BAD MEMORIES

‘Modern Family’ Star Reveals Why She Fled Hollywood

Ariel Winter has moved out of Los Angeles, saying that the city has “not-great memories” for her.

Ariel Winter is no longer an Angeleno. The Modern Family star told People she left Los Angeles shortly after the series wrapped in 2020 because the city holds some “not-great memories” for her. Winter, 27, reflected on her rocky beginnings as a child actor, including weathering intense online scrutiny about her appearance as a teenager. Being a constant target for online hate “totally damaged [her] self-esteem,” and it was only made worse by her unstable home life. (Winter was removed from her mother’s custody at 14 after allegations of abuse, and lived with her older sister until being emancipated at 17.) While she prefers not to discuss her tumultuous family dynamics, Winter told People that leaving L.A.—and receiving a lot of therapy—helped her find the stability she missed as a kid. The actress now lives just outside of Nashville with her longtime boyfriend, actor Luke Benward. Winter may be living a quieter life, but rest assured, she hasn’t left the industry for good. She’s currently developing “several projects,” including a podcast and a cooking show. She’s also working with the group Safe From Online Sex Abuse to catch child predators. However, if she books another network TV gig, she’s open to moving back.