The One Co-Star Sofia Vergara Couldn't Stand On Modern Family
If you're one of those people who squealed in delight and practically did backflips when the "Modern Family" cast had their first grand reunion after the show ended, you have Sofia Vergara to thank. The actor, who starred as the ever-fabulous Gloria Delgado-Pritchett in the hit comedy series for 11 seasons, put together a nostalgia-packed gathering for the entire cast in November 2023, much to the delight of fans. Everyone was in attendance, with the exception of Ty Burrell, who played Phil Dunphy, and another cast member with whom Vergara admittedly had beef.
Speaking with People, she dished that despite having a lot on her plate, she took it upon herself to play hostess. "It was the only day that Eric Stonestreet was going to be in L.A.," she said. "So I said, 'I don't care if I have an event the next day, ... let's all come to my house and we'll get together.'" And guess what? It was a blast! "It was very special. ... It was very exciting for all of us," she added. "It's amazing because we're always connected. Even though we haven't seen each other in so long, it felt like we just left the set."
It's pretty clear that the "Modern Family" cast is as tight as ever. Don't be shocked if they pop up with a reboot or reunion special down the line. It's almost expected at this point! Vergara, though, will be the first to admit that she's not endeared to every single member of the cast, particularly those of the non-human variety.
She couldn't stand Stella the dog
Don't get us wrong; Sofia Vergara is chummy with the entire human cast of "Modern Family," it's only Stella, the furry little diva adopted by her onscreen husband, Jay Pritchett, that she had trouble getting along with. Initially played by a doggo actor named Brigitte and later by another named Beatrice, Stella was the bane of Gloria's existence. Sadly, Beatrice crossed the rainbow bridge in 2020, right after the show's finale.
Back in 2012 at Paleyfest, the "Griselda" actor admitted that the pooch was just too playful for her taste, hence the one-sided beef. "It's not that I hate the dog!" she said. "It's that — I'm not used to having a little dog on top of me and licking." Her upbringing in Colombia with big, yard-bound dogs didn't help Stella's case. "I grew up in Colombia, where you have big dogs in your yard, and the dogs sleep outside of the house," she explained. "They don't go into your bed like you're Paris Hilton. It's a different thing. I don't have anything personal with her!" Meanwhile, Ed O'Neill had grown fond of the pup, much like his character. "I absolutely love the dog. It's like a little bowling ball," he said.
Vergara's rivalry with Stella translated well on-screen, though, which was what the creators intended from the get-go. "[Stella] was always intended for the Pritchetts only," executive producer Christopher Lloyd told The New York Post. "We wanted a new element in the household — specifically, a rival for Gloria — to shake things up." Well, mission accomplished!
Sofia also has a bone to pick with Ed O'Neill — sort of
Even though "Modern Family" wrapped up its run in 2020, the cast keeps the group chat alive and buzzing — with the exception of Ed O'Neill. In an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Vergara dished that O'Neill is not exactly what you would call tech-savvy. "The only one who is not very good because he's very old is Ed O'Neill. He's not good with them," she quipped. "We joke about something, or we say something, and he reacts 26 weeks later. And then nobody knows what he's talking about."
But outside of the digital divide, Vergara and O'Neill are thick as thieves. Despite Vergara's initial concerns about their age gap and varying backgrounds, they transitioned from co-stars to genuine friends. "Imagine, at the beginning, I was a little worried because Ed and I have a big age difference," Vergara shared on Rob Lowe's "Literally!" podcast. "It's 20-something years different. I am Colombian. If you look at us, you would think that we have nothing in common. I can assure you that in 11 years, there wasn't a second that we weren't talking about something, laughing about something." She went on to applaud his professionalism, something that she appreciated in over a decade of working together. "It was so amazing, in 11 years, we didn't even have one disagreement," she continued. "He never annoyed me."