15 Times Ariel Winter Proved She's Nothing Like Her 'Modern Family' Character
One of the most popular shows on television right now is the gem Modern Family. This long-running series has been on for quite a few seasons but is still going strong. Having won awards for best ensemble, it's no surprise that the cast is one of the most talented ones around. They work well together, they have the inside-joke quality to their humor, and the show features one of the most promising up and coming actresses on TV! We're talking about Ariel Winter, whose resume is a mile long and entirely well earned. She plays the middle daughter, named Alex Dunphy. Alex is a quiet, book smart kid with some insecurity and low self-confidence. She's very different from Ariel, though they do have a few similarities. This list highlights all the ways Ariel is totally different from her Modern Family character. They're different in all the best ways, which makes her portrayal of Alex a true feat of acting strength.
15 She doesn't go to Caltech
Ariel Winter is plenty smart. She's got a great career and a good sense of herself, but she definitely doesn't go to Caltech. Maybe she will eventually, but right now her sights are set on furthering her career. But which career will it be? She's reported as saying that she would like to go to UCLA to study law, which is a natural next step for any actor. Instead of treading the boards, her dreams consist of treading the courtrooms. Speaking out, sharing facts, and giving a voice to people who might not necessarily have one is all similar to the ways an actor works. Ariel Winter would be disappointing fans if she did leave the silver tv screen, but she certainly would be leaving for a good reason. We hope her fans will understand if she does decide to put her acting career on hold-- If UCLA is in the cards, it won't be happening until September 2017.
14 The Changes
Let's get this out of the way. Alex Dunphy has not had undergone any surgeries throughout the show. The Modern Family character is portrayed as being an extreme nerd, with a large emphasis on how not pretty she is. The character is also shown as being unconcerned with her appearance, choosing to instead focus on her intelligence and studies. While Ariel does not fixate on her appearance, she certainly has been dealing with a lot of media about how she looks ever since getting her surgery. While the surgery was not solely done for cosmetic reasons, it is an aspect of her appearance that her character probably has not ever thought about. We also have not heard anything in the plot about Alex Dunphy talking about back pain or neck issues. It's too bad Ariel Winter didn't have that luck, but we sure hope she's feeling better now that she's completed her surgery!
13 Her Instagram feed
WOW! Have you seen some of these photos? Not only is she a social butterfly, she's got quite a few party shots with friends, fans, and others. One of the stand out photos is of presumably her and her friend underwater, the photo taken from behind a glass wall. She and her friend are wearing bathing suit bottoms, but the photo is definitely not something Alex Dunphy, her character, would have up on her Instagram feed. We expect, if Alex had a feed, it would be full of homework parties, funny picture quotes, and maybe a cat meme or two. Ariel also has shots of her modeling and on the red carpet, two things we know Alex Dunphy definitely wouldn't be doing. Who has it better? Hard to say. We think Ariel's life is pretty exciting, but Alex's life is the one that never has to worry about inappropriate Instagram shots.
12 The Fan Club
Ariel Winter has quite the fan club. Not only have her fans created a Twitter page, they have also got a Reddit feed and an official website. The website is full of information about her, fun facts and star tidbits. There is information about her position on Modern Family, as well as the awards the show has one and other personal information about her. It is a website celebrating her success, which is a great resource for her fans. Alex Dunphy, her character, also has a fan club. But this fan club focuses on the academic success she has had, and her smarts around school. It is more of a personal than a professional fan club, full of other high school students that look up to her academic success. While not vastly different, the fan clubs seem to have very different focuses… Making this a definite difference between Ariel Winter and Alex Dunphy.
