Whatever Happened To Sarah Hyland After Modern Family?

By the time Sarah Hyland secured her big break on "Modern Family," she had already been acting for most of her life. She portrayed the scatterbrained, fun-loving, fashion-obsessed Haley Dunphy for 11 seasons, until the beloved sitcom ended in 2020. Over the years, Hyland has been open about the tragic personal setbacks and career struggles she's experienced, including the fact that she almost didn't land the role that brought her to the limelight.

In a July 2023 interview with BuzzFeed, the actor recalled, "Originally, they didn't want to see me for 'Modern Family' because I was 18 and Haley's character was 15. They were like, 'She's too old.'" Hyland and her agent's assistant had to fight to get her in the door, but once she auditioned, it thankfully became clear she was meant for the role.

After 250 heart-warming and hilarious episodes, five of which Hyland sat out, the final day of filming arrived, and it was an emotional day for the entire cast and crew. However, with the end of "Modern Family" came the possibility for something new. While Ariel Winter, who played Alex Dunphy, left Los Angeles and Rico Rodriguez, who played Manny Delgado, hasn't had any on-screen roles since the end of the show, Hyland went in a different direction. From business ventures to exciting developments in her romantic life, and a handful of impressive projects, here's everything the actor has been up to since the final episode of "Modern Family."

Throughout the course of "Modern Family," Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy demonstrated a lack of clarity in terms of what she wanted to do with her life. Painted as the "ditzy" sibling, she struggled in school and held an assortment of part-time jobs like a club promoter and personal assistant. She always had a passion for fashion, though, and eventually took on the role of a style editor at NERP in Season 9. However, when Hyland's character became pregnant with twins, those who had been hoping to see her character continue kicking butt in the fashion industry were sorely disappointed.

As it turns out, Hyland was also unhappy with Haley's arc. In an April 2020 interview with Cosmopolitan, the actor said that after her character gave birth to twins and became a mother, she fell to the wayside on the show's final season. As she put it, viewers saw less of Haley's "badassery in the fashion world — becoming a badass stylist or brand mogul or anything like that."

This doesn't mean that Hyland thinks her character's motherhood diminished from her character, as she added that there are of course plenty of working mothers who "excel at their jobs and kill it every day in both aspects." However, the end of "Modern Family" didn't seem to highlight Haley in this way, either.

Sarah Hyland seemed to find her perfect match in Wells Adams of "The Bachelorette" Season 12 and "Bachelor in Paradise" fame. The two initially connected over X, formerly known as Twitter, after the actor expressed her love for the reality shows. It didn't take long for the reality star to slide into her DMs. "It's the most millennial thing in the entire world. I kind of want to gag at it," Hyland told Cosmopolitan in April 2020. The two went on their first date in September of 2017, and Wells moved into her home less than a year later.

Hyland had more exciting news to share with her followers come July 2019, when she posted a sweet snap to Instagram. The post showed Adams on one knee in front of the "Modern Family" actor, alongside the caption, "That can't eat, can't sleep, reach for the stars, over the fence, world series kind of stuff." Unfortunately, the Hollywood couple's wedding was postponed due to the pandemic, but that didn't stop them from making another huge step in their relationship. Hyland and Adams bought a beautiful two-story home in Studio City, California, for $3.92 million in May 2020.

The couple's stunning five bedroom, six-and-a-half bathroom, nearly-6,000 square foot home was definitely a step up from their previous space. However, the publicity around their house might've backfired a bit, as Hyland and Adams were the victims of a burglary a couple years later.

The final episode of "Modern Family" aired in April 2020, and much of the cast took some time to figure out what their next move would be. In her aforementioned conversation with Cosmopolitan, Sarah Hyland expressed the fears she felt now that her decade-long gig was over. "The thing as an actor is it's like, 'Will I have a job tomorrow?' With Modern Family ending, it's like, 'Oh, great. I'm never going to work again. I'm going to have to sell everything and live out of a shoebox,'" she said.

Although it took Hyland a couple years to secure her next big role, she had some fun in between. In December of the same year, Taco Bell released a mock horror trailer to promote the return of their Nacho Fries featuring Hyland and Joe Keery of "Stranger Things" fame. In the clip, titled "The Craving," Keery played a man haunted by the fries' disappearance from the Taco Bell menu, and Hyland took on the role of concerned girlfriend.

Hyland shared a clip on her Instagram at the time, captioning it, "Dreams do come true! I'm in @tacobell 's #nachofries latest film! Also, definitely feeling some cravings right now." Wells Adams jokingly commented below her post at the time, writing, "I'm weirdly OK with you dating Steve," referencing Keery's character on "Stranger Things."

Sarah Hyland has been open about her chronic health issues for years. The actor was born with kidney dysplasia, a condition that occurs when the kidneys don't develop normally in utero. Hyland has had numerous surgeries and treatments, many of which impacted her time on the set of "Modern Family." After spending years taking medications, undergoing operations, and enduring further medical complications, she was inspired to create something good out of all her pain.

In 2021, Hyland worked with Sourse, a supplement brand originally founded in 2020, to curate a vitamin that supported health while also serving as a tasty treat. She is now the co-founder and creative director of the brand, which has now become known for their chocolate-infused vitamins. Speaking with Wild Elements in 2023, Hyland explained how her own health issues inspired her, saying, "My interest in Sourse was organic. My health journey and experiences have influenced my health and wellness habits, and have caused me to really seek out products that are truly good for your body while still being tasty."

The chocolate-infused vitamins are vegan, gluten-free, keto-friendly, kosher, and ingredients are sustainably sourced. "Our mission is to make wellness accessible and enjoyable to everyone, which means plant-based, clean ingredients," Hyland continued. While she had been taking some time off from filming, the actor was able to continue with her health advocacy and make an impact on others' health journeys.

Sarah Hyland and Wells Adams had marriage on the brain very early into their relationship. In fact, as the "Modern Family" star told Cosmopolitan during her 2020 cover story, "We were talking about what kinds of weddings we wanted four days after we made things official." The couple clearly knew it was the real deal as soon as they locked eyes, as Hyland continued, "I hate that typical cliché of 'when you know, you know,' but it's so f***ing true. At least it was for me."

After "The Bachelorette" contestant popped the question, he and his other half waited patiently as an engaged couple for the world to return to normal following the pandemic. After three years of planning, then waiting, and planning again, Hyland and Adams got to finally have the ceremony they'd been dreaming of in August 2022. They officially tied the knot at a gorgeous vineyard in Santa Ynez, California — and who better to officiate than Hyland's on-screen uncle and dear friend, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Initially, Ty Burrell was slated to fill the role, but he unfortunately had to drop out.

Speaking with Vogue at the time, she explained, "I've known Jesse since I was 18 years old. I remember his first date with his husband Justin, so we've been through so much. ... It was really special to have him up there." Other "Modern Family" cast members attended Hyland and Adams' special day as well, including Nolan Gould, Julie Bowen, and Sofia Vergara.

"Love Island" first captivated audiences on ITV in the United Kingdom back in 2015. The dramatic dating show has since become something of a cultural phenomenon and set off a franchise of versions all over the world, including Germany, Australia, Spain, and of course, "Love Island USA," which launched in 2019. Actor Arielle Vandenberg served as the first host of the series for three years before Sarah Hyland was announced as her "Love Island USA" replacement in 2022.

During her July 2023 conversation with BuzzFeed, Hyland was asked about the most difficult part of filming "Love Island USA." Unsurprisingly, the actor had little to complain about, as she explained, "The show is so much fun for me to film — if you're having fun doing what you love, nothing will seem difficult." While the "Modern Family" star watched over the islanders as they cracked on with their fellow contestants, she also encouraged them to treat each other with respect.

While speaking with TheWrap, Hyland shared the advice she had for women on the show as she entered her second season as host. "Don't put blame on other women," she explained. "I think it's really important to be able to build a strong foundation and relationship with your girls and really be there for each other." After hosting for two years, Hyland stepped aside due to scheduling conflicts, leading "Vanderpump Rules" star Ariana Madix to take her place for "Love Island USA" Season 6.

