Ellen Barkin, who is garnering Oscar buzz for her performance in Another Happy Day, is set for a guest-starring role on the ABC hit sitcom Modern Family.

The actress will portray Vera, a hardened real estate veteran who becomes the main rival of Phil (Ty Burrell). The actress will make her debut on the show in early 2012, and it is said the actress could potentially recur on Modern Family.

Modern Family, which stars Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Sofía Vergara, Eric Stonestreet, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Rico Rodriguez, Sarah Hyland, Ariel Winter, and Nolan Gould, airs Episode 3.10: Express Christmas tonight, Wednesday, December 7 at 9 PM ET. The show returns after the holiday break with Episode 3.11: Lifetime Supply on Wednesday, January 4.