PHOTOSAriel Winter Says It Was ‘Stressful’ & ‘Incredibly Awkward’ Going Through Puberty On TV
Jan. 9 2020, Published 5:28 p.m. ET
Going through puberty in the spotlight doesn’t make things any easier — just ask Ariel Winter. During the ABC Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour, the Modern Family star confessed that it was stressful growing up on national TV. Ariel, 21, started acting when she was four years old.
When Ariel was asked what it was like seeing early clips of Modern Family after going through puberty while regularly acting on television, she reflected on the time she wore braces. “I especially hated the year I had braces. I do have to say it was a really awkward year for me because I also went through puberty that summer. So it was, like I had episodes with me in braces.”
She continued, “And then over the summer, once we wrapped, I had other things, and I looked different; but I still wasn’t quite, you know, fully through puberty like costar Nolan Gould. So I had things that were awkward. So I definitely think it’s really difficult to grow up in front of millions of people who have an opinion on everything you do and who are allowed to say it at any point.”
Ariel began acting on Modern Family when she was only 11 years old. As well as going through puberty in the spotlight, growing up in front of a huge audience was daunting. “I mean, it's it's difficult growing up anywhere but especially on TV in front of millions of people. We were both super awkward when we were younger…But in front of everybody, millions of people is difficult. It's stressful.”
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The California native added that it’s “incredibly awkward” to reflect on previous Modern Family seasons where she was not in her “prime.” “We still have those memories, because it's a little better than having photographs of what you look like at that age. It's basically you have footage of what you look like at that age,” Ariel reminisced.
Despite growing up in the public’s eye, Ariel grew a thicker skin because of “criticism,” “rejection,” and “judgement” from any social media hate over the years. “I said to myself, you know, it's still going to bother me, it never goes away.”
She added, “You're still human, but at the same time, like you just gotta remember that, you know, these people online what they're saying, it's not your opinion of yourself.”
What do you think of what Ariel has to say? Sound off in the comments below!
