WWE Studios announced today that actors Kevin Corrigan (“American Gangster”), Ariel Winter (“Modern Family”) and Annabeth Gish (“The West Wing”) have joined WWE® Superstar Paul “Triple H” Levesque (“Blade: Trinity”) in the cast of the studios’ upcoming comedy, “The Chaperone.” The film will begin principal photography today in and around New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ariel Winter portrays Ray’s teenage daughter, Sally, who wants nothing to do with her father after his release from prison. Winter currently stars as Alex Dunphy in the popular and critically acclaimed ABC series, “Modern Family.” She recently completed the films “Nic & Tristan Go Mega Dega,” “Opposite Day” and “Duress.” Her other film credits include “Speed Racer,” and voice work for “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “Afro Samurai: Resurrection,” “Horton Hears a Who!,” “Ice Age: The Meltdown” and “Curious George.”

Source: WWE

Eric Stonestreet, who plays Cameron, the melodramatic half of the gay couple on ABC’s “Modern Family,” isn’t worried about being typecast.

While he was shooting the first episode of “Modern Family” he was also playing a convicted rapist and murderer on “Nip/Tuck.”

“I played Oliver Platt’s legal intern on ‘The West Wing,’ on ‘CSI,’ I was the handwriting documents technician. I’ve killed a bunch of people on TV. People ask if my parents have a problem with me playing a gay man on TV, I say they were more upset with me killing people. They say, ‘Why do they see you as a killer?’ ”

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Building on the success of Modern Family and The Middle, ABC continues spending big bucks on more comedies — thus its decision to order 12 half-hour pilots this year. Here is the list of comedy pilots coming from EW:

Awkward Situations for Men (Jeff Filgo & Jackie Filgo). Inspired by the Danny Wallace book of the same name, the series focuses on a British on-air personality who moves to America and clashes with local customs. Cast includes Wallace and Laura Prepon (That ’70s Show).

Freshmen (Greg Malins, Arianna Huffington). A multi-camera sitcom about three first-year members of Congress that stars Sarah Chalke (Scrubs).

Funny in Farsi (Nastaran Dibai, Jeffrey B. Hodes). Based on the novel of the same name by Firoozeh Dumas, which is a memoir of the author’s childhood.

Untitled David Caspe Project. A single-camera comedy about a couple who breaks up at the altar while their friends try to keep things copacetic. Cast includes Damon Wayans, Jr. (My Wife and Kids ).

How to Be A Better American (Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley). A single-camera comedy about a father who attempts to improve his life and the lives of his (not-so-amenable) family.

It Takes a Village (Casey Johnson & David Windsor). A single-camera comedy about two exes and their partners who come together to raise a 15-year-old boy.

Mr. Sunshine (Matthew Perry, Alex Barnow, Mark Firek). Perry (Friends) stars as a self-absorbed manager of a sports arena. Cast also includes Allison Janney (The West Wing) and Andrea Anders (Better Off Ted).

Untitled Couples Project (Shana Goldberg-Meehan). A multi-camera sitcom about two sisters in different stages of their romantic relationships. Cast includes Joanna Garcia (Privileged).

Untitled Dana Gould Project. A multi-camera comedy about a high school guidance counselor. Cast includes Gould and Brian Dennehy (Cocoon).

Who Gets the Parents (Joe Port & Joe Wiseman). A multi-camera comedy about three adult siblings who are grappling with their parents’ late-in-life divorce.

Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid (Howard Morris and Jenny Lee). A multi-camera comedy based on the book of the same name.

Wright Vs. Wrong (Stephanie Weir). A single-camera comedy about a conservative pundit who’s very different in private.

Do you see any new Modern Family here?

Ed O’Neill was a hardworking 41-year-old character actor when, in 1987, he was cast as Al Bundy on the Fox TV series Married . . .With Children. The raunchy but hilarious show, featuring the most dysfunctional family on television, lasted 11 seasons and made O’Neill a star. Since then, the likable actor has had a busy TV career, popping up on The West Wing, 8 Simple Rules, John From Cincinnati and as detective Joe Friday in a 2003 remake of Dragnet.

O’Neill, 63, has hit pay dirt again, playing Jay Pritchett, patriarch of the hit ABC series Modern Family. O’Neill was interviewed to dispach.com, here are some of the Q&A:
Q: Modern Family was a hit from the day it made its debut. What attracted you to the project?

A: I liked the fact that there were no jokes, that it was story-driven. I liked the interconnectedness, yet the separateness, of the three families; and I thought there was a lot of room for comedic situations. I liked that it was so ensemble. That’s my theater background.

Q: Your character is an older, successful guy married to Gloria, a Colombian hottie (Sofia Vergara) with a precocious 10-year-old son, Manny (Rico Rodriguez).

One of the things that makes Jay endearing is that he’s really trying to be a father to Manny, right?

A: The fact he wasn’t the greatest dad the first time around, I think a regret is there.

Now that he’s got another chance, even though I think Manny was not part of the bargain originally, now that he’s got him, he’s enjoying it. He’s basically a good guy, anyway.