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Well, yes. He rejected the role but he just did so because he didn’t want to “do the project an injustice.” Bold move, right? Back in 2009, Matt LeBlanc was chillin’ after the epic flame-out of his Joey spinoff. The Modern Family pilot script lands on his desk, and instead of jumping on the role, he has a moment of clarity.
“I remember reading it thinking, this is a really good script, (but) I’m not the guy for this,” LeBlanc told USA Today. “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.”
Yup, couch time over sitcom stardom. Matt knew what he was about. He wanted to be sure the role was the right fit. And honestly? He was right. The role of Phil Dunphy was legit tailor-made for Ty Burrell.
In fact, Modern Family creators had their eyes set on Burrell from the get-go. But when ABC’s higher-ups had doubts, LeBlanc was approached as a potential backup. LeBlanc, being the good sport he is, passed. And the rest is Modern Family history.
Burrell nailed Phil, making the character one of TV’s most lovable goofballs—and racking up a bunch of Emmy nods along the way. LeBlanc, though, wasn’t crying over lost opportunities. He later returned to TV with Episodes in 2011, playing a version of himself.
Oh, and remember that advice LeBlanc gave to Jesse Tyler Ferguson when the Modern Family cast was dealing with salary negotiations in 2012? Golden. LeBlanc told him, “You have to walk out, or they won’t take you seriously. If you stick together, you have power.” Solid words. But here’s the kicker: when the cast went on strike, LeBlanc texted Ferguson saying, “I said, ‘Hey, I killed it as Mitch today at the table read, thanks for the opportunity!’”
Classic LeBlanc move—pulling pranks while dispensing advice.
Looking back, we’ll never know how Modern Family would have played out with LeBlanc as Phil. But let’s be real, Ty Burrell brought something special to the table that we can’t imagine anyone else pulling off. And LeBlanc? He ended up thriving in his own lane, proving he wasn’t just Joey Tribbiani. He was a dude who knew exactly what role was his—and Episodes was that role.
So yeah, Modern Family might have looked a little different, but in the end, both LeBlanc and Burrell found their sitcom sweet spots. Everyone wins.
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