Ariel Winter

Ariel Winter Workman (born January 28, 1998) is an American actress. She is known for playing Alex Dunphy in the ABC sitcom Modern Family, for which she and her several co-stars won four consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

Ariel Winter
Winter in March 2015
Born
Ariel Winter Workman

(1998-01-28) January 28, 1998 (age 26)
OccupationActress
Years active2002–present
Known forAlex Dunphy in Modern Family
Relatives

Early life

Ariel Winter Workman was born on January 28, 1998, in Fairfax, Virginia.[1] She is the daughter of Chrisoula (née Batistas) and Glenn Workman. Through her mother, she is of Greek descent, and through her father, of German descent.[2] She is the younger sister of actors Shanelle Workman and Jimmy Workman.[3][4][5]

Career

Winter obtained her first entertainment industry job in a Cool Whip commercial advertisement in 2002 when she was four years old.[6] She had her first television role in an episode of Listen Up, and followed it with appearances in a variety of television shows such as Freddie, Monk, Bones, and ER.

In the animated children's show Phineas and Ferb, she voiced the character of Gretchen before winning the regular role of Alex Dunphy in the series Modern Family, which premiered in 2009 and ended in 2020. She has continued to work in TV animation, including providing the voice of Marina the Mermaid on Disney Junior's Jake and the Never Land Pirates. In 2012, Winter was cast as Sofia, the lead character in a then-new Disney animated franchise Sofia the First.[7] The series premiered in January 2013 on Disney Junior.

Winter at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2016

In 2014, she voiced Penny Peterson, Sherman's adversary turned friend in the DreamWorks Animation film Mr. Peabody and Sherman. She also lent her voice to characters in the animated films, Disney's Bambi II and Blue Sky's Ice Age: The Meltdown.

Winter has appeared in feature films, most notably in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Speed Racer, Duress, and Opposite Day. She also appeared on the Halloween-themed TV film Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred. For her leading role in the film The Chaperone, she was nominated at the Young Artist Awards 2012 as "Best Actress in a Motion Picture".[8]

Personal life

In 2012, Winter's sister Shanelle Workman filed to become her guardian, alleging that their mother had been physically and emotionally abusive.[9] In 2014, the court awarded guardianship to Workman and permanently removed Winter from her mother's guardianship.[10] Their mother later released a statement saying that "the family has moved beyond the conflict".[10] In 2015, when she was 17 years old, Winter declared on Twitter that she was officially emancipated.[11][12]

In 2015, Winter underwent breast reduction surgery.[13][14] In a 2016 interview with ABC News Nightline, Winter explained the awkwardness of developing at 12 years old in the public eye, combined with the back pain that rendered her unable to stand up straight at times, was "really ostracizing and excruciatingly painful."[14][15][16] Describing the improvement that the surgery had on her both physically and psychologically, she told Glamour magazine that it was "amazing to finally feel right. This is how I was supposed to be."[14] At the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Winter gained media attention for wearing a Romona Kaveza gown[17] that revealed her surgical scars. She was shocked after walking down the red carpet to see the photos the next day and "every headline be about my cleavage and -- not about my talent."[16] Winter later tweeted: "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."[17]

Winter attended Campbell Hall School in Los Angeles, graduating in June 2016.[18] She was accepted to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and scheduled to begin there in the fall quarter of 2016.[19] However, she later confirmed that she planned to attend UCLA in fall 2017. On her decision to attend college, she explained, "You gotta have something else you can do. I've always been interested in law, so I think it'll definitely be something that I'll love to do and also go to school for."[20] In 2018, Winter took an indefinite hiatus from UCLA to focus on her work.[citation needed]

Winter is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.[21]

