Modern Family is an American sitcom about an extended family that ran for over 10 years. The show was started on 23 September 2009 and ended in 2020 with 11 seasons under its belt. It ended not because of declining viewership but because the show had reached its natural conclusion.
In the show, each episode is well-written, and the characters are all likable. As you watch the show, you become attached to the family and feel like you’re part of their journey through their life’s ups and downs.
Many people find Modern Family more relatable to the average person’s life than Friends. Both sitcoms have unique qualities, but Friends is often seen as unrealistic in some aspects. Do you know two stars of Friends were once considered for roles in the Dunphy family?
Lisa Kudrow was Considered for Claire Dunphy in Modern Family
Lisa Kudrow, famous for her role as Phoebe Buffay, was considered for the role of Claire Dunphy. The role might have been a change for Kudrow because the character of Claire is uptight, which is different than Buffay — who is more funny and chill.
Meanwhile, Matt LeBlanc, known for playing Joey Tribbiani, almost played Claire’s husband, Phil Dunphy — a character more in line with Joey’s goofiness. LeBlanc told USA Today about passing on the role:
“I remember reading it thinking, this is a really good script, (but) I’m not the guy for this. I’d be doing the project an injustice to take this. I know what I can do, I know what I can’t do. Plus, I’m having too much fun laying on the couch.”
Kudrow also talked about turning down the role to Access:
“I thought, ‘I don’t know what I’d do with it. And, so, you know, that’s all. Julie Bowen does know what to do with it, so, it’s all as it should be.”
The Comeback actress emphasized the fact that she was unsure of her character as it was totally opposite of what she has done in Friends. And that is why she believed Bowen was the right fit for the role of Claire Dunphy. But there was a time when Julie Bowen almost rejected that role.
Julie Bowen Almost Rejected Playing Claire Dunphy in Modern Family
In 2016, Julie Bowen said she didn’t think she would get the role in Modern Family during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Bowen was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with her twins during the audition process, so she considered withdrawing from the audition to avoid rejection. The actress told DeGeneres:
“I’d go home and cry and think I’m never going to get this — the greatest job in the world — so I took myself out of first place for it, because there was another job that was auditioning where the lady was pregnant.”
But soon she realized that it was a good opportunity, and Bowen is glad she’s been a part of that role for a total of 11 seasons, which brought her so much fame. The star added, “I don’t know what my life would be like right now.”
Watch Modern Family on Disney+.
Source: USA Today, Access, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
