Modern Family’s Julie Bowen Praised ‘Best Fake Daughter’ Sarah Hyland’s Broadway Performance, And Shots Fired At Ariel Winter’s Alex Dunphy

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For eleven seasons, audiences adored the characters on ABC’s hit sitcom, Modern Family, following the lives of the Pritchett, Dunphy, and other extended family members. After spending so much time together, the cast naturally grew close, becoming like a real family – and fans love seeing them reconnect. Recently, Julie Bowen and Sarah Hyland got together, and some believe Bowen may have subtly made a dig at Ariel Winter during their meeting.

Sarah Hyland, who played the oldest Dunphy daughter Haley on Modern Family, is currently portraying Connie Francis in Just in Time on Broadway. Her TV mom Julie Bowen had glowing praise after catching a performance and posted a photo of their backstage reunion to Instagram:

A post shared by Julie Bowen (@itsjuliebowen)

A photo posted by on

They seem like a very happy mother and daughter, don’t they? However, I noticed something interesting in the caption Julie Bowen wrote.

I’m incredibly proud of you, Sarah Hyland! You’re the most amazing ‘daughter’ a person could ask for.

We’re often told parents shouldn’t have favorite children, or at least shouldn’t openly express it, especially where other children might see. But does that advice apply to TV families? Sarah Hyland isn’t the only “daughter” Julie Bowen has on screen, and it makes you wonder how Ariel Winter feels about being compared.

Ariel Winter famously played Alex Dunphy, the intelligent middle child in the family, with an older sister, Haley, and a younger brother, Luke (played by Nolan Gould). It often felt like her character experienced the typical frustrations of being a middle child – overlooked or ignored. While some speculated about negative intent, it’s more likely Julie Bowen was simply enthusiastic about Sarah Hyland’s acting.

This isn’t the first time Ariel Winter has felt left out by her former Modern Family castmates. In 2021, shortly after the show ended, Sofia Vergara shared a photo of a get-together with Sarah Hyland and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Winter then asked why she and Nolan Gould hadn’t been invited.

Although Ariel Winter, who played Alex Dunphy, wasn’t able to be at every cast reunion, she did attend Sarah Hyland’s wedding. It’s likely she’s just as happy for Hyland’s success on stage as their on-screen mother is.

It’s been five years since Modern Family ended, and people have often talked about bringing the show back – whether with a reboot, a reunion special, or a spinoff. Recently, Jesse Tyler Ferguson mentioned wanting to join in after seeing Eric Stonestreet reconnect with their on-screen daughter.

Whether or not the Dunphy family will ever return to TV to resolve the debate over who was the best “fake daughter” remains to be seen. However, you can still enjoy all 11 seasons of Modern Family by subscribing to either Hulu or Peacock.

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2025-11-18 14:08