11 The Sweaters
Alex Dunphy has some amazing sweaters. From hilarious knitwear to well-placed button-ups under a snazzy pullover, Alex Dunphy knows the best way to stay warm in the winter. Does Ariel Winter have that power, though? Instagram says… Not really. Her sweater game is not anywhere near as on point as Alex's, but that is not a bad thing. If anything, she is probably thankful. Her outfits are always trendy, fashionable, and beautiful. Her Instagram is full of gorgeous shots that show off her amazing curves, her killer legs, and her wicked sense of style. Her friends are also always trendy and killer, from having the best shoes to the best bathing suits and more. Her hair is also always on point, which is unlike Alex Dunphy too. Let's just sum it up by saying Alex's style is nowhere near as good as Ariel's style, and no doubt she's pleased about that.
10 The Talk Show Feature
Some people say that actors are similar to the characters that they play. Maybe that's the case for some people, but not for Alex Dunphy and Ariel Winter. Alex, Ariel's counterpart, is vastly different from Ariel. While we've explored some of the basic differences, there's also a couple major ones. For example, Alex Dunphy is not the type to be the center of attention. She doesn't particularly care for lots of comments directed her way, and she doesn't always speak out. It's safe to say that she's never been on a talk show. At least, not that we know of. Ariel Winter has, however. She added a talk show feature to her list of accomplishments, unlike Alex Dunphy, by discussing her life and career on The Talk. She also took the opportunity to call out people that had been hating on her through Instagram. Read ahead to find out more.
9 #EmbraceYourBody
Body positivity is a huge thing. Many people don't take it seriously, or they pick and choose what aspects of it to embrace and support while denying other aspects of it. Hashtags like #effyourbeautystandards and #embraceyourbody have started to crop up over the last few years, making the movement stronger and the support greater, and building it into a well-respected movement. Ariel Winter has been open and vocal about her support of body positivity, which has given her both a strong following and a lot of backlash. She receives quite a bit of backlash from her Instagram feed, where she uses the hashtag #embraceyourbody. Alex Dunphy has likely never used this hashtag, as she's not outspoken enough for it. She also comes off as a little more subdued about her body acceptance. Let's hope Alex Dunphy learns from Ariel Winter before the show is over, as it's a great message to embrace.
8 Pasties in a bathtub
Another photo? Talk about Insta-obsessed! But thank goodness; we love seeing Ariel's life, and sharing in all her adventures. She also loves sharing with us, as we can see from this pic especially. The photo features Ariel Winter in a bathtub, covered in bubbles and drinking wine. While this isn't exactly the spontaneous and casual photo op it seems to be, it's still an incredible experience. Ariel was filming for her next movie, which means she's not as uncovered as she might look. She reports wearing pasties on her lady parts, as well as having cranberry juice in the glass… Not wine. Still, we believe Alex Dunphy would never, ever, in a million years do what Ariel Winter did during that filming of one of her most recent movies, which is why this experience has made the list. Plus, Ariel looks gorgeous. We couldn't write a list without including this moment!
7 Wicked Tats
These might have to be worked in as a character choice, depending on if Alex Dunphy ever gets a naked-in-a-bathtub scene on Modern Family. The likelihood of this happening is little to none, though, which is great for the costume designers. No need to worry about covering up her body art with some artfully placed bubbles. Ariel, however, has totally embraced the tattoo lifestyle, with photo proof of both a tiger on her back and a new tattoo on her upper arm. These are definitely NOT Alex's style, which means there might be a bit of a push-and-pull with the writing of Alex's character. Who knows? We think Ariel could and should bring some badassery to Alex. Or, maybe Alex is helping Ariel embrace her badassness is real life… Who knows! All we know is that these cool tattoos are totally out of the realm of Alex. Yet more proof that Ariel and Alex are vastly different.
6 The Big Break Up
Ouch… This is still a bit of a raw thing to talk about. Ariel Winter has semi-recently undergone a break up with her long-term boyfriend of three years. They did not end on poor terms, but Ariel certainly was not shy about her newly single status. She posted a photo on Instagram that was a photo and quote set of Kim Kardashian making a shady remark about being single. Specifically, how she has been clearly dropping hints and was surprised no one has picked up on it yet. While it's been a few months, we haven't heard anything about any backlash. It seems like neither of them are harboring any hard feelings, which is good news for Ariel. This is much different from the way Alex had handled her break up, which did not involve any sarcastic Kim K jokes. Alex's break was much more subdued, though likely just as amicable.
