Silas Bunch

**Silas Bunch** Ex-husband of Naomi, father of Rebecca Bunch

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Portrayed by Jay Huguley

Portrayed by John Allen Nelson | **Silas Bunch** is the father of Rebecca Bunch and ex-husband of Naomi Bunch. Years ago when his daughter was only twelve, Silas abandoned her and Naomi after a brutal row with his wife. As he built another life away from them he was an absentee father to Rebecca who only saw her sporadically. Eventually he would later marry another woman with whom he had a child named Tucker. The marriage didn't last as Silas ended up divorced for a second time. He reunited with his daughter on the eve of her wedding to Josh Chan but put a strain on their already tenuous relationship by asking to borrow money. Ultimately Rebecca decided she wanted nothing more to do with Silas and told her father she never wanted to see him again. His first appearance was in the Season One episode "I Hope Josh Comes to My Party!" portrayed by actor Jay Huguley. He returns in the episode "Josh Has No Idea Where I Am!" portrayed by actor John Allen Nelson.

## Character history

### Season One

In 1993 Silas marriage to Naomi fell apart after he walked out on her over an intense argument about his extramarital affairs. Once the divorce was finalized he left his wife and their 12 year old daughter Rebecca behind to start a new life in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A year after he settled in, Silas was visited by Rebecca who found a way to travel across country just to see him. Silas called Naomi to fly out and come get her while he entertained Rebecca. Naomi arrived the next day just as he and Rebecca were having the breakfast she cooked for them. He asked his daughter to wait in Naomi's car while he talked to her mother in private. Naomi pleaded with Silas to let Rebecca stay longer as she went to all this trouble to spend time with him. Silas told her he couldn't have anything holding him back at the moment. He promised that once he got his life in order he would let Rebecca come visit. Silas asked Naomi not to tell their daughter his reasons for sending her away as she wouldn't understand. Naomi told him she wouldn't because she didn't want Rebecca to know what kind of man he really was.

He moved to the Southwestern United States and settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A year after he left his family Rebecca unexpectedly showed up on his doorstep. She orchastrated an elaborate ruse to fool her mother just so she could visit him. Silas was impressed by her ingenuity and after getting her settled they had dinner together. He was amused at their similarity as they both disliked cilantro. Together they later watched television on the couch until Rebecca fell asleep. Unbeknownst to his daughter, Silas had contacted Naomi to let her know where Rebecca was. Silas woke up the next morning and found that Rebecca had cooked breakfast. He listened indulgently as his daughter threw out possible itineraries for them. Silas was a bit taken aback when he learned she wanted to spend all her holidays with him.
The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Naomi which horrified Rebecca. She refused to go with her mother and pleaded with Silas not to let Naomi take her. Silas promised he would see what he could do and asked Rebecca to go wait in the car while he talked with her mother. After she left Naomi asked Silas why he had to send Rebecca away so soon. She pleaded with him to spend more time with his daughter since she had gone to great lengths just to see him. He refused and explained it just wasn't convenient for him now since he had other things planned. Silas didn't deny Naomi's suggestion his other endeavors involved a woman but he still got defensive over the remark. He told his ex-wife that he just couldn't deal with this now and he needed more time to get his life in order.
Once he did that then he promised he would come visit Rebecca as he thought she was a *"cute kid"*. This infuriated Naomi who reminded him Rebecca wasn't some stranger but his own daughter. Silas told her he couldn't have anything holding him back now and asked Naomi not to tell thier daughter as she wouldn't understand. She agreed although not for his sake but for Rebecca's so she would never learn what kind of man he is ("Josh Has No Idea Where I Am!"). Three years later Silas remarried and honeymooned in the Bahamas. Rebecca called him claiming to be having suicidal thoughts and Silas contacted Naomi. He convinced her to let Rebecca go to summer camp instead of the mock intensive trials. Three years after that he and his new wife had a son named Tucker ("Josh Just Happens to Live Here!").

