Modern Family is one of the most successful sitcoms in history, but can we really separate the actors from their characters? For instance, most fans would have a hard time putting actor Daniel Radcliffe into the same box as Harry Potter or Vin Diesel as Dom from Fast & Furious. Similarly, many Modern Family fans can’t imagine anyone else playing Jay Pritchett or Gloria Pritchett. That’s because Sofia Vergara and Ed O’Neill have made the parts their own, creating lovable dysfunctional families that we’d be happy to join.
The show’s success can be attributed in part to its refusal to ask the audience to judge its characters. While there are plenty of satirical elements, the family drama never takes a prickly approach to topics such as gay marriage, interracial relationships and parenting. It’s also refreshing that unlike some other shows, such as Arrested Development and The Royle Family, Modern Family doesn’t make its parents the target of scorn or pity. Instead, the show celebrates their successes and failures, which makes them relatable and human.
While most Modern Family stars were known to TV audiences prior to the series, several of the main cast members have become household names in the years since the show’s premiered. For example, Ty Burrell became an instant classic as cool dad Phil Dunphy, cracking us up with his dad jokes and daydreamy pipe dreams, and he earned two Emmy Awards for his performance. Julie Bowen was nominated for her role as Claire Dunphy, and she won a couple of golden globes for her performance as well.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson built a strong theater career before taking on the role of Mitchell Pritchett, who was constantly bickering with his sister Claire and longtime partner Cam. The pair’s endless squabbles were some of the show’s biggest laughs, and Ferguson’s portrayal won him a few awards as well.
Eric Stonestreet was another breakout star on the show, winning two Emmys for his portrayal of Cameron Tucker, the husband of Mitchell and father of Lily. The actor drew in viewers with his wildly exaggerated stories from his Missouri farm upbringing and his clown persona, Fizbo, which spawned some of the show’s best running gags.
Cam is now the father of Dylan and Luke, and he’s still a fan favorite on the show, though he won’t be returning for season 11. Stonestreet was open about being straight, unlike his character, and he enjoys a quiet life with his wife and children outside of work.
Although the show is a comedy, there are some scenes that parents might not want their kids to see. For instance, the show features couples who lie to each other about their romantic escapades and sometimes sabotage their marriages. This can give young people the wrong idea about how a healthy relationship should be, so it’s important that parents watch the episodes with their kids to make sure they’re not seeing anything inappropriate. This is especially true for younger kids, who may be more prone to believing what they see on TV than their parents do.
