Ariel Winter Workman (born January 28, 1998) is an American actress. She gained her career breakthrough and stardom in the 2010s for playing the intelligent and nerdy Alex Dunphy in the ABC sitcom Modern Family (2009–2020), for which she and her several costars won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series four consecutive times from 2010 to 2013.
Winter made her film debut in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) at the age of seven, followed by roles in the films Speed Racer (2008), The Chaperone (2011), Safelight (2015), and The Last Movie Star (2017). She also voiced roles in the animated films Horton Hears a Who! (2008), ParaNorman (2012), Mr. Peabody & Sherman (2014), and Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017); and voiced Carrie Kelley / Robin in the two-part animated film Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (2012–2013).
Early life Ariel Winter Workman was born on January 28, 1998, in Fairfax, Virginia. She is the daughter of Chrisoula () and Glenn Workman. Through her mother, she is of Greek descent, and through her father, of German descent. She is the younger sister of actors Shanelle Workman and Jimmy Workman.
Career Winter obtained her first entertainment industry job in a Cool Whip commercial advertisement in 2002 when she was four years old."It's Evening in America". Vanity Fair, May 2012, p. 159. 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. She also lent her voice to characters in two animated films - Disney's Bambi II and Blue Sky's Ice Age: The Meltdown.
She voiced the character of Gretchen in the animated Disney Channel series Phineas and Ferb before winning the regular role of Alex Dunphy in the ABC 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 on Disney Junior's Jake and the Never Land Pirates. In 2012, Winter was cast as the voice of Sofia, the lead character in the Disney animated franchise Sofia the First. In 2014, she voiced Penny Peterson, Sherman's adversary-turned-friend in the DreamWorks Animation film Mr. Peabody and Sherman.
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".
In 2026, Winter portrayed Cognita in Clash of the Thundermans.
Activism As of 2025, she volunteers at SOSA as a decoy in sting operations against child sexual predators. She is an advocate against childhood abuse, citing growing up in the entertainment industry as a source of passion against exploitation.
Personal life In 2012, Winter's sister Shanelle Workman filed to become her guardian, alleging that their mother had been physically and emotionally abusive. In 2014, the court awarded guardianship to Shanelle Workman and permanently removed Winter from her mother's guardianship. Their mother later released a statement saying that "the family has moved beyond the conflict". In 2015, when she was 17 years old, Winter declared on Twitter that she was officially emancipated.
She is a purple belt in taekwondo.
In 2015, Winter underwent breast reduction surgery. In a 2016 interview with 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." 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." At the 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards, Winter gained media attention for wearing a Romona Kaveza gown 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." 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."
Winter attended Campbell Hall School in Los Angeles, graduating in June 2016. She was accepted to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and scheduled to begin there in the fall quarter of 2016. 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." In 2018, Winter took an indefinite hiatus from UCLA to focus on her work.
