Julie Bowen: It’s not a kind business to women over 40

Los Angeles, April 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) "Modern Family" star Julie Bowen feels the industry isn't very kind to women over 40, and that's why it is important to step back a bit and explore the world behind the camera.

After wrapping up her act as Claire Dunphy on the hit "Modern Family", the actress says she wants to produce shows including one on female friendship.

Asked what's on her agenda after the show, Bowen said: "I am going to produce, do some directing. I am a real, I am a saver. I like a bargain, I don't shop. I am a big saver because I don't like that feeling of desperation waiting for the phone to ring like 'somebody hire me'. I don't like that. I am going to try and produce a comedy for ABC, about female friendship. And then I am going to try and produce some other stuff that I am not allowed to talk about. It's a bit hush-hush."

"Oh, and I am tired of being a mom. I mean I love it but do I want that to be my identity in the world? I would like to reclaim this situation for something other than mom-ing for a little while. I could just seal this up and never act again but I love acting," she added.

Bowen continued: "Also I like these shorter formats that they have now, where you can be on a show for six episodes or do an anthology series. And yes, would surely do more behind the camera. I mean this is not a very kind business to women over 40 and I think that sometimes you do have to step away for a second and especially after doing eleven years of Claire. I love Claire but I can't only be Claire."

Created by Steven Levitan and Chistopher Lloyd, the show navigates the life of members of Pritchett family and won hearts for showing a diverse picture of an American family with themes around a gay couple, adoption, dating, young pregnancy and ethnicity running at its core. It is aired in India on Star World.

Talking about the legacy of the show, Bowen said: "There is so much! When we started there was no gay couple on television - a stable married gay couple on network television who had a child and that represented something so vastly different. It seems so normal now and I love that that's been normalised and how we have almost forgotten how a big deal it was."

"This is the show that people sit down and turn on for comfort and laugh. My kids and I sit down and watch so many amazing shows like 'The Office', 'Friends' or 'Seinfeld', and we are so lost in these. And that's what I want is for people to go - 'oh this feels like home'."

Source: IANS