Why Jesse Tyler Ferguson Turned Down This Modern Family Spinoff Idea

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ForgetPhil’s-Osophy, Jesse Tyler Fergusoncreated his own motto when making this difficult decision.  

Eric Stonestreet and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, along with his Modern Family co-stars, were approached about continuing the show with a spin-off after it ended in 2020. The actor who played Mitchell Pritchett explained why he decided not to participate.

Jesse told Wendi McLendon-Covey on his podcast, Dinner’s on Me, that Modern Family finished filming right before the pandemic began. He was looking forward to what came next, but then everyone was asked to stay home. Around that time, people started talking about a possible spin-off show featuring him and Eric. He was open to the idea, but he also had plans to perform in a play in New York.

The actor, who is 50 years old, was originally scheduled to perform in a Broadway revival of Take Me Out that year. However, the production was delayed until 2022 because of COVID-19. This extra time gave Jesse the opportunity to consider a possible Modern Family reboot, but he eventually decided he didn’t want to commit to playing just one character long-term.

When it started to seem like the spinoff would really happen, I suddenly realized I wanted to explore dating other people. I needed to experience what it was like to not be in that exclusive situation, but it ultimately didn’t work out as planned.

Even though the show has ended, Wendi thinks the cast of Modern Family – including Ed O’Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Sofía Vergara, Rico Rodriguez, and Nolan Gould – is still popular enough to potentially star in another reboot someday.

According to The Goldbergs actor, Modern Family will return someday. They believe enough time will pass to allow for fresh ideas and renewed interest from everyone involved.

Eric Stonestreet, who played Cam Tucker, felt the same way when the reboot plans fell through. He was excited about the possibility of showing how the Pritchett-Tucker family was adjusting to life in Missouri.

He shared in a 2024 interview with Graham Bensinger that he really enjoyed working on the show, especially with Jesse. They had a strong working relationship and good chemistry, and he believes everyone involved would have been happy to continue for another season if it hadn’t ended when it did.

He added that he and Jesse felt like the people at [ABC] saw them as older actors who weren’t the best choice to continue playing their roles. He admitted it stung a bit, but understood that these things are often just business decisions.

Even though Cam and Mitchell’s relationship wasn’t explored further on the show, Ariel Winter is eager to reprise her role as Alex Dunphy and work with the family again in a future project, bringing her signature playful energy to the screen.

I’ve been following this closely, and back in September, the athlete told TopMob News they’d absolutely be interested in the opportunity. But they made it clear it wasn’t their call – it’s really up to the decision-makers. They basically said, ‘If the people in charge want to reach out, they know how to find me!’ I’m hoping those ‘powers that be’ will take notice!

Keep reading to see more iconic facts in the Modern Family universe…

Sarah Hyland, who played Haley Dunphy, finished her time on Modern Family with her on-screen boyfriend Dylan (Reid Ewing) and their twins, moving into a new apartment. In real life, Hyland found love with Wells Adams, a bartender from Bachelor in Paradise, and they got married in 2022 with Jesse Tyler Ferguson officiating. She also spent two seasons hosting Love Island USA while enjoying the sunshine in Fiji.

In addition to her work on Glee, Sarah also appeared in six episodes of Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin and performed on Broadway in Little Shop of Horrors and The Great Gatsby. When asked what advice she’d give her younger self, she told TopMob News in 2023, “Be kind to yourself, cherish your loved ones, but prioritize self-love above all else.”

While Ariel Winter’s character, Alex, went to work on a project in Switzerland, the young actress herself chose a closer destination, leaving California with her boyfriend, Luke Benward.

Beyond voicing the main character in Disney’s Sofia the First, Ariel Winter has lent her voice to shows like American Dad!, Firebuds, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. She also appeared in the documentary series SOSA Undercover. In an October 2024 interview with TopMob News, the actress and activist shared, “I recently felt like I discovered what I’m meant to do.” She explained that she originally wanted to be a doctor or lawyer, but now uses her career as an entertainer to help others, which she says has always been her passion.

