Matt LeBlanc Turned Down 'Modern Family' Role; 'Episodes' Final Season Premieres on Showtime
Matt LeBlanc could have starred in "Modern Family" but he turned down the chance to play a major role. The actor has no regrets, however, as his series "Episodes" launches its fifth and final season on Showtime.
LeBlanc told USA Today that he was offered to star as Phil Dunphy on "Modern Family" but the role eventually went to Ty Burrell. ABC wanted LeBlanc in the show but the actor felt that the role was not for him.
"I remember reading it thinking, this is a really good script [but] I'm not the guy for this," he said. "I'd be doing the project an injustice to take this."
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He also shared a story of a time when his friend Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who plays Mitch Pritchett in "Modern Family," asked for advice regarding contract negotiations with the network. LeBlanc has experience with this, having been part of the hit series "Friends," whose stars successfully landed multi-million episode deals after negotiating with NBC.
He pranked Ferguson when he learned that the "Modern Family" cast stuck together and refused to work until a deal was made.
"I said, 'Hey, I killed it as Mitch today at the table read, thanks for the opportunity!'" LeBlanc joked.
Turning down "Modern Family," however, gave LeBlanc the chance to star on "Episodes," where he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy in 2012.
The show, which is a co-production between U.S. and U.K. networks and also stars British actors and writers Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig, is a behind-the-scenes look at how a television show comes together.
LeBlanc plays himself on "Episodes," albeit slightly characterized as an obnoxious superstar to fit the comedy's narrative. He admitted that he had doubts playing this version of himself who might not be well-liked on TV.
He told The Daily Beast, however, that he trusted show creator David Crane's writing and humor. Crane is also the co-creator of "Friends."
The fifth and final season of "Episodes" finished filming over a year ago and finally started airing on Showtime over the weekend. There will be seven episodes only.
