From the moment itpremiered in the fall of 2009,Modern Family became almost an instant classic. Its mix of clever situational humor and deep, heartfelt family messages made the show irresistible, a sure bet for fans of the sitcom formula. The mockumentary style and, most importantly, the diversity of its cast gave it an edge that made it stood out among a sea of comedies.
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Throughout its eleven season run, the show kept its large ensemble cast mostly intact, with only some sporadic inclusions later on. Its eccentric collection of characters were played by a wide range of actors of different heights and nationalities, but whose comedic talents were unparalleled.
Tallest: Adam DeVine (5'8")
The funny Adam DeVine appeared in the show for twenty-two episodes. Starting in Season 5, DeVine played Andy Bailey, Jay and Gloria's nanny for their son, Joe. He is extremely cordial and friendly, quickly making friends with the Dunphy clan.
His amiable nature makes him clash with Haley's more troublemaking attitude, but as it so often happens, opposites attract and they end up dating. However, the couple does eventually break up in Season 8 due to the complications of a long-distance relationship.
At 5'8", the thirty-seven-year-old DeVine has also appeared in several popular movies, includingPitch Perfect 1 and2,The Intern andIsn't It Romantic.
Shortest: Sofia Vergara (5'7")
Colombian-American actress Sofia Vergara rose to fame in the early 2000s, with films likeChasing Papi andMedea Goes to Jail, before landing the role of loving wife and mother Gloria Pritchett inModern Family.
Vergara received critical acclaim for her performance, being nominated four times for a 'Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series,' among other accolades. Vergara is 5'7", but is often seen wearing exceptionally high heels in the show, as part of Gloria's glamorous and colorful wardrobe.
Tallest: Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Nolan Gould (5'10")
A newcomer when cast in the show, Gould began his career at three, appearing in numerous commercials and accruing small roles in films. For his part, Tyler Ferguson was among the cast members of the short-lived CBS sitcom,The Class, and had several prominent roles in theater, including originating the role of Leaf in the original Broadway production ofThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. However, both of their big breaks came with their casting onModern Family.
Gould, who played Luke, Claire and Phil's vacuous son, was just eleven when the show first premiered. By the time it ended, the twenty-two stood at 5'10" and managed to reach the same height as his on-screen uncle, Mitchell.
Shortest: Tie - Julie Bowen & Rico Rodriguez (5'6")
Rico Rodriguez played Gloria's son, Manny, who develops a close friendship with Luke. Rodriguez made several guest appearances in prominent tv shows likeER,Nip/Tuck andiCarly prior to his casting inModern Family. For her part, Julie Bowen, who played Claire, had been acting since the '90s. She too appeared onER, in the 1998-1999 season, before rising to prominence in 2000 for playing schoolteacher Carol Vessey in Ed.
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Both Bowen and Rodriguez share the same height of 5'6", although their characters didn't share too many storylines during the show's run.
Tallest: Ty Burrell (6'0")
Before being cast as Phil Dunphy, the juvenile "cool dad" of Haley, Alex, and Luke, Ty Burrell worked on Back to You,another show fromModern Familycreators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan. At 6'0," Burrell is the tallest member in the entire Dunphy clan.
Something that people constantly forget is that Burrell is actually part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, he played the role of Leonard Samson, AKA Doc Samson, who had not yet received his powers and was in a relationship with Liv Tyler's Betty Ross.
Shortest: Nathan Lane (5'5")
Broadway icon and voice acting legend Nathan Lane had a recurring role as Pepper Saltzman, a friend of Cameron and Mitchell who was introduced in Season 2. Although he only appears in ten episodes, Lane certainly left a mark on the show, receiving three 'Primetime Emmy Nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series' in 2011, 2013, and 2014.
In a career spanning 45 years, the 5'5" Lane has played a wide range of roles in Broadway, including his Tony-winning roles inA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,The ProducersandAngels in America. He has also played Albert inThe Birdcage and voiced Timon inThe Lion King and SnowbellinStuart Little.
Tallest: Tie - Ed O'Neill & Eric Stonestreet (6'1")
Already a household name when he joinedModern Family, thanks to his iconic role as misanthropic shoe salesman Al Bundy inMarried With Children,Ed O'Neil was one of the main initial draws of the show. He played sarcastic Jay, who often played a chieftain role in the family dynamics.
O'Neil is 6'1," just like Eric Stonestreet, who played the fun and quirky Cameron Tucker. He works as a football coach later in the series, although, he's also a classically trained Auguste clown named Fizbo.
Shortest: Sarah Hyland (5'5")
Claire and Phil's eldest daughter, Haley is at first depicted as a rather vapid teenager, who's more concerned with dating and being popular than actually studying. As the series progresses, she considerably grows and develops, going through a lot of ups and downs before eventually marrying her high school boyfriend Dylan and having twins with him.
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The second shortest member of the cast, Hyland is 5'5", making her significantly shorter than her real-life partner, former The Bachelorette andBachelor in ParadisecontestantWells Adams, who's 6'0".
Tallest: Reid Ewing (6'2")
And speaking of Dylan, Reid Ewing tops the list of the tallest actors in the cast. Standing at an imposing 6'2," he's vastly taller than his on-screen wife, Sarah Hyland. Dylan was Haley's on-and-off boyfriend, who played the guitar and had no real-life goals. He was briefly married to a doctor named Elaine, before divorcing and finally marrying Haley in Season 10.
First appearing in Season 1, Ewing had a recurring role throughout the show's eleven seasons, having a total of 52 episodes under his credit. He also had recurring roles in two Disney Channel showsZeke and Luther andGood Luck Charlie.
Shortest: Ariel Winter (5'1")
The shortest member of theModern Family cast, Ariel Winter is 5'1". She played the role of Alex, Phil and Claire's bespectacled middle child, since the show's inception. Often portrayed as the most intelligent of the Dunphy children (by far), who enjoys taking advantage of her siblings' dumbness to mess with them, Alex has a wicked sense of humor but cares deeply for her family.
Prior toModern Family, Winter had small roles in some pretty famous films, likeKiss Kiss Bang Bang andSpeed Racer, where she played the role of young Trixie. She's also a prominent voice actress, lending her voice to numerous projects in both film, television, and even videogames.
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