“Jury Duty'”s Alan Barinholtz Says the Cast Has Played Wordle Together 'Every Morning' for 2+ Years (Exclusive)
The real-life lawyer, who played Judge Alan Rosen in the hilarious mockumentary show and recently won 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' alongside son Ike Barinholtz, opens up to PEOPLE about the cast's bond
Amazon Freevee
Alan Barinholtz in 'Jury Duty'Their bond goes beyond the (fake) courtroom.
Over a year after Jury Duty took over the internet and stole fans' hearts, Alan Barinholtz, who played Judge Alan Rosen, tells PEOPLE that the cast remains a tight-knit crew.
"There's seven or eight of us who since the inception of Jury Duty for almost two-plus years, we do Wordle every morning together," Alan tells PEOPLE in a recent interview following his win on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
The Amazon Freevee series, which also starred James Marsden, Mekki Leeper and Edy Modica, was set up as a mockumentary, where all but one participant knew it was fiction.
Ronald Gladden, the unassuming breakout star of Jury Duty, passed the eight episodes thinking he was taking part in a real case as the foreperson of the jury. All of the other characters, including all of his fellow jury members, were actors and comedians flexing their improv muscles with hilarious results.
Amazon Freevee
Alan Barinholtz (left) and Ronald Gladden in 'Jury Duty'In the final moments of the show, Alan had the daunting role of breaking the news to Gladden: they had been lying to him for weeks, the case wasn't real and they were filming a comedy. What could have been a really rough blow for the former project manager was softened by what Alan said next.
"It was all fake except for one important element: you," he began. "You used your innate sense of compassion and reason to lead this jury to a just verdict."
After going over the laundry list of things Gladden had to put up with during his time on the show, Alan concluded, "We've decided that you, Ronald Gladden, are a hero. In recognition of your service, kindness and strength of character, I hereby award you the sum of $100,000."
Perhaps due in part to the unusual nature of the show, and its emotional confusion, the cast made a strong bond and have remained friends through the media storm surrounding Jury Duty and their new ventures, including Alan's recent Who Wants to Be a Millionaire win alongside his son, Ike Barinholtz.
The duo won $1 million on the competition show on an episode that aired Thursday, Aug. 14, to benefit an ASL program at their nephew and grandson's school. While Ike told PEOPLE he's excited to tell his Mindy Project costar Mindy Kaling about their win, Alan can't wait to share the news with his Jury Duty castmates.
"We also have a group [chat] with all 20+ members of the cast, and they all know about Millionaire. None of them know the conclusion, so I'm hoping that a bunch of them watch, and it'll be a lot of fun," Alan says.
DISNEY/Christopher Willard
Alan Barinholtz (left) and son Ike Barinholtz on 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'Getting the role on Jury Duty came as a bit of a surprise for Alan, who spent the majority of his working life as an actual lawyer.
When the opportunity came around, his sons, Ike and Jon, encouraged him and helped him audition. The unconventional series has now served as a launching pad for Alan's second career and Ike and Jon — who Alan calls the "coolest sons" — have continued to be his "advisors."
Alan has also acted in Apple TV+'s Physical and will join his Jury Duty costar Leeper in NBC's new fall sitcom St. Denis Medical.
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Jury Duty is now streaming on Amazon's free streaming site, Freevee.
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