Modern Family: The Main Cast’s Best Role Outside Of The Show According To IMDb

One of the most popular sitcoms of the 21st century has been Modern Family. The modern take on the extended family setup allowed for plenty of heartwarming and hilarious situations. However, it was largely thanks to the wonderful cast that the show became such a hit.

While the show remains the most popular thing many of these cast members have done, they also each have other notable projects fans might want to check out. From other popular shows to some surprising movies, these top-rated projects from the cast of Modern Family could be fun for fans to check out next.

10 Nolan Gould – Friends With Benefits (2011) – 6.5

Nolan Gould was one of the young scene-stealers from early on in the series as Luke Dunphy. He was the adorable youngest member of the Dunphy family who had more courage than brains. As the show went on, Luke didn’t get much smarter but he did enter the awkward teen years.

While in the midst of the early seasons of Modern Family, Gould had a supporting role in the romantic comedy Friends with Benefits. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis star as friends who try a “no strings attached” arrangement. Gould plays Timberlake’s nephew, Sam.

9 Sarah Hyland – Annie (1999) – 6.7

As the oldest of the children characters on the show Haley Dunphy (Sarah Hyland) had one of the most interesting arcs. She was first seen as a self-centered and irresponsible young woman but becomes a mother herself by the end of the show’s run.

Despite her young age when Modern Family began, Hyland already had a fairly established career at the time. This included a role in the Disney made-for-television retelling of the hit musical Annie. With a cast including Victor Garber and Kathy Bates, Hyland played the orphanages young ward, Molly.

8 Rico Rodriguez – The Muppets (2011) – 7.1

Rico Rodriguez was a young breakout star of Modern Family as Manny Delgado. The wise-beyond-his-years youngster was a sensitive and artistic soul whose grand romantic gestures and oddly mature ways made him hugely entertaining.

As a result of sudden fame from Modern Family, Rodriguez got the chance to hang out with the Muppets on their big-screen comeback. The Muppets featured the beloved characters reuniting for a big show with Rodriguez joining the likes of John Krasinski and Selena Gomez playing themselves in cameos.

7 Jesse Tyler Ferguson – The Class (2006-2007) – 7.7

Mitchell Pritchett was a character on the show who would most often balance the humorous storylines with the emotional ones. He was a high-strung and sarcastic man yet he also dealt with his tense relationship with his father for much of the series.

Ferguson has been working steadily in movies and television for years with The Class as another sitcom that unfortunately did not catch on in the same way as Modern Family. Ferguson was part of a cast including Jon Bernthal and Lizzy Caplan in the story of friends from school reuniting after many years.

6 Ty Burrell – Black Hawk Down (2001) – 7.7

While the entire cast of Modern Family helped bring the show to life, Ty Burrell often stole the show with his hilarious performance as Phil Dunphy. As the goofy yet lovable patriarch of the Dunphy family, Phil was responsible for some of the show’s funniest moments.

Fans who are only familiar with Burrell from Modern Family may be surprised to see him appear in the intense war drama Black Hawk Down. Burrell is part of the large ensemble that includes Ewan MacGregor and Tom Hardy in the true story of a 1993 U.S. military operation in Somalia that turned into a chaotic battle.

5 Sofia Vergara – The Knights Of Prosperity (2007) – 7.8

Sofia Vergara helped create one of the best sitcom characters of the 21st century with her performance as Gloria in Modern Family. Her background as a strong immigrant single mother made her an easy character to like while also being one of the show’s funniest.

Vergara is another cast member who appeared in a well-received yet short-lived series before Modern Family. The Knights of Prosperity followed a group of blue-collar workers who attempt to escape their financial troubles by robbing a celebrity.

4 Eric Stonestreet – Almost Famous (2000) – 7.9

Cameron Tucker was another breakout star in the series. He was a loving and emotional person with a tendency for dramatic outbursts. He struck a good line between being cartoonish and still being likable.

Stonestreet was not a well-known actor before Modern Family, but he did manage to appear in some notable projects, including Almost Famous. The acclaimed coming-of-age story follows a teen who joins an up-and-coming rock band as they go on tour. Stonestreet has a tiny yet funny role as a hotel desk clerk.

3 Ariel Winter – Phineas And Ferb (2007-2015) – 8.0

Alex Dunphy, played by Ariel Winter, was another member of this large and dysfunction who seemed more mature than some of the adults. She was an incredibly intelligent and driven person who was also something of an outcast.

Winter was also a cast member on another beloved show, though giving a voice performance. Phineas and Ferb is an animated adventure about the two titular inventor brothers. Winters had a recurring role as Gretchen, another very intelligent youngster.

2 Ed O’Neill – Married With Children (1987-1997) – 8.0

Ed O’Neill plays Jay Pritchett in Modern Family, the patriarch of the family. He can be a stern and stubborn man, however, he also is there for his family whenever they need him and has shown his softer side more than once.

O’Neill was already a sitcom icon when he was cast in Modern Family. He rose to fame with his role as the blue-collar and lazy father Al Bundy on the popular series Married with Children.

1 Julie Bowen – Boston Legal (2004-2008) – 8.4

As Claire Dunphy, Julie Bowen walks a fun line between being the level-headed one in the household that is keeping everyone together and someone who is on the verge of losing control. The result is a hilarious and relatable depiction of a modern mother of three.

Bowen’s background in both comedy and drama has allowed her to appear in a variety of projects. Boston Legal allowed a bit of both as the darkly comedic series starred James Spader and William Shatner as a pair of eccentric lawyers at a defense firm. Bowen joined the show in its second season as a fellow lawyer.

About The Author

Colin McCormick
(2030 Articles Published)

Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.

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