‘Modern Family’ Cast Earns Big: Cast Makes a Lot in Residuals

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I absolutely loved watching Modern Family over its eleven seasons! It was amazing to see the actors and their characters grow up right before our eyes – it really felt like we were watching a family evolve.

Widely considered a standout comedy of the 2000s, the show blended witty jokes with genuine, relatable family struggles and emotional scenes.

Everyone in the show’s cast was perfectly suited for their role, including stars like Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Sarah Hyland, and Ariel Winter. As the show became more popular, their paychecks increased significantly over time.

Buzzfeed reports that Ed O’Neill’s salary on *Modern Family* began at $95,000 per episode in season one, increasing to $500,000 by season eleven. The salaries of Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson all started in the $30,000 to $60,000 range per episode, and they also eventually reached $500,000.

As a huge fan of ‘Modern Family,’ I always found it fascinating to learn about the cast’s salaries! It’s incredible how much things changed over the years. Eric Stonestreet started at around $20,000 an episode, but by the end, he was making a whopping $500,000! And the younger cast – Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould, and Rico Rodriguez – they saw huge jumps too. They began around $25,000 per episode and were eventually earning over $100,000 each. It’s amazing to see how successful they all became!

In addition to their regular pay, reports from Giant Freakin Robot suggest O’Neill earns $10 million annually from repeat payments for previous work. While similar earnings for other actors haven’t been disclosed, O’Neill’s income of $500,000 per episode – with most seasons having over 20 episodes – quickly becomes a substantial sum.

Getting to those high salaries wasn’t simple. Back in 2012, some of the actors actually took legal action, trying to get out of their contracts so they could negotiate for better pay.

According to BBC News, actors Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen, Reid Ewing, and Eric Stonestreet filed a lawsuit, claiming their contracts unfairly prevented them from pursuing other job opportunities. Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ed O’Neill were not involved in the legal action.

According to court filings, the TV show *Modern Family* has been incredibly popular and profitable, but this success is based on a series of unlawful agreements.

The actors didn’t show up for the initial table reads for season four, holding out until their concerns were resolved.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the cast requested over $300,000 per episode if the show went beyond its eighth season. This push for equitable compensation eventually led to the very high salaries they earned in the later seasons that fans enjoyed.

The high salaries and ongoing payments earned by the cast of Modern Family demonstrate that dedication and skillful negotiation are rewarded in the entertainment industry. The show’s triumph extended beyond what viewers saw, also happening through the efforts of those working on it.

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2025-10-20 14:44