Judy Greer Turned Down Audition for ‘Modern Family’s’ Claire Dunphy Because She Didn’t Want to Be ‘America’s Mom’: The Role ‘Felt So Limiting….Read More

Judy Greer revealed in a recent episode of the “Dinner’s on Me” podcast that she passed on an audition for the role of Claire Dunphy on “Modern Family.”

Greer told “Dinner’s on Me” host Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who portrayed Claire’s brother Mitchell Pritchett on the hit ABC sitcom, that was she was asked to audition for the Dunphy family matriarch. The part ultimately went to Julie Bowen, who portrayed the character during the show’s 11-season run and received two Primetime Emmys for her performance.

Greer noted that, at that point in her career, she was starting to play characters with children. “In a movie, people kind of see it and then they forget,” she said. “In a TV show, it’s just like, you’re a mom. That’s it.”

Greer added that she “didn’t even want kids” in real life at the time and that it “was not even on the table for me.”

She continued, “I was like, ‘I think I’m not going to audition for it.’ I was really torn about it, but I ended up obviously not. Who knows if I would have even gotten it anyway? I was just like, ‘I don’t know if I want to be America’s mom yet.’”

Greer, who was in her 30s when she was approached to audition, explained that the role “felt so limiting compared to what I was doing already.” She added, “And in addition to just the perception of who you are as an actor, it’s lifestyle too. I was like, ‘Well, I like traveling a lot, and I like doing all these movies, and I like going to all these places, and I like meeting all these people.

Although she turned down the audition for a leading role on “Modern Family,” Greer did appear in a guest role on the show’s first season as Denise, Phil Dunphy’s (Ty Burrell) ex-girlfriend. She also starred as Bree Marie Jensen on “Reboot,” the short-lived Hulu series from “Modern Family” co-creator Steven Levitan.

Listen to the full “Dinner’s on Me” podcast episode with Greer below.