Rico Rodriquez, who plays Vergara's son Manny, decided to "scrap that idea" of an on-set romance

It’s usually not good to mix business and pleasure. And Modern Family star Rico Rodriguez, 12, learned quickly before letting his crush on TV mom Sofia Vergara, 38, come in the way of work.

“At first, I had a little mom crush on her,” Rodriguez told PEOPLE at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times Halloween Carnival at the Universal Studios Back Lot in Los Angeles. “But then I was like, ‘No,’ because she plays my mom every day. So I said, ‘I’ll scrap that idea.’ ”

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On the other hand, Rodriquez has some buddies who are still interested in his costar. “My older friends – like the 15-year-olds – they go, ‘Yeah, your mom is – you know. I think you know what I mean,’ ” the actor said. “I said, ‘No, I don’t know what you mean.’ ”

Rodriguez, who hasn’t invited his interested friends on set to meet the Columbian actress, believes his friends would put on a good show for Vergara.