Frances Anderson on Why She Stepped Away from Acting After ‘Modern Family’

The 18-year-old, who is now pursuing music, said she plans to return to acting. But after nine seasons as the beloved Lily in the sitcom, her hiatus from the industry was "much needed."

Frances Anderson spent much of her childhood on the set of the ABC sitcom "Modern Family." However, after the show aired its final season in 2020, the young actress decided it was time to live like a normal kid.

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

The TV star — who now goes by her second name instead of her birth name, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons — is currently following a path in music, but her onscreen career isn’t over yet; it’s simply on pause.

"I plan to act again," Anderson said. "But the break was exactly what I needed." Although she looked forward to normalcy at the time, her break from acting coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We wrapped the show, and two weeks later COVID hit. So I went from a major TV show to lockdown," she revealed. "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."

Anderson has been slowly returning to the spotlight, especially with the release of her new EP "Drown." She explained that the project is inspired by her childhood and high school experiences. "I hope that people find it relatable," she said.