Julie Bowen on being 'pit against' Sofia Vergara in 'Modern Family' era

When Julie Bowens and Sofia Vergara first entered the spotlight as Primetime television’s leading ladies with their hit sitcom Modern Family in 2009, reports of a behind-the-scenes rivalry were quick to emerge.

Appearing on the August 14 episode of Jennie Garth’s I Choose me Podcast, Bowen — who portrayed matriarch Claire Dunphy — noted that the reports were nothing more than the media’s attempt to pit her and Vergara against each other, even though they were close friends.

Bowen, 54, likened the situation to the media's treatment of Garth and the late Shannen Doherty during their Beverly Hills, 90210 days.

"The press kept trying to make me and Sofía, sort of Betty and Veronica," Bowen recalled, referencing the classic comic book duo known for their rivalry.

"They were just determined to pit us against each other, like we hated each other," she said, emphasising that this was far from the truth.

The Emmy-winner expressed her admiration for Vergara, describing her as "funny, self-effacing, and bawdy," and someone who truly loves life.

Bowen also shared her disappointment with the media’s "scarcity mindset," which suggests that only one woman can succeed at a time.

“I found that to be really disappointing on the part of the press, but I just never fed into that. 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,” she explained, adding, “I can’t support that.”