TCA: Julie Bowen Sizes Up Her Emmy Chances with Movieline

Modern Family clogged the Emmys' supporting actor/actress categories with five nominations, including one for Julie Bowen, whose fatalistic, but familiarly manic performance as Claire Dunphy manages to ground the ensemble of caricatures. During a coffee break at the TCA panels in Beverly Hills, Movieline caught up with Bowen, asked her where she was when she found out about her nomination, and made her size up the competition in nominated castmate Sofia Vergara.

When Bowen found out about her nomination, she wasn't pretending to sleep in -- she was riding on an agonizingly silent bus. "When my husband told me, he called me when I was on a bus, and he said, 'Sofia got a nomination!' and I just cried I was so happy. And he said, 'And so did Ty! And Eric!' And I was like, 'This is so great.' And then I said, 'I've gotta go.' On this bus there was no talking. I said 'I've gotta go.' And he said, 'Wait, wait, wait!' I go, 'I've got to go!' And he goes, 'You got one too.' And I thought he was lying. And I still think he's lying. And all you people are plants."

As for beating out Vergara for the win, Bowen isn't optimistic about her chances.

"Sofia will win," Bowen said. "I don't think, I know."

Except, of course, that Jane Lynch will win. But the sentiment was nice.