Charlie McDermott and Eden Shur Mark Milestones on ‘The Middle’

Eden Shur and Charlie McDermott from "The Middle."

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Eden Shur and Charlie McDermott from "The Middle."

Every Wednesday night Charlie McDermott and Eden Shur play often-at-odds siblings, Axl and Sue Heck, on "The Middle." But in a recent exclusive interview it became very clear that off-screen the actors are really great friends.

Eden Shur and Charlie McDermott Pick Each Other's New Year's Resolutions

Last week's show featured the Heck family choosing New Year's resolutions for each other. When asked what they would assign to their co-star in real life, Shur jumped in with her answer first in true Sue-like fashion, shouting, "Ooh, ooh, pick me. I have one for Charlie." She laughed, "Go outside more and visit my house more."

McDermott joked, "I was just there yesterday and I didn't see you… I was talking to your cleaning lady for a little while though. We had a nice conversation."

To clarify their friendly ribbing, 20-year-old Shur explained, "Here's the deal. Charlie and I used to be neighbors and we had the best of times in our lives - in my life." McDermott, 21, added, "Eden got grown up and got a big girl house… a grown up person house. And I'm still in my apartment, refusing to leave."

But the move obviously came with one draw back for Shur who said of McDermott, "I miss that. I miss him so." Which led McDermott to reveal his resolution for Shur, "I would pick that Eden moves back into the apartment next door."

Eden Shur's and Charlie McDermott's TV Family Marks Milestones on 'The Middle'

Buying a house is the latest milestone in Shur's life. But in the upcoming episode of "The Middle," the Heck family will be evaluating how they commemorate the big events in their lives. McDermott divulged some details of the program, "I eat Brick's school project and have to make him a new one. And Eden gets a boyfriend. I'm telling. And then the other three people in the show, whatever. Who cares?"

Shur kiddingly concurred, "It's all about us, always anyway." McDermott tried to expound on Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn's storylines, but couldn't adding, "I can't remember what Frankie and Mike are doing. They're doing parent things. They're doing grown up adult things - fighting about marriage or something."

As for what milestones they look forward to marking with their characters, McDermott divulged, "Mine's just to clean my room, which he does that and then it's over. That's pretty much my milestone right there. I don't think Axl's going to be making much personal changes in his life, at least not the rest of this season I don't think. We'll see."

But viewers recently got a peek at the first step in Shur's on-screen transformation. She acknowledged that when her character started a wrestling team cheerleading squad of her own she made a big move. "Sue makes an awesome resolution and it becomes a milestone. The whole 'Wrestlerette' thing - she created this team and follows through at least for a while the rest of the season."

McDermott chimed in, "She's growing up. I'm proud of her." To which Shur retorted, "Charlie's proud of her. Axl couldn't care less."

Eden Shur and Charlie McDermott Talk About Celebrating Personal Milestones

And while the Heck's might find a way to honor big events in their family on this week's episode, McDermott admitted that his clan doesn't do such things in real life. "My family was never big on resolutions or anything like that so we never had much that stuff. We obviously celebrated with each other when we did something good. The closest thing I can think of in an actual celebration was when I was ten years old we had a chore chart and once you did a certain amount of chores you got like ten dollars to buy a toy."

Shur might not have big milestone markers now, but she came up a concept to help her future family celebrate major events. She remarked, "Other than parties or cakes or stuff, what do other people do, other than maybe like when you're 21 you go out to a bar or something or when you're 18 you go register to vote. I want to have like crazy traditions in my family, the family that I'm going to have in the future. If something big happens we're going to like, 'Oh ya, that's when we the clown comes every time."

McDermott wasn't so sure that Shur was onto a good idea. He told her, "That would be creepy, Eden. A milestone clown?... You'd scar them for life. They're going to have nightmares… 'Not the clown. Anything but the clown.' I'll be the pathetic boring family whose kids are like, 'Please dad, can we have a clown or something good? Anything?' 'No nothing, cake.'"

Eden Shur and Charlie McDermott Look at Where Their 'Middle' Characters Might Be in Ten Years

Creepy clowns may not be in Charlie's or Axl's future, but McDermott was able to look ahead at where the Heck's oldest son might be in ten years. "Axl is probably going to be homeless if not living at home or on a sports team. Which would be the difference with Charlie, because Charlie could never be on a professional sports team but the illusion of television allows Axl to be a professional athlete, even though I'm like a foot shorter than every athlete they hire to be on my sports team. Sue will be a guidance counselor or something."

Shur had big hopes for her TV person's future, too. "Sue definitely will have graduated from college. She would have started every club in college. College is different because you can start clubs that you like. And you find people that are more like you. I want for Sue to find someone who is just like her in college. Hopefully she has her braces off my then."

That gave McDermott another idea, "That will be your spin-off show, Eden. That will be your 'Frasier.' Sue in college."

For now, catch McDermott and Shur on "The Middle" on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. Central on ABC.

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