Even six years after Modern Family wrapped its 11-season run, Jesse Tyler Ferguson still knows exactly which of his former castmates he’d trust to have his back on stage.
During a red carpet interview with PEOPLE at the 2026 Tony Awards, the actor—who famously played Mitchell Pritchett on the beloved ABCsitcom—was asked which member of his Modern Family family he’d most want to “join forces” with in a theatrical setting. Ferguson didn’t hesitate with his answer.
“Well, I mean, Sarah Hyland, I would feel the safest on stage with her because she’s a, she’s a pro,” he said on Sunday, June 7.
Hyland, who played Ferguson’s on-screen niece Haley Dunphy throughout the show’s run from 2009 to 2020, has extensive stage experience in addition to her television work. The actress made her Broadway debut as a child in Grey Gardens as the young Jackie Bouvier. In 2021, she starred as Audrey in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors, earning rave reviews for her performance opposite Glee alum Darren Criss. So it’s no surprise Ferguson would want the actress in his corner if Broadway ever came calling.
That said, there was another former castmate he admitted he’d love to work with—even if it came with a few extra nerves. “I would be interested in doing something with Eric Stonetreet, but I don’t know how safe I feel with him on stage,” Ferguson joked.
He quickly clarified that the concern had less to do with talent and more to do with his longtime friend potentially getting in his own head. “I just feel like I’d really, you know, he’d be a lot of nerves,” Ferguson explained. “I know Eric pretty well. He’d be very, very nervous, but he would be great, amazing on stage, yeah.”🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
Ferguson also gave a shout-out to Sofía Vergara, suggesting the actress has untapped Broadway potential. “I feel like Sofia Vergara could do something great on Broadway,” he said. “She’s been in Chicago. She was Mama Morton in Chicago, like in Miami, and then for like a week on Broadway, I think.”
The comments are just the latest reminder that the Modern Family cast has remained close long after the cameras stopped rolling. Earlier this year, Ariel Winter revealed she was living with former co-star Nolan Gould following a breakup, joking that the pair had created their own “little Modern Family reboot.”
This story was originally published by Parade on Jun 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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