When Eric Stonestreet Was Nervous About Playing Cameron In Modern Family Because He Isn’t Gay

Eric Stonestreet, who made us fall in love with the loud, lovable Cameron Tucker on Modern Family, almost didn’t take the role. Why? Well, it turns out he was a little freaked out about playing a gay character—because Stonestreet isn’t gay. Yep, the Emmy-winning actor wasn’t worried about pulling off the flamboyant flair (he nailed that, obviously) but about whether he was the right fit for such a groundbreaking role.

In a throwback moment, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Cam’s quieter, rule-following husband Mitch, spilled some behind-the-scenes tea during his Dinner’s on Me podcast. According to Ferguson, Stonestreet felt he wouldn’t be cast in today’s world of heightened representation. “If you ask Eric, he would say no,” Ferguson shared, recalling their past conversations. But it wasn’t about Stonestreet’s talent—Ferguson made that clear. “Not because he’s not wildly talented,” he added. It’s just that the industry landscape has evolved. (Well, times have changed.)

But here’s the thing—Eric Stonestreet owned the role of Cam, making him a pop culture icon. Ferguson can’t imagine anyone else bringing the same comedic gold, saying, “He’s a part of pop culture history.” Let’s be real: Cam’s lovable over-dramatics wouldn’t be the same without Stonestreet’s magic touch. He won two Emmys, so that’s proof enough.

Behind the scenes, though, Stonestreet was super thoughtful about how he portrayed Cam. Ferguson recalled that Stonestreet would constantly check in to make sure he wasn’t messing things up. And after a while, Ferguson had to be like, “Dude, stop! You’re killing it.” Cam and Mitch? Total goals for 11 seasons straight.

Things soured when the Modern Family spin-off got scrapped. But sadly, the network pulled the plug before it even took off. Stonestreet opened up about the rejection on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, and let’s just say it stung. The network basically said, “Nah, thanks.” And that hurt. Stonestreet admitted that he and Ferguson felt like they were being written off as the “old guys.” (Ouch.)

Still, Eric Stonestreet has no regrets about his Modern Family days. He once said the show was never about pushing an agenda—just about making people laugh. And laugh we did. But, hey, Stonestreet isn’t done yet. He’s still crossing his fingers for a future reunion (Christmas special, anyone?).

For now, we’ll just have to rewatch all 11 seasons and bask in Cam and Mitch’s hilarious, heartwarming dynamic, which took LGBTQ+ representation to new heights—no sugar-coating necessary.

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