Actor Ty Burrell recently opened up about his challenging journey to landing the iconic role of Phil Dunphy on 'Modern Family,' including being told he "wasn't funny" during initial auditions.
Speaking on Jesse Tyler Ferguson's "Dinner's on Me" podcast, Burrell admitted he "really flopped the first test" due to appearing too "stiff." The ABC executives didn't mince words in their feedback, bluntly stating he wasn't funny - a criticism Burrell jokes that "some people still feel that way."
Despite the rocky start, series creators Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan, who had written the Phil Dunphy character with Burrell in mind, remained convinced he was perfect for the part. Their faith led to a second chance through an improvised backyard screen test with Sarah Hyland, who would later play his on-screen daughter.
"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," Burrell explained. "And that one worked."
The journey to secure the role took 12 weeks, as detailed in Marc Freeman's 2020 book about the show's history. The informal backyard footage proved to be the turning point, finally convincing ABC executives of Burrell's comedic abilities.
Claudia Lyon, ABC's former VP of Casting, described watching the tape as "looking at magic happen." Burrell credits director Jason Winer and the show's creators for helping him relax during the crucial backyard shoot, especially after earlier setbacks.
The persistence paid off - Burrell went on to win two Emmy Awards and received six additional nominations for his portrayal of the loveable Phil Dunphy during the show's successful run.
"That's really where I owe them because they went way beyond to film it," Burrell reflected. "They knew that the script needed to be filmed, but also that I needed every bit of help that I could get after stinking up a couple of screen tests."