Few shows in television history have left as permanent a mark as Modern Family. The mockumentary format of this classic sitcom made it a worldwide phenomenon, as did the show’s warm humor and endearing characters.
Modern Family’s success can be traced back to Ty Burrell’s masterful portrayal of the likable character of Phil Dunphy. However, the story of how Burrell was cast is a Hollywood thriller with unexpected turns that could hold its own against any screenplay.
Ty Burrell’s Unconventional Journey to Stardom
There is a spark of inspiration behind every memorable character, and for Phil Dunphy, that spark was Ty Burrell. Modern Family’s creators, Steve Levitan, and Christopher Lloyd, pictured a character who exemplified unflinching kindness, a never-ending capacity for fantasy, and a charming man-childishness.
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The character was written specifically for Burrell because of the remarkable congruence between his personality and acting skills. After seeing Burrell in the Dennis Quaid film In Good Company, Levitan and Lloyd were impressed by his ability to make even the most basic lines funny.
Ty Burrell’s road to Modern Family was, as luck would have it, littered with unexpected turns. In 2005, he took a trip to California and ended up on a casting call for Lloyd’s CBS show Out of Practice. Not only would Lloyd remember this experience as proof of Burrell’s skill, but it would also leave an indelible mark on his mind.
The actor stands out for his deadpan delivery and offbeat charisma. However, there were obstacles and disappointments along Burrell’s way, including his attempts to land roles such as Oliver Barnes and Gary Crezyzewski in Back to You.
Modern Family Showrunners Knew Ty Burrell Was The One
Even though Ty Burrell’s future was seemingly entwined with Phil Dunphy’s, another talented actor, Brendan Fraser, came close to getting the part. Despite his reputation for adaptability, actor Brendan Fraser experienced dry spells in his career.
The part of Phil Dunphy was one of those chances. On the other hand, Fraser’s candidacy was met with skepticism because of his association with a poorly received pilot. The network’s hesitance to cast Fraser was based on the mistaken belief that he wasn’t “that funny,” despite the character’s unique dynamics and the need for a diverse range of comedic approaches.
“They said they didn’t remember him being that funny. To which we said, ‘Well, the part wasn’t funny. He was the straight man to someone else meant to be funny.’ They were resistant to the point where they were like, ‘Look, we don’t want him in this role,’ We had to at least explore other actors, and we did. We read a lot of really good actors. With all due respect to those actors, we almost made a gigantic mistake in casting some of them. We knew Ty was right.”
The producers continued to argue that Burrell was the best choice to play Phil Dunphy. ABC was reluctant to give a major role to a relatively unknown actor, but Levitan and Lloyd overcame the network’s reluctance.
Even though the creators were convinced of Burrell’s potential, they had to look elsewhere for actors because of the network’s reluctance. They even read through numerous auditions, knowing that deviating from the script could result in a disastrous casting error.
Despite the competition, Ty Burrell was ultimately cast as Phil Dunphy. The writers’ faith in Burrell was justified by his performance, which won over audiences and earned them some good laughs. The American actor was essential to Modern Family’s phenomenal success because of his chemistry with the ensemble cast and his ability to deliver subtle and slapstick humor.
Source: The Things
