‘Modern Family’: Nolan Gould Has Been Building More Than Muscles During the Pandemic (Exclusive)

Nolan Gould, the youngest Dunphy on Modern Family, recently unveiled a ripped body on Instagram. But he’s also been doing plenty more than weight lifting since the series wrapped.

Gould dished exclusively with Showbiz Cheat Sheet in June about a few projects he’s had in the works for months – one is an animation series with a bite. At the time he was in a holding pattern, waiting for quarantine to lift and see where Hollywood was headed. Along with a close friend, Gould had been working on a dark comedy animation project he hoped to get off the ground in the coming months.

Nolan Gould has been working on an animated series for years

The project was a labor of love long before the pandemic struck. Gould said he and his friend began writing the comedy series about four years ago. “So we’d pop in a write,” he recalled. “Then four months later we’d write something else. We never thought we’d sell the show because I was on Modern Family. But that’s now over.”

Plus timing is everything, even if it means the world was shut down. “Because of the state of the world is in right now, animation is out in front,” he added. “So, we’re moving forward with that and I plan to be transitioning to more behind-the-camera work as well.”

Gould offered a description of what the series resembles. “The series skews more adult, like Rick and Morty, like the Adult Swim and Funny or Die kind of stuff,” he explained. “But it’s such a fun world because you have so much more to play with. It’s very easy to change things here and there.” Adding, the show could be adapted for cable but also network television with a few tweaks.

“You have the whole world of animation so you can create whatever you want,” he marveled.

Gould laughed at the notion that he animated the series. “I could not draw if my life depended on it,” he said. “But no, we’re both writers and actors. We both love comedy shows and we’re trying to continue learning through the industry. So everything we learned about comedy, we wrote really silly.”

Working out and eating right is also part of getting back in the game

Gould explained what he’s been doing to get in top shape. “I’ve been working out an hour and a half everyday with my friend Michael who is a personal trainer,” he told People. “We have a really cool socially-distant setup that has allowed me to get fit while also being safe. It’s been nice. Especially being unemployed in quarantine, having a reason to get up and stay motivated. It’s been something that’s been very healthy and positive for me in quarantine. It’s really changed my outlook.”

Eating a clean diet is also part of his new routine. “I’m eating so much healthier, even though there’s less of it,” he remarked. “What I get is actually really healthy food for you: lean protein, eating as many vegetables as you want and staying away from things like soda.”

“Nourishing the mind, body, all that,” he added. “And actually, for me the biggest thing was cutting out alcohol, for me that’s actually been very nice. I feel more clear-headed and have been doing as much writing as possible, being in acting class, taking all the steps I can so when the pandemic’s finally over, hopefully I’ll just be ready to go to work.”