Ty Burrell’s portrayal of Phil Dunphy on Modern Family turned the character into one of the television’s most endearing and unforgettable dads. With his goofy charm, unrelenting optimism, and awkward attempts to connect with his family, Burrell has even earned two Emmys, solidifying his place as one of TV’s best dads. Phil is a realtor who is very confident in his work and never stops trying to connect with his family.
However, Burrell’s success in the role wasn’t guaranteed. Before landing the part, he was facing a tough financial situation that could have ended his career if Modern Family had failed.
Ty Burrell was struggling with an extreme financial battle before his breakout role in Modern Family
Ty Burrell‘s path to the role of Phil Dunphy wasn’t easy. Before his big break, Burrell was a struggling actor who had yet to make a lasting impression in Hollywood. He had random roles in movies and TV shows, but they weren’t enough to secure him consistent work or financial stability. He even tried to land in several commercials but everything was a failure.
In Mark Freeman’s book Modern Family, The Untold Oral History of One of Television’s Groundbreaking Sitcoms, creators Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd revealed how Burrell became the beloved actor he is today. The creators also shared how they landed Burrell in his big role as Phil Dunphy in Modern Family.
In 2005, Burrell’s fortunes started to shift when he was in a casting session for the CBS sitcom Out of Practice. He had surprisingly impressed co-creator Lloyd with his performance in the movie In Good Company. Still, at that time Burrell’s financial situation was dire, and he continued struggling to make ends meet. However, thanks to his supportive wife, Holly, Burrell barely managed to survive.
Burrell visited LA for work during the pilot season, and he was 36, which was a pretty scary age, according to productions and studios. “That scared studios and networks because they get leery of anyone approaching 40 who hasn’t made their mark yet,” Lloyd admitted. He used to bring his bag to the screen test because he couldn’t afford to stay anymore in LA.
After the first stage of the screen test, he was about to pack his bags and return to New York. Lloyd recalled, “Paramount liked him, but it was going to be two hours until we could get over to CBS, where they were going to hear him read.” Burrell’s financial struggle was evident to those around him. The co-creator said,
I saw him run out to the taxi and ask the guy, Could you wait? I might need you to drive me to CBS.’ It broke my heart because I thought, ‘This guy has no money at all. And he’s telling a taxi to wait for two hours.
Thankfully, Burrell managed to impress CBS for his role. Despite his lack of resources, Burrell’s raw talent and determination stood out and the creator saw in him the perfect person to bring Phil Dunphy to life in the ABC show. Lloyd brought Burrell for his sitcom Back to You, which was picked by Fox.
The Modern Family creators built Phil Dunphy’s character based on Ty Burrell
When Modern Family was in its early stages, Levitan and Lloyd were convinced Burrell was their Phil. Levitan stated,
We wrote Phil for Ty because there’s something about the fact that this guy is unrelentingly nice, never stops trying, and is a big kid. All of that applies to Ty.
The role was a perfect fit, and even though Burrell knew there were still hurdles to overcome, he was willing to take this risk. “They said, ‘We have this pilot we wrote and this part with you in mind.’ I’ve been in that situation enough to know that doesn’t mean you have the part, that ultimately a network and studio have to sign off,” Burrell admits. “But it still doesn’t save you from emotionally going there”.
Despite their belief in Burrell, getting the network on board was no easy task. It took convincing, but in the end, Burrell was cast as Phil Dunphy. The decision proved to be a game-changer, not only for Modern Family, which would go on to become a massive success, but for Burrell, whose career skyrocketed. His portrayal of Phil earned him two Emmy Awards and six nominations, and that earned him life-changing opportunities.
Modern Family is available to stream on Hulu.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
