Fans discover unexpected link among Modern Family stars years after show ended

The cast of Modern Family, a sitcom which first aired over 15 years ago, all have a hidden connection that fans are only just discovering.

The ABC mockumentary, which premiered in 2009 and ran for eleven seasons until its emotional conclusion in 2020, followed the trials and tribulations of the extended Pritchett family.

The popular sitcom featured a stellar cast including Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Ed O'Neill, Eric Stonestreet, Ariel Winter, Sarah Hyland and Julie Bowen. Four years after the show's finale, viewers have taken to Reddit to highlight that many of the main cast members have had successful careers in voice acting.

Ty Burrell

Burrell, who played family patriarch Phil Dunphy and won a Primetime Emmy Award for the role in 2014, has lent his voice to several animated films. These include Mr. Peabody and Sherman, where he voiced the dog scientist, and Finding Dory, in which he played Bailey the beluga whale, reports Wales Online.

Julie Bowen

Bowen's character Claire Dunphy divided fans, but her performance earned her Emmy Awards in 2011 and 2012. The Happy Gilmore actress voiced Queen Arianna in Tangled: Before Ever After in 2017 and later reprised the role for a three-season animated series.

Viewers might also recognise her voice as Lil' Dipper in Disney's Planes: Fire and Rescue. The 54 year old recently lent her voice to the character of realtor Patricia Banks in the Disney Channel series Hailey's On It!

Sarah Hyland

Sarah Hyland, who joined the cast of Modern Family at the tender age of 19, has since enjoyed a successful TV career. In 2011, she appeared on the Disney Channel in the romantic drama Geek Charming.

She returned to the channel in 2015 to provide the voice for the animated lion Tiifu in the adventure film The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, and reprised the role in 2016's The Lion Guard series.

Ariel Winter

Ariel Winter portrayed the brainiac Alex Dunphy on the sitcom. She also provided the voice for the titular princess in Disney's Sofia the First from 2012 to 2018.

Winter also worked alongside her on-screen father Ty Burrell, in Mr Peabody and Sherman, where she voiced Penny. The 26 year old has other voice credits in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Smurfs: Lost Village and Phineas and Ferb.

Eric Stonestreet

Eric Stonestreet, who joined Winter at Disney, voiced Sofia's Pegasus named Minimus, on Sofia the First. The 53 year old star also featured in The Secret Life of Pets as the voice of Duke, a shaggy dog that often disrupts the main pet's life.

Ed O'Neill

Ed O'Neill, who portrayed the grumpy yet loveable grandfather Jay Pritchett for 15 years, is a former American Football player widely recognised for voicing Hank the octopus in Finding Dory.

He also lent his talents to Disney's 2012 blockbuster Wreck it Ralph, voicing the character Mr Litwak.

Sofia Vergara

Since wrapping up Modern Family, Vergara has maintained a thriving career. This year alone, she has taken the lead in Netflix's series Griselda and made an appearance in Jennifer Lopez's drama This Is Me...Now.

Keen viewers may have recognised her voice in Despicable Me 4, where she voiced the minions' adversary Valentina. The 52 year old actress has also had roles on The Simpsons, Family Guy and Happy Feet Two.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Like Vergara, Jesse Tyler Ferguson has kept himself busy post-Modern Family. In 2023, he starred in Elizabeth Banks' thriller Cocaine Bear, playing the role of an animal rights activist.

He has further expanded his television portfolio with appearances on High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and Elsbeth. However, the 49 year old actor doesn't have as extensive a voice acting resume as his former co-stars. His most recent animated role was the Shangri Llama in Ice Age: Collision Course.

Modern Family is available to stream on Disney+ and Channel 4