Age is just a number until you get to Hollywood. In a Buzzfeed interview posted on July 18, Sarah Hyland revealed that she almost didn't score an audition for her beloved "Modern Family" role due to her age. In the first season of the show, which aired in 2009, Hyland's character, Haley Dunphy, was meant to be 15 years old, but the actor herself was already 18, leading to some concerns from the producers.
"They were like, 'She's too old.' And at the time, my agent's assistant fought for me to get in the room," Hyland said to Buzzfeed. "She was like, 'She doesn't look 18 years old, I promise you! She looks very, very young!'"
Thanks to the dedication of her team, Hyland got her foot in the door and ended up doing a pre-reading for the cast. Still, because she was perceived to be much older than the character, the casting agents refused to put anything on tape in the beginning. "The casting director, Jeff [Greenberg], had me read and then he was like, 'Okay, now do it again, and now I'll put it on tape.' They just were very much like, 'She's too old. She's 18.'"
Of course, Hyland went on to nail her audition and met the director and creators of the show once everyone got over her actual age. She played the Dunphys' rebellious oldest daughter for a total of 11 seasons, and truthfully, we can't imagine the show without her. But although she looks back on the show fondly, Hyland explained there are two sides to becoming a star as a young adult. "A lot of traumatic things happen to women when they're in their 20s," she added in her interview.
"Everyone has to smile and go to work. I think that was probably the most challenging part, was all of the lows in my 20s that I experienced," she explained further. "I had to very much put them to the side and leave it at the door whenever I went to work because I just refused for anything to affect my job."
FAQs
“Originally, they didn't want to see me for 'Modern Family' because I was 18 and Haley's character was 15,” Hyland recalled. “They were like, 'She's too old. ' And at the time, my agent's assistant fought for me to get in the room.
How old was Sarah Hyland when she began Modern Family? ›
Sarah Hyland also received a great deal of social media criticism about her changing looks throughout the series. She was 18 when the first episode aired.
How old is Haley in Modern Family? ›
Sarah Hyland was 19 when she began her role as Haley on Modern Family. However, her character was only 16 in the first season and later celebrated her 21st birthday in Season 6, making the age gap between her and her character one of the most significant in the series.
Why does Haley look different in Season 8 of Modern Family? ›
Haley Dunphy actress Sarah Hyland admitted to experiencing weight gain, which is something she's sadly been shamed over, and she blames Haley's storyline for the changes to her body.
Did Haley change in Modern Family? ›
Her hair changes throughout the series, both in color and length. Her wardobe evolves from fashionable teen clothing to a more mature style throughout the series.
How old is Haley in Modern Family when she's pregnant? ›
But we have never done the young parent. We've had Phil and Claire talk about it, but you've never seen it. So that will be a really interesting aspect because she is 25 years old, which is a completely normal time to have a baby; in some states, that's old, and in other states, that's a fetus.
How old was Sarah when filming Modern Family? ›
THEN: What was the most challenging thing about filming Modern Family? Sarah: I was 18 when I started, I was there through all of my 20s. The kids were 10 or 11 when they started the show.
In what episode of Modern Family does Haley turn 21? ›
Haley's 21st Birthday
| "Haley's 21st Birthday" |
|---|
| Modern Family episode |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 10 |
| Directed by | Alisa Statman |
| Written by | Abraham Higginbotham |
8 more rowsHaley and Dylan ultimately wed in her parents' living room with her dad, Phil, and Dylan's mother officiating the ceremony, after they realized they didn't want to get married without their families there.
Why was Haley so puffy in Season 8? ›
Hyland, who oldest Dunphy kid Haley, has been open about her health struggles after her body rejected a donor kidney from her father, requiring numerous hospitalizations, taking medication that left her face swollen, and undergoing dialysis three times a week.
The answer? She was asleep for them. On co-star Julie Bowen's Quitters podcast, with co-host Chad Sanders, Hyland—who played Haley on the comedy series' 11 season run—discussed her second kidney transplant and how her kidney dysplasia caused her to forget filming episodes because she was so tired.
What disorder does Haley from Modern Family have? ›
Hyland was born with kidney dysplasia, a condition in which the kidneys don't fully develop in the womb. She had two transplants: First when she was 21 with her father's kidney. After her body rejected it, she quietly had a second transplant, at age 26, with her younger brother's kidney.
Is Haley wearing a wig on Modern Family? ›
Sarah Hyland
Subsequently, she had to wear hair extensions while playing Haley on Modern Family. Moreover, she said that her hair had grown back much more curly than it had been before.
Who does Haley lose her virginity to Modern Family? ›
In the car, Alex accidentally reveals that Haley had sexual intercourse with Dylan (Reid Ewing), and Phil is shocked. Haley is angry with Alex and feels guilty when her dad implies how disappointed he is.
Why did Modern Family replace Lily? ›
The reason for the re-casting, a show source tells PEOPLE, is because the Hiller twins didn't enjoy acting. When they were required to be in scenes, they became agitated and unhappy. In a nutshell, the girls just wanted to be kids, their mother, Michelle Hiller, tells PEOPLE.
How old is Gloria in season 1 of Modern Family? ›
Jay was born in 1947, while Gloria was born in 1972. As such, Jay is a full quarter of a century older than his wife in Modern Family. When they met, Gloria was around 37 years old and Jay was around 62.
How old was Lily when she first appeared on Modern Family? ›
For many, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons will always be Cam and Mitchell's cute, adopted Vietnamese daughter on Modern Family. Joining the show when she was just four years old, she was the youngest person ever to win a Screen Actors Guild award as part of the ensemble cast for her performance as Lily Tucker Pritchett.
How old was Ariel Winter in season 1 of Modern Family? ›
Ariel Winter was only 11 years old when she was cast as Alex Dunphy, and was always accompanied on set by her mother.
