Aubrey Anderson-Emmons took over the role of Lily Tucker-Pritchett in Season 3 of Modern Family, replacing twins Ella and Jaden Hiller, who played the character as a baby. She was only four at the time, and her first day on set produced one of the cutest stories in the show’s history.
Doing Her Homework
To prepare for the role, Anderson-Emmons watched episodes of the show to understand Lily and the world she was stepping into. It was a smart move for such a young actor, but it also led to a funny mix-up.
‘We Saw You Guys on Modern Family!’
While filming a scene with Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who played her dads Cam and Mitchell, she broke character and excitedly told them, “We saw you guys on Modern Family!” She hadn’t quite grasped that she was now part of the show herself.
It’s an adorable reminder that Lily’s on-screen dads were, at first, TV stars to her. Over the next nine seasons, Anderson-Emmons made the role her own, becoming known for Lily’s deadpan one-liners and sharp comebacks.
From starstruck little fan to one of the show’s funniest scene-stealers, her journey is one of the sweetest behind-the-scenes stories the series has to offer.