 20 years old.
Ed O'Neill's wife, Catherine Rusoff, and their two daughters have largely stayed out of the public eye despite his decades-long career. By keeping their family life private, Ed and Catherine have built a lasting marriage while raising Sophia and Claire away from media attention.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
