Julie Bowen Recalls Being 'Pit Against' Sofía Vergara DuringModern FamilyDays: 'Never Fed Into That'

Mar. 15, 2025

Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen attend The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 29, 2017.Photo:Christopher Polk/GettyJulie BowenandSofía Vergarahave always been as thick as thieves – though Bowen felt the public tried to undermine their friendship.The actress reflected on the pressure she felt between the pair during theirModern Familydays on the Aug. 14 episode ofJennie Garth’sI Choose Mepodcast.“I felt it onModern Family. The press kept trying to make me and Sofia, sort of Betty and Veronica. And I know they did that with you and Shannen. I mean, I remember it,” Bowen, 54, said, referring to the dynamic between Garth and the lateShannen Dohertyduring their time onBeverly Hills, 90210.“They were just determined to pit us against each other, like we hated each other,” she continued of Vergara, 52. “It’s this scarcity mindset that only one woman can be happy at a time. And I was like, ‘Oh, no. I love Sofía, and I love how different we are. And I love – she is funny and self-effacing and bawdy, and she loves life, and she loves dancing and eating cake and all these things.'“Sofia Vergara as Gloria, Julie Bowen as Claire on ‘Modern Family’.Peter “Hopper” Stone/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty"I found that to be really disappointing on the part of the press, but I just never fed into that,” Bowen said of the faux feud. “That’s a scarcity mindset, and there’s no such thing as, like, oh, if one woman’s doing well, that means others have to step back. It’s – I can’t support that.“Bowen added that she “learned so much from being around [Vergara] about what it is to be a really powerful, completely in herself woman.“The pressure she felt to have some kind of feud with Vergaradates back to the early days ofModern Family.In 2016, during an appearance onThe Ellen Degeneres Show, Bowen said that the story of that week was that she was “icy to Sofía Vergara because [she’s] jealous of her fame."“So I email her last night and then we talk and I’m like, ‘What should I say?’ Because we’re friends. I’m like, ‘What should I say? You’re funny,’” Bowen said of her conversation with Vergara.TheGriseldastar then replied, “Please, just borrow my blouse,” so that’s what Bowen did.Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen at Sofia Vergara’s Star ceremony held on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 7, 2015.Albert L. Ortega/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The actress’s friendship remains strong to this day. Last month,Vergara celebrated her 52nd birthday and Bowen paid tribute to her on Instagram, writing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOFIA!!! I’m sending you a hug with my giant man-arms. I love you!!❤️😘💕.“Vergara reposted the photo – a shot from her2015 Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony– to her Instagram Stories, writing over it, “I looov you.”

Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen attend The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on January 29, 2017.Photo:Christopher Polk/Getty

Christopher Polk/Getty

Julie BowenandSofía Vergarahave always been as thick as thieves – though Bowen felt the public tried to undermine their friendship.The actress reflected on the pressure she felt between the pair during theirModern Familydays on the Aug. 14 episode ofJennie Garth’sI Choose Mepodcast.“I felt it onModern Family. The press kept trying to make me and Sofia, sort of Betty and Veronica. And I know they did that with you and Shannen. I mean, I remember it,” Bowen, 54, said, referring to the dynamic between Garth and the lateShannen Dohertyduring their time onBeverly Hills, 90210.“They were just determined to pit us against each other, like we hated each other,” she continued of Vergara, 52. “It’s this scarcity mindset that only one woman can be happy at a time. And I was like, ‘Oh, no. I love Sofía, and I love how different we are. And I love – she is funny and self-effacing and bawdy, and she loves life, and she loves dancing and eating cake and all these things.'“Sofia Vergara as Gloria, Julie Bowen as Claire on ‘Modern Family’.Peter “Hopper” Stone/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty"I found that to be really disappointing on the part of the press, but I just never fed into that,” Bowen said of the faux feud. “That’s a scarcity mindset, and there’s no such thing as, like, oh, if one woman’s doing well, that means others have to step back. It’s – I can’t support that.“Bowen added that she “learned so much from being around [Vergara] about what it is to be a really powerful, completely in herself woman.“The pressure she felt to have some kind of feud with Vergaradates back to the early days ofModern Family.In 2016, during an appearance onThe Ellen Degeneres Show, Bowen said that the story of that week was that she was “icy to Sofía Vergara because [she’s] jealous of her fame."“So I email her last night and then we talk and I’m like, ‘What should I say?’ Because we’re friends. I’m like, ‘What should I say? You’re funny,’” Bowen said of her conversation with Vergara.TheGriseldastar then replied, “Please, just borrow my blouse,” so that’s what Bowen did.Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen at Sofia Vergara’s Star ceremony held on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 7, 2015.Albert L. Ortega/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The actress’s friendship remains strong to this day. Last month,Vergara celebrated her 52nd birthday and Bowen paid tribute to her on Instagram, writing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOFIA!!! I’m sending you a hug with my giant man-arms. I love you!!❤️😘💕.“Vergara reposted the photo – a shot from her2015 Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony– to her Instagram Stories, writing over it, “I looov you.”

Julie BowenandSofía Vergarahave always been as thick as thieves – though Bowen felt the public tried to undermine their friendship.

The actress reflected on the pressure she felt between the pair during theirModern Familydays on the Aug. 14 episode ofJennie Garth’sI Choose Mepodcast.

“I felt it onModern Family. The press kept trying to make me and Sofia, sort of Betty and Veronica. And I know they did that with you and Shannen. I mean, I remember it,” Bowen, 54, said, referring to the dynamic between Garth and the lateShannen Dohertyduring their time onBeverly Hills, 90210.

“They were just determined to pit us against each other, like we hated each other,” she continued of Vergara, 52. “It’s this scarcity mindset that only one woman can be happy at a time. And I was like, ‘Oh, no. I love Sofía, and I love how different we are. And I love – she is funny and self-effacing and bawdy, and she loves life, and she loves dancing and eating cake and all these things.'”

Sofia Vergara as Gloria, Julie Bowen as Claire on ‘Modern Family’.Peter “Hopper” Stone/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

Peter “Hopper” Stone/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

“I found that to be really disappointing on the part of the press, but I just never fed into that,” Bowen said of the faux feud. “That’s a scarcity mindset, and there’s no such thing as, like, oh, if one woman’s doing well, that means others have to step back. It’s – I can’t support that.”

Bowen added that she “learned so much from being around [Vergara] about what it is to be a really powerful, completely in herself woman.”

The pressure she felt to have some kind of feud with Vergaradates back to the early days ofModern Family.

In 2016, during an appearance onThe Ellen Degeneres Show, Bowen said that the story of that week was that she was “icy to Sofía Vergara because [she’s] jealous of her fame.”

“So I email her last night and then we talk and I’m like, ‘What should I say?’ Because we’re friends. I’m like, ‘What should I say? You’re funny,’” Bowen said of her conversation with Vergara.

TheGriseldastar then replied, “Please, just borrow my blouse,” so that’s what Bowen did.

Sofia Vergara and Julie Bowen at Sofia Vergara’s Star ceremony held on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 7, 2015.Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Albert L. Ortega/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The actress’s friendship remains strong to this day. Last month,Vergara celebrated her 52nd birthday and Bowen paid tribute to her on Instagram, writing “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOFIA!!! I’m sending you a hug with my giant man-arms. I love you!!❤️😘💕.”

Vergara reposted the photo – a shot from her2015 Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony– to her Instagram Stories, writing over it, “I looov you.”

source: people.com