Modern Family is back but its stars are in turmoil
It’s one of the most successful sitcoms of all time but as they return to our screens this week, the cast are at breaking point
ARIEL WINTER
Ariel is well-known for her racy outfits, but behind-the-scenes the 20-year-old has faced intense family issues. Ariel’s sister Shanelle Workman filed to be her guardian in 2012, claiming their mum Chrisoula Workman had been “physically and emotionally abusive”. Chrisoula denied the claims, but the star confirmed in May 2015 she was officially emancipated. One month later, Ariel revealed she had undergone breast reduction surgery after struggling to deal with unwanted attention.
ED O’NEILL
Viewers have watched his character, grumpy yet lovable patriarch Jay Pritchett, come to terms with his son Mitchell’s homosexuality, but in real life Ed, 72, has come under fire for comments about his former Married… With Children co-star Amanda Bearse. “When she started out, she was gay. She’s been gay a long time,” he said. “She was very, very feminine and cute, and then as the show progressed, that change took place where she then was the more masculine of the two. As she became more masculine she became more snarky.”
SOFIA VERGARA
While Sofia is happily married to Spider-man stunner Joe Manganiello, her love-life hasn’t always been so rosy. When the 46-yearold split from ex-fiance Nick Lobe in 2014, they became embroiled in a bitter legal battle over two frozen embryos. The right-to-life lawsuit claimed the embryos should be born via a surrogate and that Sofia had “abandoned” them by leaving them in a tank and therefore had no parental rights. The complicated legal battle is yet to be resolved.
TY BURRELL
Ty has grown to be one of the most well-respected comedy actors around despite not finding success until he was in his 40s. Before then, the 51-year-old revealed he lived in his van on and off for a year when he was in his late 20s, and struggled to get a date. “When my date figured out I was living in my van, I didn’t hear from her again,” says Ty, who friends say still fears going back to his old life. “I didn’t realise I was the creepy guy in a van... the van pretty much eliminated my dating life.”
JULIE BOWEN
Although the popularity of the show has seen Julie’s career skyrocket, it has taken its toll on her personal life. The 48-year-old separated from husband of 13 years Scott Phillips in February after revealing she was in therapy. The couple have three sons, 10-year-old Oliver and twins John and Gustav, eight. It seems the pressure of her fame was too much for the real estate investor, who is now seeking spousal support. Julie confessed that it’s “tough to be a purse holder” on the red carpet.
SARAH HYLAND
In light of the #Metoo movement, Sarah revealed she has been a victim of sexual assault, recently tweeting she was subjected to a horrific ordeal by a friend in high school. Sarah also had to file a restraining order against her former boyfriend, actor Matt Prokop, claiming he choked her with “a grip so tight that [she] could not breathe or speak”. Over the years, the 27-year-old has also struggled with health issues, having suffered kidney dysplasia as a child and receiving a kidney transplant from her father in 2012.