Julie Bowen | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bowen in 2015 | |
| Born | Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer (1970-03-03)March 3, 1970 (age 55) |
| Education | Brown University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Annie Luetkemeyer (sister) Molly Luetkemeyer (sister) |
Julie Bowen (bornJulie Bowen Luetkemeyer; March 3, 1970)[1] is an American actress. She is best known asClaire Dunphy inABC sitcomModern Family (2009–2020), for which she received widespread critical acclaim, winning twoPrimetime Emmy Awards.
Bowen also starred as Roxanne Please inNBC medical drama seriesER (1998–1999), Carol Vessey in the NBC comedy-drama seriesEd (2000–2004), andDenise Bauer in the ABC legal drama seriesBoston Legal (2005–2007), and recurred asSarah Shephard in the ABC drama seriesLost (2005–2007).
Bowen has appeared in many films, such asHappy Gilmore (1996),Multiplicity (1996),Joe Somebody (2001),Horrible Bosses (2011),Life of the Party (2018),Hubie Halloween (2020),The Fallout (2021),Totally Killer (2023), andHappy Gilmore 2 (2025).
Bowen was born on March 3, 1970 inBaltimore,Maryland,[1][2] the second of three daughters of Suzanne Luetkemeyer (née Frey) and John Alexander Luetkemeyer Jr., a commercialreal estate developer and son ofJohn Luetkemeyer and Anne McLanahan. She is the sister of infectious disease specialistAnnie Luetkemeyer and designer Molly Luetkemeyer. Bowen is ofGerman descent.[3]
Raised in suburbanRuxton-Riderwood, Maryland, Bowen first attendedCalvert School, thenGarrison Forest School,Roland Park Country School,[4][5] andSt. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island. She attendedBrown University, majoring inItalian Renaissance studies.[6] She spent her junior year inFlorence, Italy.[2] During college, she had roles inGuys and Dolls,Stage Door, andLemon Sky. Before graduating, she had the lead role in theindependent filmFive Spot Jewel. Bowen studied acting at the Actor's Institute, among other places.
Bowen had a role in the soap operaLoving (1992) and an episode of the college dramaClass of '96 (1993). She had the lead role in the television filmRunaway Daughters (1994). She played the love interest of the title character inHappy Gilmore (1996).[2] She appeared in the filmsMultiplicity (1996) andAn American Werewolf in Paris (1997). She has had guest roles on television series such asParty of Five (1996) andStrange Luck (1996), as well as her role as Aunt Gwen in the drama seriesDawson's Creek (1999).
Bowen had a recurring role asRoxanne Please onER (1998–99). She first gained prominence on the television seriesEd (2000–04), where she played high school English teacher Carol Vessey. She then guest starred asSarah Shephard in five episodes ofLost (2005–07). She also played attorneyDenise Bauer on the seriesBoston Legal (2005–08), and had a recurring role onWeeds (2008). She was a spokesmodel forNeutrogena, most recently advertising the Pure Glow products. She appeared on an episode ofCelebrity Jeopardy! on August 31, 2010, and again on December 4, 2022.
From 2009 to 2020, Bowen starred asClaire Dunphy on the ABC sitcomModern Family. For her portrayal, she received six consecutivePrimetime Emmy Award nominations forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2010–15), winning the award in2011 and2012. Bowen has said that winning an Emmy is like "German soldiers in the trenches of the World Wars" and that "when you win the award, it is like being pulled out of the trench." She also said, "As exciting and wonderful as it is not to be in the trench, and to be recognized for what you do, it also means everyone has got a clear shot at you and that is a very frightening prospect for most of us."[7]
In November 2021, Bowen's production company, Bowen & Sons, entered afirst-look deal atUniversal Television.[8]
In March 2023,Prom Pact, a movie produced by Bowen, was released on theDisney Channel andDisney+ in the United States.[9]
Bowen suffers from the heart conditionbradycardia. Her regular heart rate is slower than normal. As a result, she has had apacemaker implant since her early twenties.[10]
In 2016, Bowen appeared in "Fight Song", aPitch Perfect–inspired music video shown at theDemocratic National Convention in support of nomineeHillary Clinton.[11]
Bowen married Scott Phillips, a real estate investor and software developer, on September 9, 2004. They have three sons, the first born in April 2007, and twins born in May 2009, with whom she was visibly pregnant when shooting the pilot forModern Family.[12] In February 2018, she filed for divorce from Phillips and cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce.[13] It was finalized on September 13, 2018.[14]
