The Stunning Transformation Of Modern Family Star Ariel Winter

Ariel Winter has truly grown up before our eyes. The talented actor has been on screens since she was just 4 years old, and spent more than a decade as a child, teen, and young adult portraying Alex Dunphy on the hugely popular sitcom "Modern Family." 

"As I get older, I can look back and see what I was doing at certain ages. I can see when I had braces and see my super awkward phases, but I'm not the only one doing that. Everyone can see it. It's a double-edged sword," she told Pulse Spikes of growing up in the spotlight. While the show brought her fame and fortune, it didn't make growing up easy. "Starting as a kid, it is especially hard to deal with [fame]. People get to judge everything you do, starting from the moment that you stepped into the industry ... That part sucks the most," Winter said.

But the 11 years Winter spent on the ABC show alongside Sarah Hyland (who's had a gorgeous transformation of her own) was just part of Winter's journey. This adorable child star has dealt with difficult family drama, learned to love her body, and brought attention to important topics like mental health and body confidence. And that's culminated into one stunning transformation.

Ariel Winter was born in 1998 in California, but didn't have a Hollywood fairytale upbringing. Her dad wasn't heavily involved in her childhood. "He just opted out a little bit," Winter told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. She didn't see much of her sibling, either. "I didn't know my sister much growing up, and I wasn't really allowed to see her," Winter told Teen Vogue in 2013.

But the future star spent a lot of time with her mom, Chrisoula "Crystal" Workman, who was determined to make her a star despite her young dreams of becoming an doctor or lawyer. "[I was dressed in] the smallest miniskirts, sailor suits, low-cut things, the shortest dresses you've ever seen," Winter recalled of her life from age 7 onwards. "People thought I was 24 when I was 12. If there was going to be a nude scene when I was that age, my mother would have a thousand percent said yes," she claimed.

Winter admitted to People in 2016 that the child actor path wasn't one she would have chosen for herself. "My mom put me in the industry when I was 4. I love what I do, but I don't know if it's a choice I would have made on my own," she said. But, despite Winter's career being chosen for her, it didn't take her long to make a splash. As a child, she landed small roles in TV shows and movies including "One Life To Live" and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" – and it wasn't long before the future A-lister booked the gig that changed her life.

In 2009, Ariel Winter's life changed overnight when "Modern Family" premiered. The then 11-year-old played Alex Dunphy, an impossibly smart youngster with a big future, and the show was an instant hit. TV By The Numbers reported 12.6 million viewers tuned in to the pilot, which made Winter a star overnight.

"It's so much fun to be on the show ... it's brought a lot of opportunities and a lot of crazy things," the young actor said during a "Modern Family" press junket. "I go in public and people recognize me and they want to take pictures of me and they know my name and so it's really cool. And, also, I get to work with the most amazing people on the planet. Such iconic actors and incredible producers." Winter continued her education while working on the show, doing at least three hours of schoolwork each day on set.

But, sadly, she quickly realized being a star didn't make her immune to bullies. "In high school, I cared about what people thought about me. And not what my classmates were saying but more what was on the internet," she told Pulse Spikes, noting she's read nasty things about her appearance online. The actor began changing herself to fit in and avoid criticism, but, thankfully, soon realized she was perfect the way she was. "Nobody thought anything better of me, the criticism didn't stop, nobody was ever going to be happy with the way I looked," she said. "So I realized that it didn't matter ... the only person that matters is me because I am the only one who has to live with me."

Though Ariel Winter was riding high from the huge success of "Modern Family" in 2012, her real family was far from the close knit clan she was part of on the show. At age 14, Winter accused her mom of abuse and took out a restraining order against her. In court documents, Winter alleged she experienced "ongoing physical abuse (slapping, hitting, pushing) and emotional abuse (vile name-calling, personal insults about minor and minor's weight, attempts to 'sexualize' minor, deprivation of food, etc.) for an extended period of time" (via People). Workman denied the allegations, but Winter's sister Shanelle Gray was awarded temporary custody. 

The family reached an agreement in 2014 that saw Winter remain in Gray's custody. The following year, the 17-year-old confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she had become emancipated from her parents. "I'm really lucky I have an amazing support system and lovely people in my life," Winter wrote.

