Jason Sudeikis remembered his uncle George Wendt’s adventurous side years before the Cheers star died.

Nearly eight years before Wendt’s death on May 20, the Ted Lasso star, 49, reflected on a childhood recollection with the late actor during an interview with The A.V. Club at Second City’s Roast of George Wendt event in 2017.

“We all went out to California to visit, and George had just gotten a new car,” the Kansas City, Missouri, native said in the joint interview with his late uncle. “It was a badass BMW with a manual transmission, which I had never seen before because I was quite young at the time.”

“He took me and my dad for a ride,” he said, making Wendt giggle. “My father took the shotgun seat.” I was in the back by myself. “This is not the time for mandatory seatbelts.”

Wendt, Sudeikis’ mother’s brother, drove the father-son combo through Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon, which he had negotiated “hundreds and thousands of times,” but the experience was unsettling.

“He had my father holding onto [the car] like nothing you’ve ever seen,” the Saturday Night Live star remembered. “And I found myself sliding around in the backseat simply because the seats were brand new,” he recalled.

“I hold that memory very fondly,” he concluded.

The two frequently lauded each other in the media, with Wendt glowingly describing Sudeikis during a 2024 visit on the Still Here Hollywood podcast.

“It was either David Letterman or Conan [O’Brien]. He said, ‘Did your uncle George have any counsel for you?” And Jason goes—he’s so sharp—he says, “Yeah, he told me to get on the best show on television and one of the greatest shows of all time and just pretty much take it from there.” And he says, ‘So I did’.”

“He got SNL,” he added.

“He’s such a wonderful child. Extremely proud. He is particularly proud, not just of his achievement, but also of his stability. Have you read profiles and such? I mean, he’s such a mensch, educated and considerate. I mean, his character traits are revealed throughout the show. Right?”

Similarly, in a July 2011 interview with Playboy magazine, Sudeikis talked about his relationship with his uncle.

“He’s always been very encouraging, but there was no ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’ kind of relationship between him and me,” said Sudeikis, as reported by HuffPost.

“He was just a good example that being an actor was a viable option,” he says. “Here’s a Midwesterner in my family who took the unconventional route and succeeded.” He humorously advised me to embark on one of the most renowned sitcoms and persevere through the challenges.

On the morning of May 20, Wendt died at the age of 76. Melissa Nathan, his publicist, confirmed to PEOPLE that “Beloved actor and comedian George Wendt, best known for starring in the NBC hit comedy Cheers, has passed away.”

“George’s family confirmed the news of his death early Tuesday morning, announcing he died peacefully in his sleep while at home,” according to the statement. “George was a devoted family man, a beloved friend, and a confidant to those who were fortunate enough to have met him. He will be missed indefinitely.”