Shortly after Luke Dunphy started at the University of Oregon, Nolan Gould embarked on his own journey. He playfully announced his travels on Instagram in December 2024, sharing a collection of photos of himself in different places with the caption, “Fell off the Earth again—here’s proof I’m still around!”

I’m such a fan, and I loved hearing him talk to Ferguson about everything he’s been up to! He shared how, after Modern Family ended, he actually sold most of his stuff and traveled around the country in a van. It’s amazing how he managed to fit all that in while still filming projects like the movie Camp in 2023, a short film called JOE in 2024, and even an episode of Grey’s Anatomy! He talked about it all on his Dinner’s On Me podcast back in September 2024.

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who played the daughter of Cameron and Mitchell on Modern Family for nine seasons, once believed her acting days were over. She shared in a 2024 TikTok that she didn’t think she’d act again. However, her love for performing was rekindled through theater productions in high school, leading her to start auditioning again.

Now, alongside pursuing acting, Anderson is also focusing on a passion for music. As part of this new direction, she’s adopting a new professional name: Frances Anderson.

In an August 2025 interview with TopMob News, she explained that Frances is actually her middle name, honoring a longtime friend of her mother. She chose the name partly because it’s shorter, but also because she wants to present a fresh image and dedicate a separate space specifically to her music.

Since playing the mature Manny on Modern Family—the son of Sofía Vergara’s Gloria—Rico Rodriguez has continued acting, appearing on Disney’s Bunk’d and providing a voice for the 2025 movie Sneaks. He recently shared a photo from a 2023 reunion with his Modern Family castmates, joking about when they’ll all get together again.

Jeremy Maguire, in a recent interview with TopMob News, described himself as an ‘old soul’ trapped in a young body. He said people often tell him he seems like a 30-year-old despite his youthful appearance, and he agrees with that assessment.

Jeremy Maguire, born in 2011, started playing Joe Pritchett on Modern Family in 2015, two years after the show began. He told TopMob that growing up on set, it was sometimes difficult to remember the cast weren’t his real family, especially because he was so close to everyone. He was very sad when the show ended, as it was the only life he’d ever known.

He bounced back from setbacks and landed a role in all 12 episodes of the 2021 Disney reboot of Turner & Hooch. If he doesn’t find a suitable role, he’s happy to create his own, finding the process creatively fulfilling. “It’s very therapeutic,” he explained. “I’ve written poems, stories, and even outlines for scripts that I’d like to develop later.”

Before landing his iconic role as Phil Dunphy, Ty Burrell considered leaving acting. He shared on Good Morning America that he and his wife once brainstormed alternative career options, but the list was surprisingly short. “I had nothing,” he quipped, adding that he didn’t have any other marketable skills.

Even though he didn’t need it, actor Tyler Hubbards—who has two daughters, Frances and Greta, with his wife Holly Burrell—started voicing a character on the show Duncanville after Modern Family and has also opened several restaurants in Utah.

Because he lives in Utah, he doesn’t see his former colleagues very often – he even missed their get-together at Sofia Vergara’s house in 2023, which led some fans to believe he was no longer with us. However, they still keep in touch through group texts. As he told People magazine in 2025, “That group became very close. We shared a lot of experiences, and everyone still makes an effort to stay connected.”

Even five years after wrapping up her role as the no-nonsense Claire, Julie Bowen still feels incredibly close to her former castmates, considering them like family. She supported Sarah Hyland through a difficult relationship and attended Katherine Anderson-Emmons’ high school play, explaining on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast in June 2024, “I love them all – they feel like my kids.” Bowen also shared with TopMob News in 2024 that she and Sofia Vergara, her onscreen stepdaughter, have a fantastic relationship, saying they “get along like a house on fire.”

