The family may have been close on screen, but behind the scenes, Modern Family had its own long-running feud.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson played Mitchell Pritchett throughout all 11 seasons of Modern Family. Photo: Mingle Media TV / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

For 11 seasons, Modern Family presented itself as a chaotic but loving extended family, following the interconnected lives of the Pritchett, Dunphy and Tucker families. The ABC-sitcom became one of television's biggest comedies before ending in 2020.

But according to one of its stars, the atmosphere behind the camera was not always quite as harmonious.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Mitchell Pritchett, has spoken about the tension between the show's two creators, Christopher Lloyd and Steven Levitan. The pair were reportedly no longer on good terms while the series was being produced, creating an awkward situation for the cast and crew.

Modern Family was all about people with very different personalities trying to get along. The characters argued, clashed and embarrassed each other, but they usually found a way to move past their differences by the end.

The disagreement between Lloyd and Levitan did not stop the series from becoming a major success. Modern Family ran for 11 seasons and won numerous awards, including multiple Emmys.

Despite the tension between the show's creators, the actors appear to have maintained strong relationships long after the series ended.

Julie Bowen, who played Claire Dunphy, has spoken about how much of the cast still communicates through a group chat. The actors have also continued to meet up outside of work, despite living in different places.

The Modern Family cast has remained connected since the series ended in 2020. Photo: Peabody Awards / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Ferguson, Bowen, Sofia Vergara and other former cast members have remained connected in the years since the sitcom ended. That makes the story behind the creators' feud somewhat different from the typical Hollywood falling-out.

The disagreement did not become a feud between the entire cast, and the actors have continued to speak warmly about their time working together.

Modern Family premiered in 2009 and quickly became a major part of ABC's comedy lineup. The series followed three connected households and mixed traditional sitcom humour with mockumentary-style interviews, allowing characters to speak directly to the camera.

The show eventually became known as much for its ensemble cast as for any individual character. Ferguson's Mitchell and Eric Stonestreet's Cameron became one of television's best-known couples, while Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell's Claire and Phil Dunphy became the centre of another branch of the family.

The series ended in 2020 after 11 seasons, but its popularity has continued through streaming and reruns.

The reunion of the cast has also kept Modern Family in the conversation years after the finale. With the show still available to new audiences through streaming, interest in the actors and their time on the series has not disappeared.