"Modern Family" star Ariel Winter, now 27, bid farewell to Los Angeles in a bid to escape the traumatic shadows of her childhood fame. Renowned for her portrayal of Alex Dunphy in the ABC sitcom, Winter's journey from child star to teenage celebrity was anything but smooth sailing. She revealed to People magazine that the relentless criticism aimed at her body took a heavy toll on her self-esteem, leaving her reeling.
"The negativity was omnipresent," she confessed. "Every headline I read about myself was filled with adults penning articles lambasting my appearance, branding me as looking terrible, pregnant, or obesity incarnate. I was just 14 years old. My self-worth was shattered."
Winter continued, "I knew what it felt like to be loathed. Regardless of my circumstances, I was a constant target. It became excruciatingly difficult to look in the mirror and affirm, 'I cherish this version of myself.'"
Beyond the glare of Hollywood's harsh lights, Winter's childhood was further marred by alleged abuse at the hands of her mother, who has steadfastly denied these accusations. At the tender age of 14, Winter found herself placed under the care of her sister, Shanelle Gray, after being removed from her family home by Child Protective Services.
"Thanks to my sister's custody, I went on to enjoy a wonderful remainder of my teenage years," Winter reminisced to the outlet.
Winter attributed her trauma to the entirety of her childhood, stating, "It's a profoundly painful scar for me, a wound so deep and wide that I've never felt prepared to discuss it openly."
In 2020, Winter and the cast of "Modern Family" wrapped up filming. At this juncture, the actress, along with her boyfriend, actor Luke Benward, opted to relocate away from Los Angeles.
Nonetheless, Winter remains steadfast in her pursuit of acting and producing endeavors. Personal projects include launching a podcast and developing a cooking show, as per People magazine.
"I haven't abandoned the industry," she clarified to the outlet. "I merely left the city of Los Angeles," Winter elaborated. "It's laden with bittersweet memories for me. Being young and inexperienced in living anywhere else, I thought, 'Why not give it a try?' With no ongoing network show filming there, my presence wasn't mandatory. Should I land another network gig, returning would be seamless."
