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Modern Family star Ariel Winter recalls getting inappropriate messages from old men: ‘It caused trauma’
Actor Ariel Winter, widely recognized for portraying Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, has once again spoken out about the emotional toll of fame at a young age.
American actor Ariel Winter is speaking out about a disturbing part of her childhood in the spotlight — receiving inappropriate messages from adult men while still a minor. In an with British tabloid The Daily Mail, the 27-year-old revealed, “I don't wanna say too much about it, but by the time I was on a laptop and cell phone, I was getting inappropriate messages from older men. And it caused trauma.”
Ariel was just 11 years old when she began her role as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, a sitcom that became a massive hit over its 11-season run. While the show brought her fame and recognition, Ariel said, it also exposed her to darker elements of the industry — and the internet — at a very young age.
Though she was surrounded by fellow child actors, including Sarah Hyland, Nolan Gould, Rico Rodriguez, and Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, Ariel said that did not shield her from the harmful experiences that came with being a young public figure. “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,” she said.
Her comments come as she promotes SOSA Undercover, a new true crime docuseries that highlights the work of Safe from Online Sex Abuse (SOSA), a nonprofit that helps law enforcement identify and track online sexual predators.
Ariel has been candid in the past about the challenges she faced growing up in the public eye, including harsh judgment about her body during her teenage years. She has spoken openly about how those experiences led to anxiety and emotional struggles that required professional help.
In addition to her work on Modern Family, she has also voiced characters in animated projects like Sofia the First and Star Trek: Lower Decks, and appeared on the reality competition Stars on Mars. Despite the success, she continues to confront the lingering emotional impact of early fame — and now, she’s helping shine a light on the dangers that come with it.
