Julie Bowen initially thought she wouldn’t get Claire’s role in Modern Family: Here’s why

When one thinks of Claire from Modern Family, the first thing that likely comes to their mind is Julie Bowen’s stellar performance. The actress’ role as the uptight, disciplined, but caring mother of three became one of the highlights of the show.

Not only did Bowen receive the audience’s love, but she also won two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. While nobody else can now be imagined in the role of Claire, Bowen was not very sure that she would land the role.

During a 2024 appearance on The Three Questions with Andy Richter, the actress recalled that she was pregnant when she was testing for the Modern Family pilot and hence thought she might not be selected for the show.

When Julie Bowen thought she would not land Claire’s role in Modern Family

During the interview, Julie Bowen revealed that she was pregnant when she auditioned for Modern Family. At the same time, she was testing for another show’s pilot, in which she was supposed to play a pregnant woman. Believing that the ABC sitcom would not cast her, she was going to prioritize the other show:

“I didn't think I got Modern Family because I was so pregnant. And so I was testing for two pilots at once, which is what you have to do. …You had to declare what your first position was. And so I was testing for two pilots, and I wanted Modern Family, but [on] the other show, the character was pregnant. And I was like, 'I've got a shot at that one.' So I put the other one in first position.”

However, she changed her mind after a call with series co-creator Steven Levitan, who convinced her that she must choose Modern Family in the first position, as they wanted her for the role despite her pregnancy:

“I said, ‘I need the job.’ Like you need the job that’s going to pay the bills, that’s got legs. I said, ‘If I put you in first position, I might not get anything.’ And then he was like, ‘Put us in first position.’ … They wouldn’t let me [switch it back]. But it all worked out. I sweat when I think about that. This close…”

Bowen eventually landed the role, and the rest, they say, is history. She went on to appear in all 11 seasons of the show between 2009 and 2020. Claire eventually became one of the fan favorites with her fierce personality and her adorable relationship with Phil. The character brought Bowen global fame and acclaim, and people still remember her as Claire even years after the show’s conclusion.

Meanwhile, the production crew hid her pregnancy by some clever camera techniques during the filming of the pilot. Her baby bump was hidden by stuff like a laundry bag and pillows, and at first glance, nobody could guess that Bowen was pregnant during the shoot.

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Apart from the ABC sitcom, Bowen has starred in the shows Hysteria!, Boston Legal, Lost, and ER. She has also appeared in the movies Happy Gilmore and its sequel, The Fallout, Life of the Party, and Jumping the Broom.

All seasons of Modern Family are available to stream on Hulu.

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