### Season Two

In 2016, Silas' daughter Rebecca quickly got engaged to her boyfriend Josh Chan and was making plans for the wedding which was to happen not too long afterwards. She sent Silas an invitation to her wedding but he told her he was stuck at a remote Alaskan construction site and couldn't make it. He was surprised when Rebecca's boss Nathaniel Plimpton III actually sent him a private plane to take him to West Covina so that he could make the wedding. He showed up at Rebecca's law firm Whitefeather & Associates to surprise her and she was overjoyed to see him. After she hugged him Rebecca thanked her boss for arranging this before embracing Silas again. While they hugged her other boss Darryl Whitefeather compared thier reunion to the movie "Marley and Me" ("Is Josh Free in Two Weeks?").

Silas was texted by Rebecca about getting together before the wedding but he told her he couldn't because he had work conference calls to take. He told her he'd make it to the rehearsal dinner and unbekownst to her invited her boss Nathaniel to attend as well. When he showed up to the event Rebecca hugged him for an uncomfortably long time creating a scene. He had an acrimonious reunion with Naomi who gleefully reminded him he was now twice divorced. Rebecca asked Silas if they could have a father/daughter dance at the wedding and he agreed. He also met Rebecca's fiancée Josh who asked if they could talk in private. Once they were alone Josh asked Silas if he knew about anyone in Rebecca's past named 'Robert'. He remembered that name was related to a situation which resulted in Rebecca leaving Harvard.

The next day, Silas met up with Rebecca at a choreographer's studio to rehearse thier father/daughter dance. Silas corrected the choreographer when he mistook them for a couple although Rebecca seemed flattered. The choreographer tried to get them in the mood by having them remember happy times together. They were unable to as Silas was never a significant prescence in Rebecca's life. The last time they saw each other was four years ago when he took his new family to New York City to see "The Lion King". Rebecca had somehow found out and the two had a brief talk over a cup of coffee. Silas apologized but Rebecca dismissed it as no big deal. He told her he had always hoped they'd eventually be able to reconnect as adults. Silas then asked her if he could borrow money as his son Tucker needed new braces.

She was upset by his request and refused so once rehearsal was over Silas went back to his hotel room. Not long afterwards Rebecca showed up with an apology and a check for the money Silas asked for. She pleaded with him to stay for the wedding and walk her down the aisle. Silas pocketed the check and told her he would stay but asked that they forget the past and start over. The day of the wedding, Silas was waiting for the ceremony to start. Along with the other guests he witnessed Rebecca running out of the hotel towards a cliff at the edge of the venue. Silas joined the crowd that had formed to watch as Rebecca's bridesmaids try to coax her away from the precipice. She seemed in a confused state and fainted only to be caught by her friend Paula.

They all overheard that Rebecca was despondent that Josh had left her like the other men in her life had. Her friend Paula convinced her it wasn't her fault but the men who continued to let her down. Silas was wary when Paula pointed out the first person to do this who was him. He suddenly found himself the center of attention as all eyes turned towards him. Rebecca looked at Silas with anger as she confronted him backed up by her friends. Silas was indignant and replied he wasn't going to stay just to be insulted. Rebecca told him he should take his check and go and that she never wanted to see him again. Silas asked Nathaniel if he could use his private plane again but was refused. Before leaving Silas told his daughter that she was crazy which Rebecca didn't deny ("Can Josh Take A Leap Of Faith?").

 **Special appearances** | Dr.Phil 🎈 Nipsey Hussle 🎈 Dream Ghost #1 🎈 Dream Ghost #2 🎈 J. Castleman 🎈 Tita Myrna 🎈 Anna 🎈 B.J. Novak 🎈 Trina 🎈 Rabbi Shari 🎈 Jeff Channington 🎈 Jarl 🎈 Wendy Legrand 🎈 Xiao Huang 🎈 Fett Regoso