She dated Canadian actor Levi Meaden for three years; they split in 2019.[22] The couple lived together in Winter’s 3,200-square-foot home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles.[23] Since 2020, she has been in a relationship with actor Luke Benward.[24] In 2022, Winter moved from Southern California to Nashville, Tennessee.[25][26]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005Kiss Kiss Bang BangYoung Harmony Faith Lane
2006Curious GeorgeKid (voice)[27]
Bambi IIThumper's Sister (voice)[27]
Ice Age: The MeltdownVarious characters (voice)
2008One Missed CallEllie Layton
Speed RacerYoung Trixie
Horton Hears a Who!Various charactersVoice
2009Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis!Little girl
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children CompleteMarlene Wallace (voice)
Life Is Hot in CracktownSuzie
DuressSarah Barnett
Opposite DayCarla Benson
Cloudy with a Chance of MeatballsVarious characters (voice)
Afro Samurai: ResurrectionYoung Sio (voice)
2010KillersSadie
Nic & Tristan Go Mega DegaLisa
DC Showcase: Green ArrowPrincess Perdita (voice)
2011The ChaperoneSally
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd DimensionGretchen (voice)
Fred 2: Night of the Living FredTalia
2012ExcisionGrace
Tad, The Lost ExplorerSarah Lavrof (voice)
ParaNormanBlithe Hollow Kid (voice)[27]
Sofia the First: Once Upon a PrincessSofiaVoice, television film
2012–2013Batman: The Dark Knight ReturnsCarrie Kelley / Robin (voice)Direct-to-video[27]
2013Dora the Explorer and the Destiny MedallionDoraShort film
Scooby-Doo! Stage FrightChrissy Damon (voice)Direct-to-video[27]
Sofia the First: The Floating PalaceSofiaVoice, television film
Tad, The Lost ExplorerSara Lavrof
2014Mr. Peabody & ShermanPenny Peterson (voice)
2015SafelightKate
2016Elena and the Secret of AvalorSofiaVoice, television film
2017Smurfs: The Lost VillageSmurf Lily (voice)
The Last Movie StarLil

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005Listen UpLittle GirlEpisode: "Last Vegas"
Tickle-UPipocaVoice
FreddieHoboEpisode: "Halloween"
2006MonkDonna CainEpisode: "Mr. Monk and the Astronaut"
So NotoriousLittle Tori5 episodes
JerichoJulieEpisode: "Pilot"
BonesLizaEpisode: "The Girl with the Curl"
Nip/TuckKidEpisode: "Reefer"
2007Crossing JordanGwenEpisode: "Faith"
Shorty McShorts' ShortsTaffyVoice, episode: "Flip-Flopped"
Criminal MindsKatie JacobsEpisode: "Seven Seconds"
2007–2015Phineas and FerbGretchen, additional voicesVoice, recurring role[27]
2008Ghost WhispererNatalieEpisode: "Imaginary Friends and Enemies"
2009ERLucy Moore5 episodes
The Penguins of MadagascarLittle GirlVoice, episode: "What Goes Around / Mask of the Raccoon"
2009–2020Modern FamilyAlex DunphyMain role; 11 seasons
2011Jake and the Never Land PiratesMarina the MermaidVoice, 15 episodes
Minnie's Bow-ToonsRoxie SquirrelVoice, episode: "Pom Pom Problem; Pet Adoption"
WWE RawHerselfGuest star (airdate: February 14)
The Haunting Hour: The SeriesJennyEpisode: "Fear Never Knocks"
2012The Haunting Hour: The SeriesGracieEpisode: "Headshot"
Young JusticeQueen PerditaVoice, episode: "Coldhearted"[27]
2013–2018Sofia the FirstSofiaVoice, main role[27]
2016Milo Murphy's LawJackieVoice, episode: "The Wilder West"[27]
2019Law & Order: Special Victims UnitRaegan JamesEpisode: "The Darkest Journey Home"[28]
Robot ChickenVarious charactersVoice, episode: "Ginger Hill in: Bursting Pipes"
2020Elena of AvalorSofiaVoice, episode: "Coronation Day"
2023Star Trek: Lower DecksD'Erika TendiVoice, recurring role
Stars on MarsHerselfContestant

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010Kingdom Hearts Birth by SleepYoung Kairi[27]
2012Final Fantasy XIII-2Mog[27]
Guild Wars 2Cassie
2014Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 RemixYoung KairiArchival footage
2015Final Fantasy Type-0 HDMoogle[27]
2020Kingdom Hearts: Melody of MemoryYoung KairiArchival footage[27]
2022The QuarryAbigail "Abi" BlygVoice, motion-capture and likeness[27]

Awards and nominations

Screen Actors Guild Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResult
2009Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy SeriesModern Family
(shared with Ed O'Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Sarah Hyland, Rico Rodriguez, and Nolan Gould)
Nominated
2010Won
2011Won
2012Won
2013Won
2014Nominated
2015Nominated
2016Nominated

Young Artist Awards

YearCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2010Outstanding Young Ensemble in a TV SeriesModern FamilyWon[29]
2011Nominated[30]
2012Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature FilmThe ChaperoneNominated[8]

References

External links