Speaking to Teen Vogue, Winter shared how living with her sister had changed her life. "I've never had a curfew before. My life is definitely more normal — and that'll help me grow up like I'm supposed to. Like, I always wanted to be a dancer, and now I'm taking dance classes," she said. "It's just a different experience for me because I have more of a family life. I'm really happy."

2015 gave Ariel Winter new opportunities to take even more control of her life and happiness, and for her, that involved a breast reduction. The talented actor told Glamour she'd become uncomfortable in her body following a growth spurt. "I was 15 years old with [size] F [breasts]. It's like, How do you navigate that?'" she said, adding that she struggled to find bras or swimwear that supported her chest, which caused her a lot of pain. Winter said she also felt constantly sexualized and was tired of seeing articles discussing the size of her chest.

After undergoing her breast reduction, Winter spoke openly about the procedure, in part to end stigma around the surgery. "It's something that I did to better my life and better my health and I think that that can benefit a lot of young girls. I have felt more happy with myself than I ever have," she said. The star also talked about how her sister supported her with the decision. "Shanelle is so supportive and loving. She's my best friend in the world," Winter said.

The surgery vastly improved Winter's wellbeing and she was proud to show off her scars for a good cause. The Alex Dunphy actor wore a strapless dress at the 2016 SAG Awards and hit back at trolls who questioned why she chose to show the aftermath of her surgery. "Guys there is a reason I didn't make an effort to cover up my scars! They are part of me and I'm not ashamed of them at all," she wrote on X.

Though Ariel Winter was one of the biggest TV stars in the world — earning upwards of $70,000 per episode of "Modern Family," per Deadline – she was still focused on her education. In a since deleted 2016 Instagram post, she confirmed she'd gotten into college. "It's an AMAZING DAY! I'm going to UCLA- thank you to everyone who has been there for me on this journey!" she wrote (via Page Six). The year prior, Winter expressed her desire to become a lawyer. "I would love to continue acting but it's definitely important, I think, to go and do something else as well. You never know if something's not going to work out," she told E! News. "You gotta have something else you can do."

But Winter was forced to put her studies on hiatus in 2018. "I do love UCLA, but at the moment I'm taking a break from it so I can continue to pursue my career and also try to have a little bit more of a life," she told ET. "I think education's really important. I love being there. I love learning. I will continue to keep learning," she added. 

The following year, she told The Hollywood Reporter that her gruelling schedule got in the way of her studies. "I overestimated what I could do at that time ... I wasn't really able to get to the majority of my classes," she said. And we can understand why. In addition to working hard on "Modern Family" between 2016 and 2019, Winter lent her voice to the likes of "Sofia The First," "Smurfs: The Lost Village," and other animated projects.

Ariel Winter got candid about her mental health in 2019, sharing she'd taken antidepressants for years, but with adverse results. In a post on Instagram Stories, she wrote that she'd noticed a big difference in her mental and physical health after changing her medication. "For years I had been on antidepressants that caused me to gain weight that I couldn't lose no matter what I did. It was always frustrating for me because I wanted to be able to get fit and feel like the work I was doing was paying off," she said (via Women's Health). 

The "Tripped Up" star explained her new medication allowed her to lose weight, but that wasn't why she made the change. "It had nothing to do with weight ... I was able to find a great combination of medication that works for me," she wrote. Stars like Winter getting candid about their experience with antidepressants is not only refreshing but also demonstrates why pill shaming needs to stop.

The following year, much like her co-star and friend Sarah Hyland, Winter opened up about her self-care journey and joined the ranks of celebs who have shared how therapy improved their lives. "I go to therapy every week and I've been doing it for eight years. It is fantastic. For me, therapy is so important. I never want to quit therapy," she told Teen Vogue.

A huge life change came Ariel Winter's way in 2020 when it was announced "Modern Family" would soon end. The sitcom was renewed for its last string of episodes, Season 11, in 2019. On "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in October 2019, Winter spoke about how tough she found the ending of the show, pointing out she'd worked on it for half her life. 

