Julie Bowen has an acting career .
She is best known for playing Carol Vessey on Ed -LRB- 2000 -- 04 -RRB- , Denise Bauer on Boston Legal -LRB- 2005 -- 07 -RRB- , Sarah Shephard on Lost -LRB- 2005 -- 07 -RRB- , and Claire Dunphy on the comedy Modern Family -LRB- since 2009 -RRB- .