‘Modern Family’ Stars Cash In: How Much They Make From Residuals?

The cast of Modern Family didn’t just make audiences laugh, they also earned a fortune over the show’s 11-season run.

The sitcom, known for blending sharp humor with heartfelt family stories, remains one of the most popular comedy series of the 21st century. Fans watched actors like Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara, Sarah Hyland, and Ariel Winter grow both on-screen and in their careers.

When the show started, salaries were modest. Ed O’Neill, who played Jay Pritchett, earned around $95,000 per episode in season one, while Julie Bowen, Sofia Vergara, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Eric Stonestreet made between $20,000 and $60,000 per episode.

The younger cast members, including Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould, and Rico Rodriguez, earned roughly $25,000 per episode.

By the final season, salaries had skyrocketed. O’Neill, Bowen, Vergara, Burrell, Ferguson, and Stonestreet were reportedly making $500,000 per episode, while the younger actors earned over $100,000 per episode.

According to Giant Freakin Robot, O’Neill alone earns around $10 million a year from residual checks, though figures for the rest of the cast haven’t been reported.

Reaching those numbers wasn’t easy. In 2012, Vergara, Burrell, Bowen, Ferguson, and Stonestreet filed a lawsuit to have their contracts declared illegal.

The contracts restricted them from taking other work, and the actors argued they were unfair. O’Neill chose not to join the lawsuit. Court papers stated, “Modern Family has been a breakout critical and financial success. That success, however, has been built upon a collection of illegal contracts.”

The cast even refused to attend the first script readings of season four until their demands were addressed. They were aiming for more than $300,000 per episode if the show continued beyond its eighth season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

It’s clear that the Modern Family cast not only earned fame but also fought hard for fair pay. Their journey from modest beginnings to earning millions in residuals shows how actors can take control of their careers, even in hugely successful series.

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