Ariel Winter Leaves LA Behind After Online Bullying Struggles
In a new People cover story published Wednesday, the 27-year-old Modern Family alum shared that her decision to move away from Los Angeles in 2020 with her boyfriend, Luke Benward, was driven by the pain of online bullying.
“It was just everywhere,” Winter said. “Every headline I saw about myself was full of grown adults writing articles calling me terrible names, saying I looked awful, pregnant, or like a ‘fat slut.’”
Ariel Winter on Modern Family Season 1 in 2009.
“I was 14,” Winter explained. “It really damaged my self-esteem.”
Cast as Alex Dunphy in the award-winning ABC comedy at just 11 years old, Winter also shared that she quickly learned “what it was like to be hated” while facing online trolls.
Ariel Winter in an Instagram photo from April 2025.
Ariel Winter and her boyfriend in a photo shared on Instagram on April 20, 2025.
“No matter what I was going through, I was always a target,” Winter said. “It made it so hard to look at myself in the mirror and say, ‘I love this version of me.’”
Throughout her time in the spotlight, Winter accused her mother, Chrisoula Workman, of abuse. Workman, with whom Winter no longer has a relationship, has denied the allegations.
Reflecting on her greatest source of trauma, Winter told People, “It’s my entire childhood. It’s a really deep, painful, sore part of me—something so much deeper and bigger than I’ve ever felt ready to talk about.”
Ariel Winter on Modern Family Season 5.
Ariel Winter and Nolan Gould in the Modern Family series finale, which aired in 2020.
At 14, Winter was removed from her home by the Department of Child and Family Protective Services and placed in the care of her older sister, Shanelle Gray, who became her legal guardian.
“I had a great rest of my teenage years thanks to being under her custody,” Winter shared, adding that she was later legally emancipated and declared an adult.
Winter discussed her emancipation on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2016.
“Nobody controls you anymore,” the then-18-year-old explained. “You handle your own business, your own living arrangements, your own money. Everything is in your hands.”
She also spoke highly of her sister, saying, “She’s been the best part of my life. She’s really my best friend. She’s the most important thing to me. She’s been there for me through absolutely everything, and I love her so much. I count on her more than anything.”
Ariel Winter and Sarah Hyland in an episode of Modern Family at the end of the first season.
“I just left the city of LA. It holds some not-so-great memories for me, and I’m young and had never lived anywhere else, so I thought, ‘Why not?’” Winter explained.
She also added, “If you’re no longer on a network show that shoots there, you don’t really have to be in LA. And if I get another network show, I can easily go back.”
Winter also discussed her involvement with the organization SOSA (Safe From Online Sex Abuse), which works to protect children from pedophiles.
“Technically, yes, I’m a survivor,” she said. “I’ve gone through some s–t. But a lot of people have gone through some s–t. Calling me a survivor takes away from what I’m here for, which is to help others and shine a spotlight on those who need it.”
Winter added, “More than anything, I want my story to be about using my platform for good. My journey of figuring things out and healing is now focused on helping other people. That’s all I care about.”
