The patriarch. The myth. The man. We’re talking about Jay Pritchett, obvs. This guy definitely isn’t going to be able to enjoy his semi-retirement peacefully; between chasing Gloria, his kid Joe, his step-kid Manny and his grand-kids, well…livin’ ain’t easy. There’s no doubt that the show wouldn’t be the same without him. On the show he’s a divorcee that’s remarried a younger, Colombian beauty, however, in real life, he’s had a lot more staying power; he’s been married to Catherine Rusoff since 1986…that’s over 30 years! That number of years with the same person is something millennials definitely won’t be able to wrap their heads around!
The pair met whilst they were on the sitcom Married…with Children, (a series for which O’Neill, as Al Bundy, was nominated for two Golden Globes!) and have been together ever since. While Ed continues with his role on Modern Family, his wife Catherine has since had her curtain call and is focused on spending time with their two daughters, Sophia and Claire.
Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello (Married)
Look, if any woman is going to get the hunky, gorgeous, demi-god-like man which is Joe Manganiello, it is most certainly going to be Sofia Vergara! The Colombian actress who plays Jay’s Latina wife, Gloria, is an absolute stunner; with her curvaceous figure and long dark hair, we know she stops traffic not only on the show but in real life! It’s no wonder she caught the attention of ex-werewolf Manganiello. Ex-werewolf you ask? Surely you remember his role on the blood-sucking drama True Blood? The one where he took his shirt off basically every episode. Ah yes, that got your attention didn’t it?
Vergara, who is 4 years Manganiello’s senior, is definitely still smoking hot at 46 years of age! Yes, that’s right, 46! The pair got engaged just six months after they started dating and got married beach-side in 2015. Since then they’ve experienced wedded bliss and are one of Hollywood’s hottest couples! If they ever decide to have kids (we hope they do!) we know they’ll be absolutely gorgeous!
Julie Bowen & Scott Phillips (Divorced)
The woman who holds it all together, Claire Dunphy, is next on our list. Super-mom, homemaker and… let’s face it, control freak, has left us with…well, a little bit of a crush really. Married to Phil, sometimes we think her role is basically just a lot of head-shaking and yelling, but that’s why we love her! Claire’s marriage to Phil works well: the pair even pretended to pick each other up at a bar, which was guaranteed to end hilariously, however in real-life, things are not quite so rosy.
In 2003, Bowen tied the knot with software developer and real-estate investor Scott Phillips. It seems that after 14 years and three kids, the pair were decidedly not happily married and went their separate ways. We’re sure that with a career and three kids to juggle she will still be kept extremely busy and be able to move on with her life.
Ty Burrell & Holly Burrell (Married)
The moment Phil Dunphy walks into the room, all eyes are glued on him, awaiting his next move. Anything he touches turns into a disaster, which becomes comedy gold! Any idea he has…well, you know what we mean! We still can’t get over the alpaca. The hilarious, yet extremely quirky Phil is forever trying to be the “cool” dad…when really, he just can’t seem to win the approval of his kids. Except for Luke of course! He’s got his dad’s back! But when Ty Burrell isn’t making his on-screen wife pull her hair out on Modern Family, he is happily married to his professional chef wife, Holly.
Whilst we often sadly see celebrity relationships break down, Ty and Holly may have found the secret; pursuing careers in different industries! Holly actually started out in the entertainment world just like Ty; it seems fitting that the pair first met at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington D.C. Look, if we’re ever invited over for dinner (the chances may be slim but we’re hopeful), we’ll sure be in for a treat!
Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Justin Mikita (Married)
“I actually came out to my Dad three times before he acknowledged it. I’m not sure if maybe he was hoping he heard it wrong, like I said ‘Dad, I’m grey.’” Pretty sure you know who would’ve said this; it’s Jay’s first son, Mitchell Pritchett! Of course, we know that he makes up half of the fabulous gay couple in the series, alongside his partner in crime, Cameron Tucker. Mitchell is most definitely the calmer, more grounded partner…though he isn’t without his occasional moments! He definitely is the yin to Tucker’s flamboyant yang, though we know that whilst the pair have on-screen magic, Eric Stonestreet just isn’t the right man for Jesse.
Tyler Ferguson is married to actor and producer Justin Mikita, with whom he dated for many years before walking down the aisle in 2013! Mikita, who is also an activist and social innovator, seems to be quite the interior decorator; recently the couple were featured on Architectural Digest’s website for their stylish home. Who says you can’t have it all?! Oh, and we’re totally gaga over the fact they’re tight with John Legend and supermodel wife Chrissie Teigen!