Over 11 seasons, viewers had the pleasure of watching the Dunphy-Tucker-Pritchett family expand and grow on Modern Family. But if someone asked the fans which characters or storylines they loved the most, many would say Cam and Mitchell's.
Out of all the couples on the show, Cam and Mitchell stand out the most. This is mainly because fans can relate to them and see how perfectly they balance each other's quirks and flaws. However, some fans may not have realized that part of their arcs were drawn from the actors' personal experiences and made television history. They also might not have noticed a few hidden details the writers included in their storylines...
Cam Is Four Years Older Than Mitchell?
One thing that has always been a mystery to fans is the age gap between Cam and Mitchell. According to the show's official Wikipedia page, the timeline states there are two to three years between them with Cam born in 1972 and Mitchell between 1973 and 1975.
This seemed to be correct as Claire was roughly the same age as Cam and revealed to have put Mitchell in the dryer when he was 2 and she 5 ("When Good Kids Go Bad"). Also, in "Baby Steps," there is a potential plot hole as Cam tells Lily he is 48 while Mitch is 44. What is his true age?
Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Elizabeth Banks Are Real Life Best Friends
Fans have seen many A-list celebrities guest star on the show throughout its 11 seasons. While some have been able to play themselves in brief cameos, there have been others who have had bigger roles and more memorable arcs. One of these people includes Elizabeth Banks, who played Mitchell and Cameron's closest friend, Sal.
Did fans know that Banks is close friends with Ferguson in real life? Shortly after filming the pilot, Ferguson attended a birthday party in Palm Springs with Banks and Jason Winer (the pilot episode director). After talking about the show, Winer then wrote the role of Sal. Now fans know why the chemistry between Mitch and Sal is so good.
Mitchell's Middle Name
Another fact about Mitchell some people are not aware of is his middle name, which is Vincent. There is quite a touching story behind the name as Jay decided to name Mitchell after his best friend, Shorty.
After Mitchell was born a month premature, the viewers learned that Shorty had stayed by Jay's side for three days. To show his appreciation, Jay decided to give Mitchell the middle name of Vincent — which is Shorty's real name.
Cam & Mitchell Met Through Pepper
When the series first began in 2009, the viewers never got the chance to see the early stages of Mitch and Cam's relationship. This was because the writers established the couple had already been together for five years, which meant the viewers would have to wait to hear how they met.
It turns out that after Cam and Pepper broke up, the wedding planner inadvertently set the couple up at one of his dinner parties. Although Mitchell initially dismissed him, the two naturally clicked after Cam was the one who guessed correctly that Mitchell was acting out Casablanca. They have never looked back since...
Cam Has Three Siblings
As everyone knows, Cam was seen to be quite the family man and really close with his sister, Pam. However, some fans may not have realized that Cam also had more siblings. This was first brought to the viewer's attention in "Mother Tucker," when Cam mentions in his talking head that his mother raised four children.
While not much is known about the two other siblings, the writers did reveal their names in season 1. If fans look closer at the "Being A Clown Has Own Rewards" article in "Fizbo," they will see that Cam has a brother called Paul and a sister called Mauria. Why they didn't make an appearance is unknown.
There Was A Petition Launched For Them To Kiss On-Screen
Back in 2010, the early days of the show, a Facebook campaign was launched by the fans demanding that Cam and Mitch should be able to kiss after they noticed the lack of PDA they had in comparison to Phil and Claire.
In response, the writers informed the public they had already planned a storyline before the petition was launched. True to their word, fans saw Mitchell and Cam share their first on-screen kiss in "The Kiss."
Mitchell's Coming Out Story Was Drawn From Ferguson's Life
Back in the season 1 episode "Fifteen Percent," Mitch revealed in his talking head that he was forced to come out to Jay three times before he actually acknowledged him. However, it turns out this particular bit of the storyline was drawn from Ferguson's real life.
In a 2011 interview with Out, Ferguson said he had come out to his father three times because it took him a while to process the revelation. He then admitted the writers found this so funny that they decided to add this to Mitchell's backstory.
Their Proposal & Wedding Made History
In the season 5 episode "Suddenly, Last Summer," fans were delighted to see Mitchell and Cam take the next step in their relationship after they proposed to one another. They eventually went on to tie the knot in the season 5 finale. However, some fans may not have realized, but Cam and Mitchell's proposal and wedding made television history.
It turns out that Modern Family was the first American show in history to have both a gay proposal and a wedding between two gay main characters.
Fizbo Was Inspired By Stonestreet's Personal Life
Similar to Mitchell's coming out story, the writers decided to include some personal aspects of Stonestreet's life. As many fans know, Cam had a clown alter-ego called Fizbo.
However, what some fans may not have realized was that this storyline was drawn from Stonestreet's personal life as he was a clown in his early years. What's more, Fizbo was the nickname his father had given him. This is a sweet touch that made Cam's character all the more authentic.
Mitchell Was Meant To Be A Dentist
For the 11 seasons, fans had seen Mitchell dabble in environmental law, criminal law, and pro bono work before he decided to start his own firm. However, did the fans know that this wasn't the career the writers planned for Mitchell when they initially drew up the scripts?
In the pilot's second draft, the writers actually planned to make him a dentist. Most fans are probably happy that the writers went in a different direction because an attorney suited Mitchell's personality more.