What Julie Bowen (Claire Dunphy) Has Been Up To Since Modern Family Ended
Trying to keep a household of three teens and an entire Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) in check is no simple task, which is part of what puts Claire Dunphy (Julie Bowen) in a league of her own when it comes to sitcom mothers.
There's not a hair out of place when Claire is around. While her upbringing saw her live wild and free, Claire's turn as a mother would see her become a different beast entirely. The family matriarch is well known for her uptight and controlling nature, which humorously clashes with her husband's more zen mindset. Nevertheless, Claire knows what she's doing with the ability to help her family get out of almost any tight situation, and we love her for that. Along with this, she's set off on numerous ambitious endeavors outside of her familial duties, from running for a town council seat to becoming Senior Vice President of an office supply chain.
The end of "Modern Family" in 2020 may have marked the end of Claire's misadventures, but thankfully, it's been far from the end of Julie Bowen's time on our screens.
Bowen continues to kick it in the comedy category
Since the end of "Modern Family" Julie Bowen has kept herself plenty busy with some notable roles. Her first major project following the hit ABC series saw her reunite with her "Happy Gilmore" co-star Adam Sandler to join the star-studded Netflix horror comedy "Hubie Halloween." The film, which also stars the likes of Kevin James, Kenan Thompson, Maya Rudolph and Steve Buscemi, follows underdog deli worker Hubie Dubois (Sandler) who must save his town of Salem, Massachusetts from an oncoming threat. In the film, Bowen portrays Hubie's love interest Violet Valentine, who eventually marries him at the end.
Bowen's resume would continue to largely lean toward comedy. In 2021, she finished her time on "DuckTales" as recurring character Penumbra followed by an appearance in a Season 11 episode of the HBO series "Curb Your Enthusiasm." The following year, Bowen lent her voice to "American Dad" as Trashelle in the Season 17 episode "Langley Dollar Listings."
She played two similar moms in two very different movies
No matter where Julie Bowen appears, fans will always remember her as the no-nonsense mother in "Modern Family." But while she seemingly left the persona behind when the show ended in 2020, the following year saw the actress somewhat return to her motherly ways in two film roles that saw her characters go through similar struggles.
She first starred in the hard-hitting drama "The Fallout" as mother Patricia Cavell. The troubled parent struggles to communicate with her daughter, Vada (Jenna Ortega), following a school shooting that leaves the high schooler sufficiently shaken up. The film's award-winning South by Southwest premiere was met with immense praise, resulting in the film to become a streaming hit when it appeared on HBO Max a year later.
Bowen's next appearance came in the more-lighthearted Netflix romp "Mixtape." The comedy set in 1999 sees Bowen star as Gail, a USPS driver and grandmother of young Beverly (Gemma Brooke Allen). Here, Bowen plays a similar role as a parent helping their child get through a difficult time, as Beverley's parents died long ago. The charming film won over critics, who gave it a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.