The actress is currently enjoying a career boost thanks to her roles in the Peacock thriller Hysteria! and the Happy Gilmore sequel. However, she revealed in a 2022 podcast interview with Jason Nash that she’s quite careful with her money, driven by a deep-seated fear of losing work. She admitted she’s genuinely afraid of not working again.

Although she playfully said she’s been taking a break from dating since her 2018 separation from her husband, Scott Phillips—with whom she shares sons Oliver, John, and Gustav—she admitted she’d be happy to chat with Harry Styles. “Absolutely!” she said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “Seriously, look at him!”

Gloria Pritchett on Modern Family made Sofía Vergara a star. Since the show ended, her career has become increasingly diverse and challenging. In addition to appearing in films like This Is Me… Now and Despicable Me 4, and serving as a judge on America’s Got Talent for six seasons and counting, the mother of adult son Manolo has recently taken on her first serious dramatic acting role.

Sofía Vergara received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her role as Griselda Blanco in the 2024 Netflix miniseries Griselda. She told Laverne Cox on Live From TopMob: Emmys that the nominations were a surprise, as it was her first time acting in a dramatic role and, surprisingly, her first time acting in Spanish. She described it as a very pleasant surprise.

After her separation from Joe Manganiello, which she announced two years prior, Sofia Vergara shared with Access Hollywood in January 2025 that she’s focused on attracting positive things into her life – specifically good health, financial stability, and a romantic partner, whether a boyfriend or something more.

The show’s producers decided against following Mitchell Pritchett and his husband Cam Tucker (Eric Stonestreet) when they moved to Missouri, disappointing some fans. According to Eric Stonestreet on Watch What Happens Live, the producers questioned whether their family’s story still fit the show’s direction after eleven seasons and ultimately decided to go in a different direction.

For those wanting a nostalgic revisit, Craig Ferguson’s podcast, Dinner’s On Me, features interviews with his former colleagues and stars like Gavin Rossdale and Chelsea Handler. Beyond the podcast, Ferguson has been actively working on projects like the film Cocaine Bear and the play Here We Are.

The TV star is married to actor and producer Justin Mikita, and they have two sons named Beckett and Sullivan.

Originally known for his time coaching football in Cam, Kansas, Stonestreet is now focusing on acting. He’s appeared in shows like American Auto and The Santa Clauses, and will be featured in the upcoming Dexter: Resurrection revival. In a playful March 2025 Instagram post, the Kansas City Chiefs fan announced, “I’m excited to be working with this amazing team!”

Okay, so you will NOT believe this! My absolute idol, Eric Stonestreet, actually GOT MARRIED! And on his 54th birthday, no less! He announced it on Instagram in September 2025 – he literally wrote, ‘It’s my birthday and guess what I got? I got married!’ – and his wife is the sweetest nurse, Lindsay Schweitzer. I’m seriously losing it right now, it’s the best news ever!

Ed O’Neill was already well-known as a TV dad after playing Al Bundy for eleven seasons on Married…with Children. When he was offered the role of Jay Pritchett, the family patriarch on Modern Family, he was hesitant about doing another sitcom. However, as he explained on The Jenny McCarthy Show in 2016, reading the script convinced him it was something he couldn’t pass up.

He recently played Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in the 2024 film Clipped and will also be in Ryan Murphy’s new legal drama series, All’s Fair.

Off the field, former Youngstown State football player John J. Petrocelli has been with his wife, actress Catherine Rusoff, for many years. Together, they have two daughters, Claire and Sophia.

Despite a years-long, sometimes rocky relationship with Haley, the actor best known from Good Luck Charlie became an official part of the family when twins were introduced on the show. He called it “the best job of my life” in a 2020 Instagram post.

He’s been in a few short films since then, including Always Come in Second and Nest. However, he announced his retirement from acting in a September 2024 Instagram Live session. He explained that being an actor had been a long journey, but he felt it was time to stop, as the entire process was ultimately unhealthy for him.

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2026-03-05 18:48