What the Cast of ‘Modern Family’ Really Thought About Their ‘Fake Children’

The cast of Modern Family does a hilariously good job on showcasing the realities of what it is like to be — as the title suggests — a part of a modern-day family. Following Phil and Claire Dunphy, parents to three very different kids making up the Dunphy house, from its debut to the series finale, it shows what it’s like to juggle parenthood and their own lives simultaneously.

Modern Family also shares the life of Claire’s father, Jay, and his younger wife, Gloria, who are raising two kids of their own. Meanwhile, Claire’s brother, Jay, is growing his own family with his partner, Cam, and their adopted daughter. Check in with the cast of Modern Family and see where the members of this big, happy family have been since the series ended!

Ed O’Neill

Character Played: Jay Pritchett

Born: April 12, 1946, in Youngstown, Ohio

Best Known For: The TV series Married… with Children (1987-1997) as well as the movies The Bone Collector (1999), Wreck-It Ralph (2012) and Finding Dory (2016)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “It was a dream job. I am so thankful to have had it. We took some great vacation trips for episodes. We shot an episode in Paris, which was beautiful. And I never had to work long hours because of the show’s structure of three separate families.”

Sofía Vergara

Character Played: Gloria Delgado-Pritchett

Born: July 10, 1972, in Barranquilla, Colombia

Best Known For: The TV series Griselda (2024) and the movies The Smurfs (2011), Chef (2014) and Hot Pursuit (2015)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “It's amazing, because we're always connected. Even though we haven't seen each other in so long, it felt like we just left the set.”

Julie Bowen

Character Played: Claire Dunphy

Born: March 3, 1970, in Baltimore, Maryland

Best Known For: The TV series’ Ed (2000-2024) and Boston Legal (2005-2008) as well as the movies Happy Gilmore (1996) and Horrible Bosses (2011)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “I love my fake children. I love them so much. People say, ‘What are you going to do when Modern Family ends?’ And I’m like, ‘What are you going to do when your family ends?’ It’s not going to be easy.” 

Ty Burrell

Character Played: Phil Dunphy

Born: August 22, 1967, in Grants Pass, Oregon

Best Known For: The movies Dawn of the Dead (2004), The Incredible Hulk (2008) and Finding Dory (2016)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “They timed out filming the last scene to the last scene of the episode. It was the entire family together for the last time we would all be together as actors and as characters. And it was the only time in my life that a director and our showrunner had to come out and ask, ‘Could everybody not cry so much?’” 

Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Character Played: Mitchell Pritchett

Born: October 22, 1975, in Missoula, Montana

Best Known For: Movies including Untraceable (2008), Ice Age: Collison Course (2016) and Cocaine Bear (2023)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “I think we were all prepared to just let it be what it was, and nobody knew that we had something special. We felt that there was a deep connection, and we know that the pilot was very well received, but you never know what’s going to happen next. You never know if the audience is going to stick around.”

Eric Stonestreet

Character Played: Cameron Tucker

Born: September 9, 1971, in Kansas City, Kansas

Best Known For: Movies including Almost Famous (2000), The Loft (2014) and The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “My getting this part is a great lesson in that you can't guess what people want in a room while you're auditioning. You have to be who you are and true to yourself and what naturally fits you. If they're buying what you're selling, you get the job.”

Rico Rodriguez

Character Played: Manny Delgado

Born: July 31, 1998, in College Station, Texas

Best Known For: Movies such as Epic Movie (2007) and The Muppets (2011)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “It has been such an amazing ride, really. When we first started we didn’t expect it to blow up like it did and everyday we are so thankful to be working together. It’s such a fantastic cast and I know I can speak for everyone and say we love working with each other. It is such an honor and a privilege to work on a show like Modern Family.”

Nolan Gould

Character Played: Luke Dunphy

Born: October 28, 1998, in New York City

Best Known For: The movies Friends with Benefits (2011), The To Do List (2013) and Yes (2019)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “The cast and crew will forever be part of my life and the experiences and the memories. It’s changed me, like, to the core.”

Sarah Hyland

Character Played: Haley Dunphy

Born: November 24, 1990, in Manhattan, New York City

Best Known For: The movies Annie (1999), Geek Charming (2011) and Vampire Academy (2014)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “Originally, they didn't want to see me for Modern Family because I was 18 and Haley's character was 15. They were like, ‘She's too old.’ And at the time, my agent's assistant fought for me to get in the room.” 

Ariel Winter

Character Played: Alex Dunphy

Born: January 28, 1998, in Los Angeles, California

Best Known For: The TV series Sofia the First (2012-2018), as well as the movies Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “There are families that have talked to us about how Modern Family has impacted them and how we’ve normalized so many things and impacted so many young people, so many teenagers… and that’s a really beautiful thing.”

Aubrey Anderson Emmons

Character Played: Lily Tucker-Pritchett

Born: June 6, 2007, in Santa Monica, California

Best Known For: Short films including Distance (2014) and Tailwinds (2024)

Thoughts on Modern Family: “There are moments that were fun for sure and there were things that I loved about it. But you know, it is work and I think we do have to keep that in mind… I was working, and if I wasn't working on the set, then I had to do three hours of studio school a day," she recounted, "so I had no time to rest except lunch.”

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