When "Pitch Perfect" hit screens in 2012, it was hard not to love Adam Devine's cocky portrayal of Bumper, leader of The Treblemakers. He appeared again in the sequel, but was notably absent in the third "Pitch Perfect" film. Devine's fans got to see even more of his character when he and Sarah Hyland starred in Peacock's spinoff "Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin" in 2022. The two had previously worked together on "Modern Family" and they'd been excited about collaborating again.

As she told PureWow in May 2023, "It just kind of fell into my lap, and it was just so amazing to be able to work with Adam again, I love Adam so, so much." Fortunately, the series went ahead with the first season, and Hyland played Heidi, Bumper's love interest on the show. It was a different kind of role from what she was used to, as she got to showcase her singing for a change.

Hyland spoke with Screen Rant in November 2022 about how different the process was for this project compared to her previous roles, as they would film scenes and then go to a studio to record the songs. As she explained, "It was just such a joy to be singing again, not just in my shower or car. It was great." Unfortunately, despite being renewed for a second season, Peacock canceled "Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin" in September 2023.

Sarah Hyland had an incredibly difficult time while filming "Modern Family." As she told BuzzFeed during her July 2023 conversation, the most challenging aspect of filming the show was her age. "I was 18 when I started, I was there through all of my 20s. ... A lot of traumatic things happen to women when they're in their 20s," she shared. Hyland explained that having to work while going through health issues and heartbreak was difficult because she "had to very much put them to the side and leave it at the door whenever I went to work."

Despite it all, the actor has countless fond memories on set as well, especially when it came to the cast of "Modern Family." Understandably, they all grew very close over the decade they worked together, with many of the actors growing up on the set. After the series ended in 2020, many of the cast members remained close, but they didn't want to wait as long as the "Friends" cast did to all be in the same room together again. Sofia Vergara played host to the first "Modern Family" reunion in November 2023, with almost the entire cast there, including Hyland, as well as the show's co-creators.

While the Pritchetts were all accounted for, the Dunphy clan was missing one notable member. Ty Burrell unfortunately couldn't make the reunion due to scheduling conflicts, but hopefully the Dunphys will all be together at the next reunion.

Fans of fall movies that aren't too scary might be familiar with 1986's "Little Shop of Horrors," the dark comedic musical about a florist who discovers a giant plant with a taste for human blood. The movie, which is an adaptation of the off-Broadway musical loosely based on the 1960 film "The Little Shop of Horrors," was nominated for two Oscars, and quickly became a cult classic. Sarah Hyland herself was a fan of "Little Shop" before its off-Broadway revival began in 2019, and she took on the lead role of Audrey, alongside Andrew Barth Feldman as Seymour, in May 2024.

While on "Today with Hoda & Jenna" in July 2024, the "Modern Family" alum enthused, "I grew up watching the movie, which I loved, and then I was fortunate enough to be able to see the 2003 Broadway production starring Kerry Butler." From there, Hyland's love for the story grew, and over two decades later, she got to finally fill the role herself at the Westside Theater in New York.

"Audrey has been a dream role of mine since I was a little girl, so it really is a dream come true and I'm just having the time of my life," she continued. It was yet another role that Hyland got to show off her pipes, and it's become clear through her many Instagram posts since joining the cast that she's found a home in the off-screen production.

Devotees of television shows that go off the air sometimes wait a lifetime for their favorite series to return, and most never do. While "Modern Family" only ended in 2020, fans are already crossing their fingers for a reboot, and surprisingly, Sarah Hyland has expressed that she'd be open to the idea. The actor had previously shared her thoughts on the way her character's story ended, and relaunching the show would allow her to gain some closure on Haley Dunphy once and for all.

While chatting with People at the 2024 Drama Desk Awards, Hyland said she'd love to see what the eldest Dunphy child would be up to today. "I think creatively for me, I would want to know what was going on with Haley. ... [I want to see her] do what Claire [Dunphy] then set out to do and did as an amazing mother as well as businesswoman and CEO," she explained. Hyland added that it would be important, she thinks, for Haley to get a chance to explore artistic avenues, which she'd loved about her character previously.

Another perk for a "Modern Family" reboot for Hyland would be to reunite with the castmates she loves so much, particularly Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played Mitchell Pritchett on the show. With Hyland on board, who knows what could be around the corner for fans of the sitcom.