Why Frances Anderson quit acting? Modern Family actress reveals reason behind break as she opens up about upcoming music

Frances Anderson had spent much of her childhood under studio lights. By the time Modern Family ended in 2020, she knew she wanted to trade scripts and set calls for hall passes and classrooms. Frances Anderson shared what led her to take a break from acting in an interview with E! News. She stated,

"I was homeschooled while filming Modern Family, which ended when I was 12, I decided to take time off from acting to go to school, be with kids my age, and find myself."

Although she admitted she planned to return to acting someday, she stressed that the pause had been vital. But normal teenage life proved elusive when, just two weeks after the series finale, the pandemic shut down schools.

"We wrapped the show, and two weeks later COVID hit, so I went from a major TV show to lockdown. Eventually, I enrolled in a public school with 4,000 students—very overwhelming! People recognized me, and it was a lot. I ended up switching schools and found a place that fit me better." she explained.

Now, Anderson is reintroducing herself, not as a child star, but as a musician. Her EP Drown dropped August 8, offering fans a first glimpse into her songwriting.

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons becomes Frances Anderson, embraces music with debut EP

For much of her childhood, audiences knew her as Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, who played the role of the sassy and quick-talking Lily from Modern Family. But as she turned 18, she reintroduced herself as Frances Anderson, signaling both a name change and a new career direction. She explained,

“Frances is actually part of my legal name, it’s my middle name, and it’s after my mom’s old family friend. I thought, one, it was a bit shorter than ‘Aubrey Anderson-Emmons.’ I do have a long, hyphenated last name.”

The shift, Frances Anderson said, was about more than practicality. Frances mentioned,

“I wanted to switch it up and I wanted people to see a new side of me. And I wanted to create a space specifically just for music. And I’m so excited for everybody to hear the songs on the EP, and I’m so grateful.”

That project, her debut EP Drown, released August 8, blended memories from childhood with stories from her high school years. She further discussed,

“A lot of my music is inspired from stuff when I was younger, when I was a kid, a lot about what my experiences were like in high school, and I hope that people find it relatable.”

Pointing out that she is a teenager now, she stated she feels like she's at the peak of her edginess now. Frances Anderson said her creative journey into songwriting began during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“I learned how to play guitar during COVID, and I learned to really write during my high school music class, and before then I’ve always been a singer. One of my big dreams in life was to be on Broadway. I’m still hoping to do that one day—fingers crossed,” she explained.

Songwriting eventually pulled her into the recording studio in late 2024, marking her official step into the music world.

Trending

“I think I really had to take a step back from acting, the show ended when I was 12 years old, so after that I decided I’m not gonna act anymore. And I do now, I plan on acting again—100 percent.” she explained.

At the moment, Frances Anderson is focused on music while settling into life on her own for the first time. Away from the studio, she spent her free hours horseback riding, hiking, and taking hot yoga classes. Frances expressed her desire to tour and share her music with the public, hoping that it will make them happy.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback