Ty Burrell is essentially the living embodiment of a "dad joke." If you’ve spent any time watching Modern Family, you know Phil Dunphy—the well-meaning, high-energy, slightly oblivious father of three who’s just trying to be the "cool dad." But off-camera? Things are a lot quieter. Actually, they’re practically silent compared to the Hollywood grind.
While most A-list stars spend their post-sitcom years chasing the next prestige drama or launching a tequila brand, Ty Burrell and wife Holly Burrell did something different. They vanished.
Well, not "vanished" in a witness protection sort of way. They just moved to Salt Lake City.
The First Date That Changed Everything
Most people don't realize that Ty and Holly have been together since long before the Emmy wins and the $4 million Los Angeles real estate deals. They met in the late 1990s at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.
They weren't stars. They were understudies.
Specifically, they were understudying lovers in Twelfth Night. Ty has joked in interviews that he knew he wanted to marry Holly on their very first date. "I had literally nothing going for me," he told Elle magazine, reflecting on those early years when they were both waiting tables to keep the lights on. He was a self-described "uniquely bad" waiter, while Holly actually had a knack for the service industry.
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They got married in August 2000. It was a small, quiet affair—the kind of ceremony that set the tone for their next 25 years.
Holly Burrell: The Professional Pastry Chef
While Ty was Busy falling over couches for the cameras, Holly was building a career that had absolutely nothing to do with acting. She realized early on that the performance life wasn't for her. "I probably was not cut out for the business," she told The Salt Lake Tribune.
So, she pivoted. Hard.
She moved to New York with Ty and enrolled in the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center). She didn't just pass; she graduated with honors from the pastry program. For a while, she worked in a small bakery, honing a craft that would eventually lead the couple into the restaurant business.
Today, the Burrells aren't just residents of Utah; they’re local business staples. They own or co-own several spots, including:
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- Bar-X: A classic cocktail bar in Salt Lake City.
- Beer Bar: A communal-style gastropub right next door.
- The Eating Establishment: A beloved diner in Park City.
- Cotton Bottom Inn: A legendary garlic burger joint in Holladay.
Adopting a "Modern Family"
Life mirrored art for the Burrells in 2010. While Ty’s fictional character was navigating the chaos of three kids, he and Holly were starting their own family through adoption. They welcomed their first daughter, Frances, in 2010. Two years later, Greta joined the crew.
The girls are teenagers now. That's a huge part of why the family left California the second Modern Family wrapped in 2020. Ty was 52 then; he's 58 now. He’s spent the last few years leaning into a lifestyle he calls "cosplay outdoorsy."
"At first, it almost felt like we were pretending to be people who were outdoorsy," he told People in late 2025. "Now we really truly love it."
The 25-Year Secret: Talk Until It’s Fixed
It’s rare for a Hollywood marriage to hit the quarter-century mark. Ty and Holly are reaching that milestone in 2025/2026, and they attribute it to one simple, almost annoyingly practical rule: They force themselves to talk.
Ty admits they aren't "silent treatment people." In a world where it’s easy to let resentment simmer, they try to settle conflicts before the day ends. He’s noted that if you don’t talk about it, the issue "calcifies." It becomes part of the foundation of the relationship, but in a bad way.
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Leaving the Dunphy House Behind
In 2017, Ty bought a $4.2 million Spanish Colonial Revival home in Cheviot Hills, Los Angeles. Funny enough, it was just a few blocks away from the actual house used for the exterior shots of the Dunphy home. It had the white plastered walls, the exposed wood beams, and a master suite with city views.
But it didn't have the peace they wanted.
As of 2026, the Burrells are firmly rooted in Utah. Ty hasn't retired—he’s been doing plenty of voiceover work and recently launched a semi-autobiographical podcast called The Good Life—but he isn't interested in the red-carpet lifestyle anymore. He’s admitted he’s starting to get the "itch" to perform in front of a camera again, but it’ll have to be on his terms.
Key Takeaways for Long-Term Relationships
If you're looking for the "Burrell Blueprint" for a successful marriage, it looks something like this:
- Shared Goals: Ty has mentioned that raising their daughters is an "inspiring rally point" for their marriage.
- Individual Passions: Holly didn't stay in Ty's shadow; she became a chef and a businesswoman in her own right.
- Radical Honesty: Pushing through the discomfort of a difficult conversation is better than letting it turn into a "simmering background" issue.
- Prioritize Environment: They didn't feel obligated to stay in L.A. just because that's where the work was. They chose a place that felt like "home" (Utah) over a place that felt like "work" (Hollywood).
To follow the Burrells' lead in your own life, consider evaluating whether your current environment actually supports your long-term family goals. Sometimes, the "cool" place to live isn't the best place to grow. If you're struggling with a partner, try the "no-silence" rule for a week—force the conversation even when it feels awkward. It worked for Phil Dunphy, and it clearly works for Ty.