Winter is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
She dated Canadian actor Levi Meaden for three years; they split in 2019. The couple lived together in Winter's home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. From 2020 to August 2025, she was in a relationship with actor Luke Benward. In 2022, Winter moved from Southern California to Nashville, Tennessee.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2005 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Young Harmony Faith Lane 2006 Curious George Kid (voice) A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. Bambi II Thumper's Sister (voice) Ice Age: The Meltdown Various characters (voice) 2008 One Missed Call Ellie Layton Speed Racer Young Trixie Horton Hears a Who! Various characters (voice) 2009 Tales from the Catholic Church of Elvis! Little Girl Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete Marlene Wallace (voice) Life Is Hot in Cracktown Suzie Duress Sarah Barnett Opposite Day Carla Benson Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Various characters (voice) Afro Samurai: Resurrection Young Sio (voice) 2010 Killers Sadie Nic & Tristan Go Mega Dega Lisa DC Showcase: Green Arrow Princess Perdita (voice) 2011 Sally Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension Gretchen (voice) Fred 2: Night of the Living Fred Talia 2012 Excision Grace The Misadventures of the Dunderheads Ella (age 9) Tad, The Lost Explorer Sarah Lavrof (voice) ParaNorman Blithe Hollow Kid (voice) Dear Dracula Emma (voice) Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess Sofia (voice) Television film 2012–2013 Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Carrie Kelley / Robin (voice) Direct-to-video 2013 Dora the Explorer and the Destiny Medallion Dora Short film Scooby-Doo! Stage Fright Chrissy Damon (voice)Direct-to-video Sofia the First: The Floating Palace Sofia (voice) Television film Tad, The Lost Explorer Sara Lavrof 2014 Mr. Peabody & Sherman Penny Peterson (voice) 2015 Safelight Kate 2016 Elena and the Secret of Avalor Sofia (voice) Television film 2017 Smurfs: The Lost Village Smurf Lily (voice) The Last Movie Star Lil McDougal 2025 Like Father Like Son Hailey Don't Log Off Annie Limited theater release, then released direct-to-demand, co-produced Pools Delaney
Television Year Title Role Notes 2005 Listen Up Little Girl Episode: "Last Vegas" Tickle-U Pipoca (voice) Freddie Hobo Episode: "Halloween" 2006 Monk Donna Cain Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Astronaut" So Notorious Little Tori 5 episodes Jericho Julie Episode: "Pilot" Bones Liza Episode: "The Girl with the Curl" Nip/Tuck Kid Episode: "Reefer" 2007 Crossing Jordan Gwen Episode: "Faith" Shorty McShorts' Shorts Taffy (voice) Episode: "Flip-Flopped" Criminal Minds Katie Jacobs Episode: "Seven Seconds" 2008 Ghost Whisperer Natalie Episode: "Imaginary Friends and Enemies" 2008–2015,2025 Phineas and Ferb Gretchen (voice) Recurring role 2009 ER Lucy Moore 5 episodes Little Girl (voice) Episode: "What Goes Around / Mask of the Raccoon" 2009–2020 Modern Family Alex Dunphy Main role; 216 episodes 2011 WWE Raw Herself Guest star (airdate: February 14) The Haunting Hour: The Series Jenny Episode: "Fear Never Knocks" 2011–2015 Jake and the Never Land Pirates Marina (voice) 22 episodes 2011, 2013 Minnie's Bow-Toons Roxie Squirrel (voice) 2 episodes 2012 The Haunting Hour: The Series Gracie Episode: "Headshot" Young Justice Queen Perdita (voice) Episode: "Coldhearted" 2012–2018 Sofia the First Sofia (voice) Main role 2016 Milo Murphy's Law Jackie (voice) Episode: "The Wilder West" 2019 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Raegan James Episode: "The Darkest Journey Home" Robot Chicken Various characters (voice) Episode: "Ginger Hill in: Bursting Pipes" 2020 Elena of Avalor Sofia (voice) Episode: "Coronation Day" 2023 Stars on Mars Herself Contestant Firebuds Calamity Train (voice) Episode: "Annie Spokely" 2023–2024 Star Trek: Lower Decks D'Erika Tendi (voice) Recurring role 2025–present The Sisters Grimm Sabrina (voice) Main role SOSA UNDERCOVER Herself 2026 Sofia the First: Royal Magic Sofia (voice) Main role Predator Files Herself Recurring role Clash of the Thundermans Cognita Television film
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2010 Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Young Kairi 2012 Final Fantasy XIII-2 Mog Guild Wars 2 Cassie 2014 Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix Young Kairi Archival footage 2015 Final Fantasy Type-0 HD Moogle 2020 Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory Young Kairi Archival footage 2022 The Quarry Abigail "Abi" Blyg Voice, motion-capture, and likeness
Awards and nominations Organizations Year Category Work Result Ref. Screen Actors Guild Awards 2009 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season one) 2010 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season two) 2011 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season three) 2012 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season four) 2013 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season five) 2014 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season six) 2015 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season seven) 2016 Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series Modern Family (season eight) Young Artist Awards 2010 Outstanding Young Performers in a TV Series Modern Family 2011 Outstanding Young Ensemble in a TV Series 2012 Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film The Chaperone
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