Julie Bowen Majored in Italian Renaissance Studies — Plus Other Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Her

I’m an Ivy-League Graduate

Before becoming an actress, Julie attended Brown University, where she majored in Italian Renaissance studies.

“I lived in Florence for a year, and it was magnificent,” she recalls. “I was 20 years old, I had long blond hair, and I didn’t pay for anything. It wasn’t all red wine and pasta — though there was a lot of red wine and pasta. It was actually very challenging, too.”

Exercise Keeps Me Sane…

“I do like running, but for my mental health, mainly. I used to do a lot of yoga, but it is very time-consuming. Yoga instructors, I have found, have a very loose relationship with the Western clock.”

…But My New Role Is Crazy

Julie stars in Peacock’s scary new series Hysteria!, about the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s. “It’s more of a psychological thriller,” she tells Closer. “By the end of the first episode, you’re not sure, and I wasn’t sure, if my character is sane or insane. It’s fun.”

I Learned How to Parent on Modern Family

“I was a mom to older kids on T.V. before I was a mom to older kids in real life,” says Julie, 54, who shares three teenage sons with her ex, Scott Phillips. “So, if anything, [my character] Claire kind of helped me. I realized, oh, this is all a work in progress.”

I Love Working With Adam Sandler

“It’s fantastic,” says Julie, who is currently filming Happy Gilmore 2 with the actor and comedian. “He is every bit as lovely now as he was then. We’re so excited.”