Modern Family Star Nolan Gould Is All Grown Up Now

After it first hit the small screen in 2009, "Modern Family" became the gold standard for sitcoms throughout the 2010s. With a seemingly never-ending run of award nominations and wins at the Golden Globes and the Emmys, the ABC series was a critical and commercial hit, competing with the likes of other successful shows like "Big Bang Theory." During its 11-season run, fans got to see Hollywood veteran Ed O'Neill experience a career resurgence and lesser-known actors like Sofía Vergara stunningly transform into megastars. 

Among them was the youngest cast member, Nolan Gould, who played Luke Dunphy. Not unlike Raegan Revord from "Young Sheldon," Gould literally grew up while making the popular sitcom. "I was 10 when it started and I was 21 when it ended," he shared on a 2023 episode of "Growing Up with Devon Werkheiser." "I actually am coming to terms with just how massive it was and how massive losing something like that is. You know, 11 years of your life is hard to sum up."

By the time "Modern Family" drew to a close in 2020, Gould was ready for whatever was next. As he told Bello Mag when he was 19 years old, "The most important thing is my reputation. It means more to me than anything, probably even more than my career. ... I have made it 14 years in this industry and I still feel normal. I am hopeful for the future." And yes, Gould's future continues to look bright.

Nolan Gould followed his older brother, Aidan Gould, into the acting industry at a young age. He'd find relative success with commercials and short films, but one of his biggest early accomplishments came in 2007 when he appeared in the short-lived Cartoon Network series "Out of Jimmy's Head." He and his costars earned an award for best young ensemble performance in a TV series. Little did he know that he'd go on to be part of another very successful ensemble cast. 

In 2009, Nolan hit the jackpot when he got the role of Luke Dunphy in "Modern Family." While he was excited to nab the part, he also understood that a lot of TV show pilots don't get a series order. As he shared on a 2024 episode of "Dinner's on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson," he was fairly confident that this wasn't going to be a longstanding gig. "My mom was like, 'Have fun, let's not get our hopes up too high,'" he recalled. "I remember running around on the final day of the pilot with a disposable camera, asking for pictures with all the cast because I didn't think it was going to go through." 

Even after it got picked up, Nolan still wasn't so sure they were in the clear. It wasn't until the later seasons that he fully felt comfortable calling "Modern Family" a full-time job.

On a 2012 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," Nolan Gould joked about being in debt after buying a standup bass. "I just love musical instruments, and now I'm saving up for a banjo," he added. Wouldn't you know it, the talk show host then surprised him with a brand new banjo.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2013, Gould shared that he can play piano, double bass, mandolin, sitar, and, of course, banjo. When asked if he thought he might pursue a music career, Gould told the outlet that he would be open to the idea of making records, but as long as the process didn't interfere with his acting.  "I would like to just release some side albums for fun, but it is really difficult for me," he stated. "I understand how to play music and read music, but I haven't really gotten to the point of being able to write music yet."

Despite the ambitions he had at 14, Gould eventually pivoted away from his dreams of recording his own music. Rather, he wanted to just keep playing for fun. "Not every actor has to release an album," he told Bello Mag years later. "I would love to get into playing my bass in a jazz band, I would love to go to a street corner with my bass, a snare, and a high hat and play. I feel that is a great way to entertain people that don't involve me or my status."

When Nolan Gould took on the role of Luke Dunphy in "Modern Family," the 10-year-old apparently had to step outside of himself to really embody the role. On the sitcom, Luke Dunphy wasn't exactly the brains of the bunch. In real life, Gould is very smart. 

When he was still a kid, Gould learned he had an IQ of 150 and even became a member of Mensa, a non-profit organization made up of individuals whose IQ is at or above the 98th percentile. What's more, he advanced through school at a faster rate than others his age. Gould finished high school when he was only 13 and began taking college courses the following year. 

On a 2022 episode of Julie Bowen's "Quitters" podcast, Gould shared that he took the California High School Proficiency Exam in 10th grade. "I didn't graduate high school. I finished high school," he said. "There's an important distinction there." He also suggested that his overall education was relatively limited, and he only finished high school because he had good luck with the CHSPE. "I can probably do anything that would be on the CHSPE, like the GED, but everything else I have no clue how to do," he said. 

For years, Nolan Gould has used his platform for good. He's promoted programs to end child hunger,  supported cancer foundations, and established himself as a climate activist. After he joined the cast of "Modern Family," Gould became a youth ambassador for the Sierra Club, a nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness of climate change and wildlife preservation. As Gould told the Sierra Club in 2014, he hoped that more kids his age would give this particular endeavor more attention. "Most teen celebrities have causes that they work for, but I feel environmental causes often get overlooked," he said. "My generation in particular does not know enough about nature and the dangers our environment is facing."

As "Modern Family" was wrapping up its 8th season in 2017, Gould took some time to attend a climate march in Washington D.C., urging the public to get involved however they can. At the event, Gould spoke to MSNBC about why he was marching that day. "This [march] is focused on people that are going to be most affected by climate change. That's something that's really close to my heart. Indigenous people are out at the forefront, people of color, the LGBT community, we want to show that this is not just about climate change, it's about all of us because it affects everybody," he stated. "This is a world issue and we're all connected on it."

In 2017, Nolan Gould starred in the music video for "1-800-273-8255" by Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid. Named after the former phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the song is about someone who calls the hotline while in crisis. The video's cast also features Oscar-nominated actor Don Cheadle and former "Bella and the Bulldogs" actor Coy Stewart.

In the music video, Gould and Stewart play gay teenagers who develop a secret romantic relationship but are scared to come out. After contemplating suicide, Stewart's character calls the lifeline. The NSPL reportedly experienced a surge of calls after the song was released. 

