'Modern Family' cast shares memories as series finale nears

group crying began after final scene of last episode of ABC’s “Modern Family” was taped — with table exception of Ed O’Neill, who plays patriarch Jay Pritchett.

“I said, ‘ tears?’” recalled his co-star, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. “He said, you kw what? Things hit me in a really weird way. I’ll be getting a facial in two weeks and, all of a sudden, I’ll burst into tears.’ And only thing I took from that is, Ed gets facials?”

After 11 seasons, “Modern Family” actors who’ve come to kw each or well — maybe minus spa treatments — compare saying goodbye to leaving high school. y marvel at friction-free years y worked toger and make plans to stay in touch, relying for w on digital group chats during pandemic-imposed isolation.

In recent interviews, cast and creators Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd shared favorite series moments, souvenirs y claimed, and what’s next for m. hourlong finale airs at 9 p.m. EDT Wednesday, preceded at 8 p.m. by retrospective special, “A Modern Farewell.”

GREAT JOB, GREAT MEMORIES

— Wher high school seniors believe it or t, re’s more and better relationships and experiences ahead of m, said Eric Stonestreet, who played Cameron Tucker. But Stonestreet finds it hard to believe that’s case after graduating from “Modern Family”: “We had a full-blown utopia, where we had a great group of people. We worked with professionals at top of ir game. And it’s going to be hard to recreate that.”

— Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Cam’s partner and eventually husband Mitchell Pritchett, said it was convergence of reality and fiction that resounded for him. In a “Modern Family” scene, Mitch is seen watching news foot that included his real-life spouse (actor-producer Justin Mikita) demonstrating for legalized same-sex marri in California. “It felt very like a circle moment. ... I couldn’t believe that I got to be married in real life, and n later I got to get married again on TV in front of millions and millions of people. It felt very important.”

—“It was combination of being critically acclaimed as well as popular that made for a heady mix,” Lloyd said. “re’s crazy milestones, like when Mitt Romney was running against (President Barack Obama) and y both stated it was ir favorite TV show. That doesn’t happen very often.”

— Ariel Winter, who played Alex Dunphy, says what she gained from show includes her relationship with lan Gould, who played her sibling Luke Dunphy. Winter calls Gould “one of my best friends. He really is little bror that I never had and that I love so much.”

SOUVENIRS, ANYONE?

— Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy) spent a fair amount of off-camera time in a hallway that mostly served as a waiting area for scenes shot elsewhere in Dunphy house. Cast photos decorated walls, along with paintings of birds that Bowen requested as a keepsake. artwork had “so much to do with that set, and being re and feeling at home,” she said.

— Winter says she may be only cast member that didn’t request any set decorations. “I kw it sounds weird, but for me, thing stuck out as something I needed" as a memento, she said. Having spent half her life on series, from 11 to 22, “it’s ingrained in my mind. ... I have memories, and I’m good with that.”

NEXT CHAPTER

— Bowen had planned to focus on producing and directing, but n she got a call for a new series, “Raised by Wolves,” from “Will & Grace” creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, “an offer I could t turn down.” With industry's coronavirus-caused production shutdown, “we’re in a holding pattern. ...I’m assuming re’s going to be life again. It’s really hard in this moment to kw what’s what.”

— Ty Burrell, who played opposite Bowen as her husband, Phil, is in voice cast of animated comedy “Duncanville” and also has an eye on producing. “I was planning on taking time to be with my family over course of this year," he said, a plan sealed by health crisis. Being home with his young children is silver lining.

— Rico Rodriquez, who played son Manny to Sofia Vergara’s Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, is a young man with big dreams. He and his sister started a production company to “write, produce, direct our own stuff,” and he’s open to outside opportunities to act as well. “I’m down for anything,” Rodriguez said.

A FOND FAREWELL

— last episode includes familiar comic moments of "Phil being Phil, Cam being Cam, Sofia being Sofia" said Lloyd, who wrote second half-hour. But it also includes a "sweet emotional hug in re, which is ar thing that audiences have come to expect from show, and I think it’s a good balance.”

— Levitan, who wrote part one, says “Modern Family” has tried to bring "a little joy and happiness into people’s lives. ... I would say that w more than ever, if people can tune in for an hour and forget about all dark things going on in our world today that would be wonderful.”

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Lynn Elber can be reached on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lynnelber.