Modern Family almost had a Friends star as Phil Dunphy, here’s why it didn't happen

Modern Family is incomplete without Phil Dunphy. He is the suburban dad, a magic enthusiast, and a self-proclaimed “cool dad”. He is also a walking encyclopedia of dad jokes.

Ty Burrell played this role to absolute perfection, and that's how Phil landed a special place in the heart of all Modern Family fans. He is goofy, but also the heart and soul of the show.

He has a knack for inventing new parenting techniques. He also desperately tries to bond with his kids and his father-in-law. Well, he loves to be liked. That's why he gives off golden retriever energy.

When we think Phil, we think laughs and love and just relentless optimism that somehow makes even his most cringeworthy moments weirdly charming.

But Phil almost wasn’t Phil as we know him. Before Ty Burrell landed the role and made it his own, there was another name associated with the role: Matt LeBlanc. Yes, Joey from Friends!

Can you imagine a world where Joey Tribbiani said “How you doin’?” but as the "cool dad" Phil? Well, even Matt LeBlanc knew it didn’t feel right and turned it down. And thank goodness he did.

Because while he’ll always be our favorite struggling actor from NYC, Ty Burrell’s Phil Dunphy became something else entirely. He is an irreplaceable part of TV history.

Modern Family: Matt LeBlanc turned down the role, and we're kind of glad he did

We almost had Joey Tribbiani from Friends as the delightfully awkward Phil Dunphy. When the pilot script for Modern Family landed on Matt LeBlanc’s desk, the role of Phil was his for the taking. But he passed. In an interview with USA Today, he admitted:

"[The pilot script] came across my desk with an offer to play Ty Burrell’s role. I remember reading it thinking, this is a really good script, (but) I’m not the guy for this. I’d be doing the project an injustice to take this. I know what I can do, I know what I can’t do. Plus, I’m having too much fun laying on the couch.”

Honestly, that level of honesty and humility is rare in Hollywood. And in hindsight, it was the right call. That decision changed everything in the best way possible. Phil Dunphy is the sitcom dad of a generation. He is a little awkward, but that lovable energy is unbeatable. Joey is cool and breezy. Phil is nerdy and vulnerable.

Ty Burrell brought a unique charm and sincerity to the character that may not have landed the same way with LeBlanc’s style. It’s hard to picture anyone else in that role.

LeBlanc is Joey, forever and always. But Phil in Modern Family needed someone who could bounce between absurd dad jokes and unexpected moments of genuine heart. Ty Burrell was that guy.

So thank you, Matt, for chilling on that couch. Because thanks to that, we got a Modern Family character who made us laugh and cry (tears of happiness).

Stay tuned to Soap Central for more updates and detailed coverage.

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Edited by Parishmita Baruah