The actor starred as Mitchell Pritchett on the ABC sitcom
Credit: Bob D’Amico/ABC
NEED TO KNOW
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson admits he didn’t want to do the potential Modern Family spinoff that followed Mitchell and Cameron’s life after moving to Missouri
- The actor explained that he was excited for life post-Modern Family and wasn’t sure he wanted to continue his character’s story
- “As the reality of, maybe the spinoff was actually going to happen, I literally felt like, ‘Oh my god, I want to date other people,’” he said on the March 3 episode of his Dinner’s On Me podcast
Jesse Tyler Ferguson admits he was looking forward to life post-Modern Family.
While speaking to Wendy McLendon-Covey on the Tuesday, March 3 episode of his Dinner’s On Me podcast, the actor, 50, shared he was ready for something new after his 11-season run as Mitchell Pritchett, a lawyer-turned-district attorney, on the ABC sitcom.
Ferguson noted that the world entered the COVID-19 pandemic soon after the comedy series had ended, saying, “I was so excited for this next chapter of my life, and then it was like, everyone go inside.”
Credit: Peter “Hopper” Stone/ABC
"During that time, they were brewing this idea of maybe doing a Modern Family spinoff with [Eric Stonestreet] and I, which I was interested in, but I was also supposed to do this play in New York,” he explained.
Unsure of whether or not he wanted the story of Mitchell and Cameron (Stonestreet) to continue, Ferguson said he was hesitant about signing up for the spinoff.
"It sort of felt like, as the reality of, maybe the spinoff was actually going to happen, I literally felt like, ‘Oh my god, I want to date other people,’" he said.
In an industry that often leans on spinoffs of beloved shows, Ferguson explained he had “to feel what it’s like to not do that.”
Credit: Richard Cartwright/ABC
Since Modern Family wrapped six years ago, discussions of a spinoff series have floated around. McLendon-Covey, 56, even shared that she believes the cast will one day reunite.
“Modern Family will come back,” the St. Denis Medical star said. “And it’ll be the right time because enough time will have happened for new ideas to germinate, and you’ll all want to do it.”
Stonestreet shared his thoughts on the Pritchett-Tucker family spinoff during an appearance on In Depth With Graham Bensinger in 2024, explaining that he was on board with the idea of the new series but no longer believes there is potential for it or another spinoff.
“They had their chance,” he said. “[Co-creator] Chris Lloyd and a couple of other writers wrote a really great script that spun Jesse and I off in our life in Missouri, and they said ‘No.’”
“I love the show. I love Jesse,” Stonestreet noted. “We had a great working relationship. We had amazing chemistry… I would’ve kept going. I think everyone would’ve kept going a year away from everyone being done with the show.”
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