The end of the run for “Modern Family” was also the end of the road for one of the show’s most beloved stars, as the star french bulldog known as Stella has passed away.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Beatrice, who played Jay Pritchett’s prized pooch Stella, died around a week ago, days after stars Ed O’Neill, Sofia Vergara and Ariel Winter finished taping the final episode of the ABC series. It’s currently unclear what led to Beatrice’s sudden death.
The news quickly spread around the animal training community, with one of Beatrice’s former trainers, posting a tribute to the pup:
"My Ride Or Die. Always. #Beatrice," the message read alongside a photo of Beatrice on set.
The character of Stella was a longtime fan-favorite and used as many plot points during the 11-year series run. Stella was first introduced in Season Two during the episode, "Good Cop Bad Dog," and made her debut as a problematic puppy hellbent on destroying everything. Stella eventually grew to be the backbone of the Pritchett family, and was the pride and joy of Ed O’Neill’s character … other than Sofia Vergara.