She is a self-described "low Protestant".[15]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Confessions of a Sleep Addict | P.J. | |
| Happy Gilmore | Virginia Venit | ||
| Multiplicity | Robin | ||
| 1997 | An American Werewolf in Paris | Amy Finch | |
| 2001 | You're Killing Me | Jamie Quinn | |
| Amy's Orgasm | Nikki | ||
| Venus and Mars | Lisa | ||
| Joe Somebody | Meg Harper | ||
| 2002 | Stella Shorts 1998–2002 | Mother Nature | Short films |
| 2005 | Kids in America | Principal Donna Weller | |
| Partner(s) | Katherine | ||
| 2007 | Sex and Death 101 | Fiona Wormwood | |
| 2010 | Crazy on the Outside | Christy | |
| 2011 | Jumping the Broom | Amy | |
| Horrible Bosses | Rhonda Harken | ||
| 2012 | Conception | Tiffany | |
| Knife Fight | Peaches O'Dell | ||
| 2013 | Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace | Dr. Devon Albright (voice) | Direct-to-video film[16] |
| 2014 | Planes: Fire & Rescue | Lil' Dipper (voice) | |
| 2018 | Life of the Party | Marcie Strong | |
| 2020 | Hubie Halloween | Violet Valentine | |
| 2021 | The Fallout | Patricia Cavell | |
| Mixtape | Gail Moody | ||
| 2023 | Prom Pact | — | Executive producer |
| Totally Killer | Pam Hughes | ||
| 2025 | Happy Gilmore 2 | Virginia Venit Gilmore |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Loving | Steffy | 1 episode |
| 1993 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Chris | Episode: "No Visible Bruises: The Kate Koestner Story" |
| Class of '96 | Kristie Lewis | Episode: "Educating David" | |
| Acapulco H.E.A.T. | Danielle Perkins | Episode: "Code Name: Body Double" | |
| 1994 | Runaway Daughters | Angie Gordon | Television film |
| Where Are My Children? | Kirstie | ||
| 1995 | Extreme | Andie McDermott | Recurring role |
| 1996 | Party of Five | Shelley | Episode: "Unfair Advantage" |
| Strange Luck | Leigh Anne | Episode: "Healing Hands" | |
| 1998 | Three | Amanda Webb | 2 episodes |
| 1998–1999 | ER | Roxanne Please | Recurring role (season 5) |
| 1999 | The Last Man on Planet Earth | Hope Chayse | Television film |
| 2000 | Oh Baby | Nikky | 2 episodes |
| Dawson's Creek | Aunt Gwen | Episode: "Stolen Kisses" | |
| 2000–2004 | Ed | Carol Vessey | Main role |
| 2005 | Jake in Progress | Brooke | 4 episodes |
| 2005–2007 | Lost | Sarah Shephard | Recurring role (season 1–3) |
| 2005–2008 | Boston Legal | Denise Bauer | Main role (season 2–3); guest role (season 5) |
| 2007 | Wainy Days | Cheryl | Episode: "Tough Guy" |
| 2008 | Weeds | Lisa Ferris | Recurring role (season 4) |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Gwen Sibert | Episode: "Trials" | |
| 2009 | True Jackson, VP | Claire Underwood | Episode: "True Takes Iceland" |
| Monk | Marilyn Brody | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Bully" | |
| 2009–2020 | Modern Family | Claire Dunphy | Main role |
| 2011 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Marion Spartan (voice) | Episode: "Attack of the Headless Horror" |
| 2014 | Family Guy | Claire Dunphy (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Herself (voice) | ||
| 2015 | Childrens Hospital | First Lady | Episode: "Codename: Jennifer" |
| 2016 | Better Things | Herself | Episode: "Sam/Pilot" |
| 2017–2020 | Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure | Queen Arianna (voice) | Main role |
| 2017 | MasterChef Junior | Herself | Episode: "A Presidential Mystery Box" |
| Who Do You Think You Are | Episode: "Julie Bowen" | ||
| The Mindy Project | Daisy | Episode: "Leo's Girlfriend" | |
| 2018 | LA to Vegas | Gwen (voice) | Episode: "The Affair"[17] |
| 2019 | DuckTales | Lieutenant Penumbra (voice) | Recurring role (season 1)[16] |
| 2020 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire | Herself | 2 episodes |
| A Modern Farewell | Modern Family documentary | ||
| 2021 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Gabby McAfee | Episode: "IRASSHAIMASE!" |
| 2022 | American Dad! | Trashelle (voice) | Episode: "Langley Dollar Listings" |
| 2023 | Hailey's On It! | Patricia Banks (voice) | Recurring role |
| StoryBots: Answer Time | Ms. Clown | Episode: "Stocks" | |
| Celebrity Wheel of Fortune | Herself | Episode: "RuPaul, Gayle King and Julie Bowen" | |
| 2024 | Hysteria! | Linda Campbell | Main role |
| 2025 | Hollywood Squares | Herself | 3 episodes |
