Ariel Winter Says Goodbye to L.A. and Hello to a Powerful New Mission
Ariel Winter is starting a new chapter far from the city she once called home.
The former Modern Family star, now 27, told People in a new interview that she left Los Angeles to reset her life after enduring years of public scrutiny, online bullying, and personal trauma. Winter, who shot to fame as Alex Dunphy on the hit sitcom, has been candid about the dark side of growing up in the spotlight, and she says the decision to leave L.A. was about reclaiming her peace.
“It holds some not-great memories for me,” she said. “I’m young and had never lived anywhere else, so I thought, why not? If you’re not on a network show that shoots there, you don’t really have to be in L.A.”
The actress, who began her career in commercials at age 4, spent her teen years under an unforgiving spotlight. She faced relentless criticism about her appearance, saying headlines picked apart everything from her weight to her clothes—sometimes in cruel terms. “I was 14, and grown people were writing articles about how I looked terrible,” she said. “It totally damaged my self-esteem.”
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Compounding her struggles was a turbulent home life. Winter was removed from her mother’s custody at 14 amid abuse allegations and later emancipated at 17. She credits her older sister, who became her guardian, with helping her regain stability.
Now, after therapy and reflection, Winter says she’s focused on healing and building a meaningful life. She’s leaned into new passions, including rescuing dogs (she has six!) and working with SOSA (Safe From Online Sex Abuse), an organization that combats online predators.
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Though she’s stepped away from L.A., Winter hasn’t left the entertainment industry. She continues acting, is developing a podcast and cooking show, and remains committed to using her platform for good.
“More than anything, I want my story to be that she uses her platform to help others,” she said. “That’s all I care about now.”