“I really flopped the first test” — Ty Burrell was reportedly told he’s too “stiff” and “not funny” after Modern Family audition

One of Modern Family's pivotal characters is Phil Dunphy, played by Ty Burrell. Fans love the iconic sitcom for its engaging characters and storyline, witty dialogues, and beautiful family bonds .

While watching the show, it often feels like the characters were simply written for the particular actors. However, Ty's audition for the fun-loving father Phil almost did not get him the role.

Recently, Ty Burrell featured on the Dinner's on Me podcast co-hosted by actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson. In a conversation with the on-screen Mitchell Pritchett, Ty revealed how his first audition for Modern Family went wrong and failed.

He confessed:

"I really flopped the first test."

While sharing remarks for his test, the executives at ABC assessed his performance as "stiff."

Ty Burrell spoke about his first audition for Modern Family

While chatting with co-star Jesse on the podcast, Ty recalled the days before he was selected to play Phil Dunphy. Talking about his audition and people's reactions, he remembered someone commenting about him:

"He's not funny."

Hilariously, he continued:

"And some people still feel that way."

Per an Entertainment Weekly report, not everyone was impressed with Ty Burrell's audition and thought of looking for other actors for the popular character. However, co-creators and co-writers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd were confident about Burrell, as they had curated the character based on him and his instincts.

In the next test, Ty showcased an improved performance and proved why he was a great fit to play Phil.

Soon, Ty Burrell underwent a screen test, acting his part with Sarah Hyland, or Phil's eldest daughter Haley Dunphy in Modern Family.

Remembering those days, Ty said:

"We went and filmed in Steve Levitan's yard with Sarah Hyland, and we got to improvise and do a more like, single camera audition for it. And that one worked."

Although the creators of the sitcom considered Ty for Phil's character, his journey to be a permanent part of the show was a long one, too..

Marc Freeman's book, Modern Family: The Untold Oral History of One of Television's Ground­breaking Sitcoms, mentions that the actor auditioned and did screen tests for around two weeks before the executives agreed to choose him for the role.

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For Modern Family, Ty Burrell won multiple awards and accolades. He won the Emmy Awards in 2011 and 2014 as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, and in 2012 he received the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

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