Modern Family alum Ariel Winter recently gave an honest interview discussing the hazards young actors face regarding predatory conduct within the entertainment industry. She shared her concerns with the Daily Mail while promoting SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse) Undercover, a true crime docuseries co-hosted by a nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding minors from online harassment.
Winter, who began acting at age four, stated she is “familiar with male predators” due to her early start in Hollywood. She explained that by the time she was online, she was already receiving “inappropriate messages from older men,” which caused significant trauma. Winter emphasized the profound impact these childhood experiences, both online and in person, had on her, necessitating therapy, and characterized the industry as “a dark place.”
In a previous interview with People magazine, she confessed that relentless scrutiny was a major part of her teenage years. She admitted the constant barrage of headlines from “grown people” criticizing her appearance—calling her “terrible or pregnant or like a fat s***” when she was just 14—severely damaged her self-esteem.
