Nerdy Modern Family actress fled Hollywood after execs blacklisted her for 'trampy' mistake... now Ariel Winter is desperate to return, but the bitchy LA set are still saying the nastiest things

As the bespectacled nerdy but adorable Alex Dunphy in Modern Family, Ariel Winter once told her onscreen father: 'Every time I was sure I couldn't do something, you convinced me I could. It's nice to have a believer in the house.'

Such strong faith is something Winter has seemingly been in need of, after struggling to match the success afforded her as a child star.

The actress, now 28, earned an estimated $25,000 per episode on season one of the smash-hit series, a figure that is believed to have ballooned to $100,000 during the final, and eleventh, season. Such success saw her become a regular on magazine covers and at high profile events like the Emmy Awards.

But as she transitioned from a child star and swapped her conservative fashion for a sexed-up image – wearing daring outfits, bleaching her hair blonde and making out with her boyfriends in public – her pay checks seemed to dry up. Instead, she was starring in middling films like the 2023 comedy Tripped Up.

She ultimately left Los Angeles to settle down in Nashville with her then-boyfriend, actor and singer Luke Benward, 31.

But now, Winter is back in Tinseltown, intent on reviving her career following the end of her six-year romance with Benward last year and listing her Nashville mansion for $2.65 million.

'Ariel has made it very clear that she wants to start working full time again as she is back in Hollywood and networking like crazy,' a source told the Daily Mail.

But it has been a humbling road for Winter, who has not received the warmest reception since returning to California six months ago.

'She wanted a role on a big TV show, like something on the level of Modern Family, but no one would see her for those kinds of roles because some in the industry feel she ruined her image by trying to be super sexy,' said our source.

In 2016, when Winter turned 18, she started posting racy images to Instagram and wearing low-cut dresses.

'Ariel messed up her career by trying to act super sexy,' said the source. 'A director who knew her well said producers wanted her to appear clean scrubbed and relatable, not trampy.'

And fans were also said to be skeptical.

'The fans really wanted Ariel to continue to be like Alex Dunphy after she left Modern Family, they didn't want her to be sexy and like Britney Spears, they wanted Alex. Now that Ariel is looking for more work, she has toned down the sexy stuff,' the source added.

'There aren't many jobs in Hollywood these days anyway, so it is slim pickings, and Ariel is not many people's first choice at the moment.'

And Winter is being careful where she steps.

'She didn't want to do reality TV - which she could have, easily - but she didn't want to dip her toe into that,' said our source. 'She didn't want to be labeled a reality TV star because she wanted to act. She loves acting so much.'

After all, Winter's acting career has been hard fought.

She claimed she was pushed into acting, aged four, by her mother Chrisoula Workman, who she later accused of being abusive and forcing her to diet. Workman vehemently denied allegations of abuse.

In 2012, her older sister, Shanelle Grey (née Workman), filed for guardianship, which was permanently granted by the court in 2014, leading to Winter winning legal emancipation at age 17.

Then there was the attention from exposure. Winter told the Daily Mail last year that she was hit on by older men when she was a tween, prompting her to work with SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse) to help catch online predators.

'I am familiar with male predators because I worked in Hollywood at a young age, I started at age four,' she said.

'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.

'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.'

Winter has also faced intense scrutiny over her weight. She told the Daily Mail in July 2025: 'Having my figure written about was a major part of my teenage years.'

Sometimes Winter was called fat. 'It was just everywhere. It was every headline I read about myself,' she recalled. 'I mean, I was 14.'

Winter said that at the time she 'was on an antidepressant in high school that caused' her 'to gain 30 lbs.' When she lost the weight there was backlash for that too, and she was accused of being too skinny. 

'It was hard to be torn down constantly,' she said. 'Then I went on a journey of self-healing... I've got great people around me.'

All that talk about her body got in the way of her career. 

'It became ugly, and was the wrong move, suddenly everyone was talking about her body and her weight and her clothes, and that has nothing to do with acting. She became a tabloid celebrity, not an actress,' said our source.

Although Nashville provided sanctuary, it was not so helpful for her career.

'I think everyone just forgot about her, it was like Ariel who? It was such a shame because she is a good actress and very beautiful,' the source said.

But Winter has a plan to land those top acting roles again. According to our source, she has been 'super smart about getting back into everyone's good graces by going on any auditions, doing meet and greets, submitting videos, and being open to anything.'

'Ariel has been smart about taking baby steps back into showbusiness,' the source said. 'She is continuing to do voice work with Sofia the First, a show she has worked with for years and loves.

'She is also doing voice work for The Sisters Grim, which is nice, steady money. She is showing the world she is not above any acting gigs.'

And Winter, who is saving cash by living with her Modern Family costar Nolan Gould, 28, has already seen success. In October she was cast in the new Hallmark+ show Change of Heart, in which she will play the sister to a divorce attorney (played by actor Sam Jaeger) who feels compelled to help people after he has a heart transplant.

'That is a very good move in the right direction. It will remind people she can act, works hard and is worth the money,' said our source.

Her inspiration seems to be the comeback of Lindsay Lohan, who had a well-publicized meltdown from 2007, was arrested several times and forced to go to rehab. After finding love with financier Bader Shammas and marrying in 2022, the 40-year-old cleaned up her act and headed back to Hollywood.

'Remember when Lindsay did those corny Christmas movies for Netflix that everyone loved?' said the source, referring to 2022's Falling For Christmas and 2024's Our Little Secret.

'They did very well. Now Lindsay is starring in feature films like Freakier Friday. Ariel feels she can follow this same path and do what Lindsay did.' 

It has been impossible to ignore the career trajectory of her Modern Family co-star Sarah Hyland, 35, who had an easier time transitioning in her career after the ABC show ended, landing roles in Broadway productions of The Great Gatsby and Just In Time.

'She has become a legit theatre music actress and is thriving, she works all the time and is respected,' the source said of Hyland, noting she is 'happily married' to TV personality Wells Adams. 'Everything seemed to work out for Sarah.'

But things are looking up for Winter.

In addition to her new gig, Winter also has a new romance. The actress told People that she is dating one of Gould's friends, though she refused to name her mystery beau.

'Recently she started seeing a new guy, she has told friends she is having fun,' our source said. 'And her team really thinks she can have a comeback. She really deserves a comeback because she has not had an easy life, has always worked so hard, and is really sweet.'

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Winter for comment.