Typically when people think of close sitcom families, they think about the bond of Friends or the closeness of a Full House. But the Modern Family cast may rival these co-stars for who loves who most. Since the show wrapped, there has been reunions big and small. So I wasn’t surprised when someone asked Julie Bowen why the Modern Family is still so friendly.
After 11 years together, it makes sense that there would still be a lot of love. You just have to ask Bowen about one of her former castmates, and she’ll instantly sing their praises. Just check out when she gushed about her “best fake daughter” Sarah Hyland over her Just in Time Broadway performance. So naturally when Bowen attended UCLA Health’s annual brunch at the Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House, the conversation veered toward her former family. Bowen explains (via Us):
You imagine spending 11 years of your life with a group of people and then not being with them. Love them.
You don’t need any further proof than Bowen sharing that she’s attended nearly all of Jesse Tyler Ferguson’s plays. She’s not the only one visiting his plays. Ferguson reunited with Eric Stonestreet and Ty Burrell when they came out to support him at his off-Broadway play TRU. Additionally, most of the cast reunited to celebrate Hyland’s nuptials to Wells Adams and of course, Ferguson officiated the wedding. In fact, the Pritchett/Dunphy bunch are so close that Adams not only asked Hyland’s real-life parents for their blessing, but Bowen and Burrell as well.
The love doesn’t stop with Bowen. Other co-stars have dropped fun reunions, though maybe not as surprising as TV siblings Ariel Winter and Nolan Gould revealing that they’re roommates. Plus, Sofia Vergara never misses a chance to talk about the “best gig” she’s had or about missing TV husband Ed O’Neill. So of course, she had plenty to share with Us. Though she believes the closeness of the cast has created a little real-life competition:
We’re like, ‘No, Modern Family was the best gig.’ She’s like, ‘Hmm.’ I mean, they’re very different gigs. I’m like, ‘Sofía, we’re your family.’ She’s like, ‘Yeah.’
Vergara’s words reminded me of what Bowen has said in the past, when she described Modern Family as the “happiest, best job ever.” At the time, she said she would have "died happily" on that set and I love that that feeling hasn't wavered over time.
Other notable examples include Stonestreet. The actor not only treated fans to a reunion so sweet that it’ll make you want to do a rewatch, which you can do with a Hulu subscription, but it’ll definitely bring on the nostalgia. His reunion with TV daughter Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (who goes by Frances Anderson professionally) included a recreated scene from Season 4 episode “Party Crasher” that’ll definitely make you feel old.
Each time we see a reunion or when any of the actors are asked about the show, it makes my heart happy to see them double down on the “best gig” sentiment. It makes it clear why our favorite Modern Family is still so friendly, and I love it!