"It's sad, obviously. It's not something that we want. You know, we love each other, and we love our show," she said. Winter noted she and her co-workers would have made more episodes, but said, "It's been 11 years. And I think everybody's ready to do new things. But it's obviously going to be really sad that we won't get to see each other every week."

In March 2020, Winter spoke more about the end of such a poignant part of her life on "Live with Kelly and Ryan." "It was obviously really hard to say goodbye to everybody but I think we're ending the show at a good place," the star said. The last day of filming was "really sad," however, she added. "For me it's more difficult because I'm not immediately emotional ... I think it's going to hit me when August comes around and that's what I'd normally go back to work," she said. The show aired its final episode in May 2020.

Ariel Winter looked toward a slightly different career after "Modern Family" came to an end, shifting her focus to voice acting. Post-2020, the star's voice could be heard in the likes of "The Quarry" video game, and TV shows including "American Dad!" and "Star Trek: Lower Decks." Outside of work, Winter made a huge change when she left her home state of California to move to Tennessee with her partner, Luke Benward. 

Speaking on the "Quitters" podcast with her former "Modern Family" co-star Julie Bowen in May 2022, she revealed she'd moved a few weeks earlier on a whim. "I decided within a week and a half to move," she said, revealing she threw caution to the wind after her sister expressed interest in living in the southern state. Winter didn't enjoy life in LA because she didn't have much privacy, she added. "I have been followed by paparazzi for a very long portion of my life. And I really, really dislike having my space invaded," she said, noting that she wasn't interested in being famous. "I don't like pictures of me when I haven't signed up for pictures of me. I don't like feeling watched. I've always just wanted to live a very normal life ... and I never really felt like I could do that in LA," she added.

Two years later, the star spoke more about her relocation on E! News. "I don't think LA was ever really my vibe, but I just was nervous. And then this opportunity presented itself, and I was like, you know what? I'm in a season of change, and I'm really trying to heal and grow and evolve," she said. "It's opened up my world a lot."

By 2024, Ariel Winter was enjoying her new life away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood, and finding new passions outside acting. Winter, rocking 2024's hot amber hair trend, began sharing cooking and baking videos on Instagram that included her favorite recipes and techniques. She also opened up to E! News about her quieter life in Tennessee with Luke Benward. "I just love him. And whatever the future is for us, it is for us. We got our dog kids, and we love our life," she said.

But California wasn't totally out the star's life. She returned to her home state in October of 2024 to accept a Legacy Award  that recognized her dedication to raising awareness of mental health, gender equality, and leadership. "As an adult I've struggled to find what I'm most passionate about. What my 'purpose' is. It turns out that it is, and always has been, what I hoped as a kid. I have always cared (sometimes too deeply tbh) about literally everything," she wrote in a touching Instagram post about the award. 

"Making a difference in just one life may seem small to some, but to me it means everything," she added. Winter also landed an exciting voice acting venture, as Disney confirmed she would reprise her role as Sofia in "Sofia the First: Royal Magic," a sequel to "Sofia The First."

Ariel Winter took her desire to help others a step further in 2025, when she publicized her work with nonprofit SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse) to combat sexual predators. The actor posted a trailer for the docuseries "SOSA Undercover" on Instagram in January 2025, a project aimed at raising awareness of child sexual abuse and SOSA's work keeping children safe. 

"SOSA works WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT to make a REAL difference taking REAL child sex abusers OFF THE STREETS," Winter wrote in the caption. "It also heals a little bit of my inner child knowing that what we're doing may prevent just one kid from experiencing that kind of trauma. I'm just grateful." Winter appeared as herself in the series, but acting was still a big part of her life. She also made her foray onto the big screen in 2025 with the movie "Like Father Like Son," alongside Mayim Bialik and Dermot Mulroney.

The most important part, though? She was happy. Winter ushered in 2025 by sharing several smiling photos and videos on Instagram that gave a glimpse into her life in Tennessee and her thriving personal and professional ventures. "Goodbye 2024!!! Hello 2025," she wrote, with a white heart and two hands making a heart emojis. The touching photos showed Ariel Winter has transformed from a young girl with a tumultuous home life to a stunning, confident, and powerful young woman.