Modern Family's Nolan Gould Says It Was 'Strange' To Part Ways With Luke Dunphy After 11 Years

After so many critically acclaimed seasons (via Rotten Tomatoes) and a slew of top-rated episodes of "Modern Family," the ABC comedy eventually ended its successful run on the small screen, meaning its talented cast, including Nolan Gould, was forced to bid farewell to their onscreen counterparts, which was an odd endeavor for the person that played Luke Dunphy all those years.

During its reign of small-screen dominance, the mockumentary-style comedy series won 22 Emmy awards and earned over 80 nominations, making it a serious contender to be considered as arguably one of the funniest and most entertaining programs of its genre and format available. After debuting in September 2009, the show continued for an impressive 11 seasons and ended its remarkable run in April 2020. Since then, the cast of "Modern Family" has gone on to do various projects and endeavors. Gould, who played the youngest of the Dunphy household, is still doing TV, having appeared in an episode of "Grey's Anatomy." 

According to his IMDb, he will also soon be seen in the movie "The Nana Project" with Morgan Fairchild and "Camp" with Joey King. The actor has kept himself busy in the industry since the series ended, and if one had to guess, it would seem very likely that he has moved on from the Luke Dunphy persona. But while his "Modern Family" days are in the rearview mirror for Gould, leaving behind the adorably goofy personality was no easy task.

It's never easy when a series ends. Fans have no new episodes to look forward to and have to accept that their favorite characters are not returning for more. And it isn't just viewers that go through a lot when these things happen. The talented cast members also have to let go of their TV show alter egos, which isn't always the simplest of tasks. For Nolan Gould, the difficulty he experienced saying goodbye to Luke Dunphy when "Modern Family" ended was harder than the actor had anticipated. "It was strange detaching myself from Luke after playing him for so long. It makes me sad to think I'll never act or read lines as him again," Gould said in an interview with Da Man Magazine. "But at the same time, I spent over half my life pretending to be him and so I look forward to seeing what other roles I can do and how I can push myself as an actor."

His attachment isn't all that shocking, considering he played the part for over a decade in over 230 entries. But what some people might not realize is how different the actor is from Luke Dunphy. On the show, he played the loveable goofball of the family. But in reality, Nolan Gould is kind of a genius, having graduated high school at age 13 (via US Magazine) and being a member of Mensa. While Gould may not be experiencing the hilarious antics the character was known for on the show in real life, Luke will always have a special place in his heart, leaving him an assortment of fond memories of his time being a part of many of the funniest "Modern Family" moments.