How old was Ariel Winter in Modern Family? Actress recalls receiving inappropriate messages from older men as a child

Ariel Winter was 11 years old when she first appeared on Modern Family, the beloved ABC sitcom that would turn her into a household name.

Portraying the whip-smart and sarcastic Alex Dunphy, Winter became a staple on American television for 11 seasons, growing up on screen alongside her castmates. But while the cameras captured a tight-knit fictional family, real life was far more complicated.

In a new interview with Daily Mail, the now 27-year-old actress opened up about the disturbing realities of child stardom, particularly the inappropriate attention she received from adult men while still a minor.

“By the time I was on a laptop and cell phone, I was getting inappropriate messages from older men,” she revealed. “And it caused trauma.”

Winter, who began acting professionally at just four years old, said these early experiences left lasting emotional scars.

“I am familiar with male predators because I worked in Hollywood at a young age,” she said. “The experiences I had in person and online as a child have affected me so deeply that I’ve had to go to therapy for it. The movie and TV industry is a dark place.”

From online abuse to advocacy for Ariel Winter

Today, Ariel Winter is using her voice to protect others. She’s teamed up with SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse) for a powerful new YouTube docuseries titled SOSA Undercover, which tracks real-life sting operations against online predators. In one operation, Winter even posed as a 12-year-old to help catch a suspect in Oklahoma City.

“It can be scary at times pretending to be 12 and talking to older men,” she told DailyMail.com, “but it’s validating to put away predators that have been harming children.” Her participation, she said, is deeply personal: “Growing up in the entertainment industry, I’ve been the girl we are trying to save.”

SOSA Undercover, which premiered last month, releases new episodes every two weeks. The organization works closely with ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) task forces and law enforcement to build legal, prosecutable cases—something most civilian “predator hunters” do not. For Ariel Winter, this work marks both a form of healing and a powerful mission to protect others from the kind of harm she once faced.

Battling body shaming and mental health challenges

The pressure of growing up in the spotlight extended far beyond unwanted messages. Ariel Winter also faced relentless public commentary about her appearance.

“Having my figure written about was a major part of my teenage years,” she said. “I mean, I was 14.”

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The scrutiny intensified while she was dealing with personal health issues. “I was on an antidepressant in high school that caused me to gain 30 lbs,” she shared, noting that after switching medications, she lost the weight but then faced backlash for looking “too skinny.” Ariel Winter admitted the constant criticism took a toll.

“It was hard to be torn down constantly,” she said, adding that therapy and a strong support system helped her learn to love herself again.

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