Modern Family: Alex’s Love Interests, Ranked

For 11 seasons, Modern Family fans had the pleasure of watching Haley, Alex, Luke, Manny, Lily, and even little Joe grow up in front of their eyes. Funnily enough, the series focused so much on Haley’s roller coaster of a love life that fans completely forgot about all the boys Alex had her eyes on (and vice versa).

Many think that Alex’s best boyfriend was Arvin, but what all the others? Alex’s suitors differ in a variety of ways and it’s fascinating to see how they stack up against each other.

Updated On August 18, 2021, By Lynn Gibbons: Alex Dunphy was known for her smarts and sarcasm more than her relationships. She kept the Dunphys on track during their silly moments and focused on being the best student she could be so she could move on from the nest. However, her love life shouldn’t be discounted. Alex dated plenty of men, but it wasn’t until later seasons that she set time aside from school and work to focus on her love life. From her mom’s intern to her brother’s friends to a brilliant astrophysicist, Alex’s boyfriends had promise. 

11 James The Wallet Thief

In the episode “Crazy Train,” the whole family is taking a train to DeDe’s wedding. Throughout the episode, everyone makes comments about trains making them crazy, which Alex finally understood after meeting a young man named James.

James sat next to Alex in first-class and tried to stay there with her but got ushered back to coach. Alex joined him, and the two had a great time. When James suddenly disappeared, fans thought he was a new Modern Family character that left too soon — that is until Alex realized that James stole her wallet. He was cute, but Alex deserved someone who won’t use or steal from her.

10 Michael The Friend

Alex was thrilled to finally have a boyfriend in the third season because it meant she had a date to prom. Claire and Phil were excited that their little girl was not only going to the prom but that she had a date.

When Michael appeared at the Dunphy residence, Phil and Claire got an instant feeling that she and Michael were strictly friends and nothing else. And while Michael tried showing affection to Alex, these two didn’t have chemistry. He was sweet but they were better off as friends.

9 Alec The “Fake” Boyfriend

Fans only met Alec briefly but he seemed to have a real hold on Alex’s heart. It’s not clear where the two met but she was dating him in secret until she eventually told her parents.

Sadly, Claire and Haley didn’t believe that Alec was real and ignored Alex every time she spoke about him. They thought she was making it up to fit in with Haley and her many love interests. But as it turns out, Alec was in fact real. Unfortunately for Alex, he broke up with her because his family was moving to Africa.

8 Teddy The Bad Boy

Right after Alex and Alec broke up, she found out the person who was leaving flowers on her porch was actually a guy named Teddy, not Alec.

Unlike Alex’s other boyfriends, Teddy seemed like a bad boy. He drove a motorcycle and worked at the cemetery where he stole flowers and an American flag as a gift for her. It’s obvious she was smitten by Teddy, but was he endgame? Not quite. The two didn’t make sense.

7 Jimmy Scrivano

When the Modern Family characters took a vacation to Wyoming, the adults were out on horseback but Alex was too busy being romanced by a boy named Jimmy. The two met while she was reading by the pool and he was unintentionally splashing her. As she told him off, he couldn’t help but flirt with her, which she found surprising.

But what was even more surprising was when he kissed her. She wasn’t expecting it and, quite frankly, didn’t seem interested, but she liked the notion that a boy liked her. Nothing happened between these two after Wyoming, but it was exciting to see Alex let her hair down for once.

6 Ben, Claire’s Assistant

At the start, Ben seemed like the perfect fit for Alex. He was older, he had a career, he already knew how Claire could be a bully, and he was a homebody. The problem with Ben is that after a while, Alex grew tired of him. He got a little too comfortable and didn’t excite her anymore. Not to mention Claire despised the idea of her assistant dating her daughter. Alex eventually broke up with Ben, but it was for the best.

While breaking up with him, she realized that he cheated on her with his ex-girlfriend. But before they were toast, he was a good fit for her and the Dunphy clan.

5 Reuben Rand

Reuben was younger than Alex, friends with Manny and Luke, and a little too theatrical for her liking. However, there was an undeniable connection between the two. He’s the one person whom Alex pushed away but couldn’t seem to keep at bay.

No matter how rude she was to Reuben, he always came back and won her over. Reuben was also incredibly bright and well-read. If she didn’t let the age gap or his “dorkiness” get in the way, these two could have been a good match.

4 Bill The Firefighter

How exciting was it when Alex fell for the man who saved her? Bill was a firefighter who rescued Alex after her dorm room fire. The two began dating despite their differences and seemed good together. They were Modern Family couple fans stood behind.

However, unlike Arvin, her crush at the time, Bill wasn’t as “smart” for Alex, or the men that Alex usually fell for. Bill was your average guy with a heart of gold who would have been a great member of the family. He balanced well with Alex and stood up for himself when she poked holes in his personality. Sadly, these two called it quits.

3 Sanjay Patel

Was Sanjay Alex’s ideal man? He was as smart as she was, went to an incredible school, and pushed her to better herself. The two of them started off as major competitors but ended up being gaga over each other.

But being the level-headed thinkers they are, the couple formally decided to call off their relationship before going to college. They knew long-distance couples never worked, and they weren’t wrong. When they decided to try long-distance, Sanjay cheated on Alex and broke her heart, making him one of the most hated Modern Family supporting characters. If these two met later in life, they could have been the perfect match.

2 Jason Darling

Alex met Jason while the two were touring Caltech together. They instantly connected and were semi-competitive when answering questions in their tour group. Fans know how awkward Alex could be when she tried to flirt with men, but Jason was just as bad. These two kids seemed to really have a shot at something special if they both attended Caltech at the same time.

Sadly, after this episode, fans never heard more about Jason. He and Alex became Facebook friends and she was hoping to connect with him if they both went to Caltech but that never happened. Was Jason the boy that got away? If these two didn’t connect at school, did that mean he went elsewhere? Fans will never know, but these two could have been something special.

1 Arvin Fennerman

Arvin was Alex’s perfect man. He started out as her professor whom she had a crush on, but that crush was diminished when he started dating Haley. But when Haley realized she loved Dylan more than Arvin, they broke up.

Alex made a move on Arvin when the timing was right and it paid off. By the end of the series, the two began dating and were getting ready for a work trip abroad. If there’s one guy fans could wish for Alex, it would have been Arvin. The two deserve a spin-off of their new life.

About The Author

Lynn Gibbs
(1645 Articles Published)

Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

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