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'It was the only life I've ever known.' Where the kids from Modern Family are now, 15 years later.

Back in 2009, a very different type of family hit our TV screens

The hit American sitcom Modern Family followed the chaotic and hilariously relatable lives of the Dunphys and Pritchetts.

We finally said goodbye in 2020, after 11 seasons, in which Haley had twins, Cam, Mitch, and Lily moved away to Missouri, Alex relocated to Switzerland, Jay began learning Spanish for Gloria, and Luke finally went off to college.

Yup, it was an emotional goodbye to the one big family we had come to know and love.

Now, more than 15 years on from the show's premiere, the Dunphy and Pritchett kids are all grown up... including baby Joe, who will be turning 13 this year. Yes, really.

Here's a look at what the kids from Modern Family are doing now.

Sarah Hyland (Haley Dunphy)

Sarah Hyland in Modern Family and in 2024. Image: NBC/Getty.

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Sarah Hyland shot to fame after playing eldest daughter Haley Dunphy on Modern Family. Before the show, Hyland played minor roles in films like Private Parts and Annie. 

Since then, the 33-year-old has appeared in films Geek Charming, Scary Movie 5, Vampire Academy and the 2017 Dirty Dancing remake.

In August 2022, Hyland married The Bachelorette alum Wells Adams, where much of the Modern Family cast attended. 

She also starred in Canadian rom-com My Fake Boyfriend as 'Kelly'. In recent years, she has appeared on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as a guest judge and hosted Love Island USA. 

Hyland is also the founder of Sourse, a vitamin-infused chocolate company.

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Ariel Winter (Alex Dunphy)

Ariel Winter in Modern Family and in 2023. Image: NBC/Getty.

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Ariel Winter was just 11 years old when she first played Alex Dunphy on Modern Family. 

Since then, the now-26-year-old has gone on to work as a voice actress, having lent her voice to Sofia the First, Phineas And Ferb, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and Mr. Peabody & Sherman alongside her TV dad, Ty Burrell.

In 2017, Winter began pursuing her college degree at UCLA, according to Entertainment TonightHowever, she later decided to take a break, telling the publication, "I think education’s really important. I love being there. I love learning". 

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In August 2020, Winter wrapped filming her first gig since Modern Family, a comedy thriller titled Don't Long Off.  

Since filming the movie, she's been dating her costar, Luke Benward, and in 2022, she quietly moved out of Los Angeles to stay out of the spotlight.

"Part of the reason I always hated LA was because I have been followed by paparazzi for a very long portion of my life," Winter told the Quitters Podcast, hosted by her on-screen mother Julie Bowen. "I really really dislike having my space invaded. I don't like pictures of me when I haven't signed up for pictures of me, I don't like feeling watched. I've always just wanted to live a very, very normal life. Just have a normal existence."

Last year, she appeared on the reality competition series Stars on Mars.

Nolan Gould (Luke Dunphy)

Nolan Gould in Modern Family and in 2024. Image: NBC/Getty.

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Like his on-screen sister, Nolan Gould took on the role of Luke Dunphy when he was just 11 years old. And while his character isn't exactly known for his intelligence, Gould is actually a genius in real life. 

He not only graduated from high school at 13 years old, but also told Ellen Degeneres that he has an IQ of 150 and is part of high-IQ society Mensa International.

Since first appearing on Modern Family, the now-25-year-old has continued acting and landed roles in Space Buddies, The To Do List, Good Luck Charlie, Yes, and What's Up North.

Gould also appeared on The Celebrity Dating Game in 2021 and an episode of Grey's Anatomy in 2022.

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Rico Rodriguez (Manny Delgado)

Rico Rodriguez in Modern Family and in 2024. Image: NBC/Instagram @starringrico.

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Rico Rodriguez played the lovable and very mature Manny Delgado on Modern Family. During his time on the show, the now 25-year-old also appeared in The Muppets, Austin & Ally, and Good Luck Charlie. 

He's also voiced characters in Americano, Victor & Valentino and Disney's The Lion Guard, and is lending his voice again in the upcoming animation Sneaks. The actor also recently announced he'd be playing an audio role in the comedy-thriller podcast series How to Win Friends and Disappear People. 

The actor published his memoir, Reel Life Lessons... So Far in 2012, which he wrote with Laura Morton.

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Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Lily Tucker-Pritchett)

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons in Modern Family and in 2024. Image: NBC/Instagram @aubreyandersonemmons.

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Aubrey Anderson-Emmons took up the role of Lily when she was just four years old. Before that, the role was played by twins Jaden and Ella Hiller. 

Aside from Modern Family, the 16-year-old has only acted in a 2014 short film called Distance. She's also the lead singer in her band, October. Anderson-Emmons recently shared what it was like to be a child star to her TikTok followers on April 16, saying there were good and bad moments.

"There are moments that were fun for sure and there were things that I loved about it. But you know, it is work and I think we do have to keep that in mind," she said. "I felt like we were all kind of very lucky because it was one of those shows where the actors were not there every single day."

She said that people might think it is mostly just fun being on set, she had more work to do by juggling it with school and homework. 

"I was working, and if I wasn't working on the set, then I had to do three hours of studio school a day," she said. "I had no time to rest except lunch."

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Jeremy Maguire (Joe Pritchett)

Jeremy Maguire in Modern Family and in 2023. Image: NBC/Instagram @superjmaguire.

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Jeremy Maguire might have been a late addition to Modern Family, but he was beloved. The young actor played Jay and Gloria's son Joe, taking over from infant actor Pierce Wallace in season four. 

Over the years, the now-12-year-old (yes, really!) has also appeared in TV series The Last Ship and film I'm Not There, as well as the comedy-drama film The Virgin of Highland Park and TV series Turner & Hooch.

In a recent interview, he shared about the difficulty in ending Modern Family. 

"When you're growing up and there's a camera in front of your face, sometimes you don't wrap your head around the fact that these aren't your actual family," he told E News. "And that's just really hard, especially for me because, you know, I love everybody. After Modern ended, I was so sad 'cause [it was the] only life I've ever known.

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"I miss everybody. I miss waking up at 5am and driving down to Los Angeles and being there for hours on end. Just sparks pure joy in me to do that."

This post was originally published on February 22, 2021 and has since been updated with new information.

Who was your favourite character on Modern Family? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature Image: Instagram @superjmaguire, @sarahhyland.