The cast of Modern Family left behind a legacy of laughter, love and family after Wednesday night’s series finale. For 11 years, Sofia Vergara, Ed O’Neill, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson,Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould, Rico Rodriguez, and Aubrey Anderson Emmons played one big dysfunctional family on-screen, but that family aspect didn’t end when the director yelled cut. In their own posts on social media, the cast reminisced the past decade and expressed their gratitude to have been part of Modern Family.
“My family on and off screen forever. What an amazing 11 years!” Sofia wrote alongside a series of cast photos on Instagram. “So thankful for this family, the crew and all of our #modernfamily fans.” The snapshots featured her on-screen family on set, along with cute pics from awards shows and more.
Sarah started her goodbye to Modern Family with a positive affirmation. “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened,” the actress captioned a collection of photos with her co-stars. Sarah, who is engaged to former Bachelorette star, Wells Adams, continued with a Bachelor reference.
(Photo credit: Sarah Hyland/Instagram)
“To put it in Bachelor terms, I’ve had an incredible journey with this show,” she continued, referencing the ABC show. “Our cast and crew were always phenomenal and we very quickly grew to be a real life #modernfamily I will miss these people tremendously but am so grateful I was lucky enough to work with them. So get your tissues ready… Thank you all for being there every step of the way. We love you.”
Eric shared a throwback photo from just before he joined Modern Family.
(Photo credit: Eric Stonestreet/Instagram)
“I’ve posted this picture before, but it’s important to me and it’s an important moment in my life. I took it right before I walked out the door to go to my final test for Modern Family 11 years ago. I had been an actor for 12 years before this moment,” he wrote in the caption of the photo.
“I wish I remembered why exactly I decided to take it, but my best guess is because I knew my life could forever change once I stepped out my front door that day. I’ve looked at it 1000 times. And what I see in it is: hope, fear, and determination,” he continued. “Hope-that I would get the job.”
Eric went on to thank the Modern Family cast and crew for giving him a chance. He opened up about how his colleagues and peers accepted him for who he is.
“They allowed me to be me as a kid and always encouraged me to dream big and to follow my dreams,” he admitted, explaining, “They never thought I was a ‘weird’ kid. (I hate that word. It’s a lazy word.) They set me up for this moment and I knew, because of the previous 12 years, they had my back no matter the outcome.”
Eric concluded with a note to aspiring actors and actresses: “Look, if you’re an actor or someone who has big giant dreams, I’m your proof that with hard work, persistence, preparation, an unwavering belief in your talent and ability, some luck, and the capacity to let your hope and determination conquer your fear, you too can live out your wildest dreams.”
Julie Bowen, who shared a photo of the cast on video chat while in quarantine, couldn’t stop sobbing over the show’s ending.
“I’m crying too hard to see the keyboard. From beginning to end, thanks for being a part of our #ModernFamily,” she captioned a clip of the series finale trailer.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson posted a cute snap of the cast hugging and wrote, “Just like that, it’s over. 11 years of my life spent with these beautiful souls.”
He addressed his costars adding, “You all have played such a huge part in the forming of my being. I will never forget. I’m definitely gonna miss this.” And, to the fans, “Thank you for standing with us through it all. We owe it all to you,” Jesse concluded.