A large percentage of LGBTQ+ youth struggle with suicidal thoughts, and Gould was honored to be involved with a project that encourages people to seek help. "With everything happening under the Trump administration, the LGBT community needs to see this video, learn about the hotline, and know that there are people that care about them," Gould told TooFab in 2017. "They need to know they are loved and even though this is a trying time, things are going to get better, and we are here for them."

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

During his "Modern Family" days, Nolan Gould struck up friendships with a number of fellow child stars. One of his closest pals was Cameron Boyce, a cast member on the Disney series "Jessie." 

Sadly, Boyce died of epilepsy in 2019, leaving his former costars and friends in shock. Following the news, Gould publicly expressed his appreciation for his late friend, stating, "The world's lost one of its most special people. He had a way of making you feel like the funniest person when you were with him, and that anything was possible. He believed in people so much" (via E! News).

After his passing, Boyce's parents launched the Cameron Boyce Foundation, which not only celebrates the late actor but also funds research toward epilepsy. Gould regularly attends the annual gala to pay his respects to his dear friend. While at the event in 2024, Gould spoke with Hollywire about much his friendship with Boyce meant. "I grieved a lot when he passed," he said. "And it was kind of my first introduction to losing important people in your life."

Nolan Gould has been relatively private about his dating life. Though he has been linked to a few celebrities, none of which were ever confirmed to be his partners. That said, Gould did offer a little glimpse into this part of his life in 2021 when he appeared on the dating show "The Celebrity Dating Game." Hosted by actor Zooey Deschanel and singer Michael Bolton, the show matched up single celebrities with one of three contestants. Gould appeared on the show's 4th episode. He was paired opposite a digital strategist, a social media manager, and a tennis coach. 

In the episode, Gould navigated questions regarding hobbies, personality traits, and dream dates. From one contestant leaving Gould speechless describing her "knockout" kiss to another singing an improvised theme song about her life, the episode was pretty eventful. Ultimately, Gould was drawn to the second contestant, thanks to her interests in marine life and scuba diving. It is unclear whether the two have ever officially started dating after the show. 

In his aforementioned interview with Bello Mag, Gould noted that trying to date in the public eye hasn't been easy, especially when it comes to trying to strike something up with someone who isn't in his industry. "On one hand, I am a cynical teenager and think love is just a chemical reaction and true love doesn't exist but at the same time, I am also a hopeless romantic in a lot of ways. I am young and I have time," he said. 

When he was 20 years old, Nolan Gould did as so many former child stars have done before him and participated in a very grown-up photoshoot. In 2019, he posed shirtless for a few snaps that were featured in C'est Prune magazine. Two years later, People did another shirtless photoshoot with Gould and chatted with him about his approach to diet, exercise, and overall wellness.  

During the pandemic, Gould maintained what he described as being a "teenage boy/bachelor" diet. This, however, wouldn't last long for Gould as he decided to make lifestyle changes for both his physical and mental health. "I spent six months basically on vacation," he said. "But I feel like now it's time to kind of make a decision on where I want to go with my career, and one of the ways you can do that is by changing my look and my mindset." 

In addition to sticking to a strict workout regimen, Gould suggested that having a cleaner diet has made the biggest impact on his overall health. "I'm eating so much healthier, even though there's less of it. ... I feel more clear-headed and have been doing as much writing as possible, being in acting class, taking all the steps I can, so when the pandemic's finally over, hopefully, I'll just be ready to go to work," he stated.

Nolan Gould kept himself busy after "Modern Family" ended in 2020. After making a brief appearance in the IGTV series "What's Up North" in 2020 and "Grey's Anatomy" in 2022, Gould landed a role in "Miranda's Victim" in 2023. The film, which was based on the real-life case that established Miranda rights, told the story of Patricia Weir, who was kidnapped and raped by Ernesto Miranda in 1963. The star-studded ensemble featured the late Donald Sutherland, Ryan Phillippe, Luke Wilson, and Taryn Manning. Former child star Abigail Breslin took on the lead role of Patricia Weir. 

Gould jumped at the chance to get to work with Breslin, an Oscar-nominated actor who is two years his senior. In a 2023 interview with Pop Culturalist, he said, "I signed on to this project for many reasons ... but I'm also just a fan of Abigail Breslin and, you know, growing up my mom was always like that is the gold standard of what young actors can do. So, I wanted the chance to work with her, and through the process, we got to become good friends, which is even better."

In a separate chat with UPI, Gould shared that they clicked right away. "I showed up and I was very serious and said: 'I'm here if you need me and I'm going to try to be quiet and keep my head down,'" he said. "And she was like, 'I love 'Modern Family'! Let's hang out! Let's talk!'"

Nolan Gould looks back on his time on "Modern Family" fondly, but he does have some mixed feelings about how it impacted his education. As he shared on a 2024 episode of "Dinner's on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson," "It opened up a lot of really incredible doors and also closed a lot of meaningful ones. The truth is, it's really hard to go to regular high school. I've never been to school a day in my life."

As previously noted, Gould finished high school via homeschooling when he was only 13. He was interested in attending film school at one point, but he couldn't make it work when he was still on the show. "My family is truly supportive and this is probably a different path than what people saw for me, but 'Modern Family' is a one in a billion opportunity. I decided I have two years left on the show so I skip college for now, and take a bet on myself," he told Bello Mag. 

Once "Modern Family" was on its last leg, Gould ultimately decided against attending college altogether, which ended any opportunity for him to maintain a "traditional lifestyle" in his eyes. As a result, it left Gould feeling as though he missed out on certain formative experiences in his life. However, he has no regrets about the path he ended up on. "I'm happy with where I'm at now and I'm so glad I got to be a part of the show," he iterated. "I wouldn't change that."