Nolan Gould, known for his role as Luke Dunphy on Modern Family, recently opened up about the impact of his unconventional upbringing in a candid interview on the Dinner’s on Me podcast. Speaking with host and former costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Gould, 25, shared insights into the unique experiences of growing up on set and how it has shaped his life.
Gould, who starred on Modern Family from 2009 to 2020, expressed gratitude for his exceptional childhood. “I would not change my childhood; I’m really happy,” Gould said. “I got to be part of such an incredible show. I know that a lot of other child actors don’t have it as lucky.”
Having spent his formative years working on the Emmy-winning sitcom, Gould revealed he had “never been to school a day in my life” except for a single community college public speaking course. He also discussed his plans to attend film school, which were thwarted by the extension of Modern Family for two additional seasons. This led to deferrals and eventually, Gould’s decision not to reapply.
“At that point, I was like 21 and had a chip on my shoulder,” Gould explained. “I was not going to reapply to film school, so I just never went. It closed a lot of doors to the kind of ‘traditional lifestyle.’” He noted that his lack of typical high school experiences and dating life sometimes makes it challenging to connect with others on those topics.
However, Gould acknowledged the positive side of his unconventional path. “It closed a lot of doors to a traditional lifestyle but opened up these really beautiful doors to a nontraditional, nonlinear lifestyle,” he said. Reflecting on a recent phone call with co-star Ed O’Neill, Gould reminisced about shared memories from the set, highlighting the special bonds formed during his time on the show.
Looking to the future, Gould expressed reservations about his own children entering show business. “I probably wouldn’t let my kids do it,” he admitted. “Although no shame to people who do, right? I’ve found a lot of joy and love through it, and it opened up a lot of really incredible doors, but it also closed some meaningful ones.”
Despite the challenges, Gould remains content with his experiences and the impact Modern Family has had on his life.