Ariel Winter's self-esteem was 'damaged†after she was body-shamed as teen actress
- Posted: May 08, 2025
- Updated: 10:03 am
Los Angeles, May 8 : Actress Ariel Winter, who played Alex Dunphy in 'Modern Family', has talked about the downsides of fame during her time on the iconic sitcom.
In a conversation with people.com, Winter said that while playing Alex Dunphy on 11 seasons of the 22-time Emmy-winner, the media brutally critiqued her physical appearance. In the early seasons of the show, Winter was only 14 years old, which made the negative attention all the more difficult to deal with, reports variety.com.
'It was every headline I read about myself, like, grown people writing articles about me saying how I looked terrible or pregnant or like a fat slut. I mean, I was 14. It totally damaged my self-esteem,' Winter said.
She added: 'No matter what I was going through, I was a target. It made it very difficult to look at myself in the mirror and go, 'I love this version of me.''
After 'Modern Family' came to an end in 2020, Winter said that she and her boyfriend left Los Angeles, but maintains that she 'didn't leave the industry.'
Outside of acting, Winter works with the advocacy group SOSA (Safe From Online Sex Abuse), which helps protect young people from predators online.
'Technically, yes, I'm a survivor. I've gone through some',' Winter said.
'But a lot of people have gone through some shit. Calling me a survivor takes away from what I'm here for, which is to help others and shine a spotlight on those that need it.'
Modern Family aired for 11 seasons from 2009 to 2020. The series follows the lives of three diverse but interrelated family set-ups living in suburban Los Angeles.
Modern Family employs an ensemble cast and is presented in a mockumentary style, with the characters frequently speaking directly to the camera in confessional interview segments.
The series won a total of 22 Emmy Awards, including five Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series ' Musical or Comedy in 2011.
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