5 Emancipation
This is a heavy topic for anyone, and we can only imagine how it must have been for Ariel, living in the public eye. While this happened a few years ago now, it certainly is still raw. For those not in the know, emancipation is when a child takes themselves out of their family situation that's harmful, either emotionally or physically. Sometimes there's abuse, or sometimes other reasons, but the decision is done through a process of the law courts. Ariel was officially emancipated before she turned 18, and then her sister officially adopted her as a guardian. We can't imagine how she felt dealing with this in public, just like how we can't imagine Alex going through anything similar. Alex Dunphy has a great relationship with her family. While Ariel might have an okay one now, who can really tell what goes on behind closed doors. Call it another difference between Ariel and Alex.
4 Crop Tops and Daisy Dukes
Not just a part of fun pop songs, daisy dukes are a hot trend coming back into fashion over the last couple years. Ariel Winter seems to have hooked onto this trend in full force, and doesn't she look good doing it?! Her style is on point with crop tops, short shorts, and a stomach to kill for. It's perfect for the summer when her style shines. Everyone wants to emulate her look, as seen through the influx of shorts and cropped tees at places like Garage, Urban Behaviour, and Bluenotes, and other stylish stores. Her look is so much different from her character's look, which involves a lot of plaid and long pants. Alex Dunphy, Ariel's character, wouldn't be caught dead in a crop top and short shorts. Though we're sure she would still look good in them, it isn't the type of style that Alex has. It's too confident, and too outgoing for this middle child character.
3 The Brotherly Love
Alex's family on the show has many different pieces to it. The show tends to focus on them, and others, since it's called Modern Family. On this show, Alex has a brother, played by Nolan Gould. While he certainly plays Alex's brother on Modern Family, that doesn't mean there's just brotherly love in the air between them in their real lives. While there might not be out-and-out romance, they certainly do hang out together. And boy, do they look hot! These kids have gone from being siblings to being best friends, and it's lovely to watch. Normally actors who play siblings from a young age onwards either grow to hate each other, or fall in love. Luckily these two seem to just be friends… At least, for now. Ariel Winter is an attractive woman, who's outspoken and thoughtful, as well as having a successful career. Much different from the character Nolan Gould's character is related to!
2 Body shaming
While Alex Dunphy hasn't necessarily experienced the world of body shaming, she certainly isn't portrayed as hot, or attractive, on the show. Being desirable is not her realm of knowledge, and she is often shown as being quiet, bookish, and not connected to her body. It's a shame they've chosen to portray her this way because she would have a great platform to show off Ariel's beliefs of stopping body shaming. Ariel Winter is incredibly outspoken about body shaming and often backlashes the “haters” found on Instagram and Twitter. She won't stay silent when something is wrong, or when someone is attacking her. Her ideals outstrip her shame and ensure she's always standing up for something. Ariel is often found making these comments sarcastic, or funny, which also shows off her lightheartedness and positivity. While that part isn't necessarily different from Alex, there's enough of a difference to make a point.
1 Her Graduation Party
Holy cow, this is a party for the ages. Do you remember your high school graduation? We bet it probably involved an awkward slow dance, lettuce in your teeth, and a moderately ill-fitting dress from Winners. Not that there's anything wrong with all of that, though it's definitely not the party Ariel Winter threw. Ariel had a huge catering spread, a gorgeous dress, and a performance from two of her best friends… One of which is her sister! And get this: the two of them had recorded a song specifically for Ariel! They presented it at the graduation party and brought Ariel to tears. Her friends traveled in from all over the place, all to celebrate the fact that she made it through. The fact that she was accepted to UCLA was also a magnificent addition to the night and a reason to party even harder. Congrats, Ariel! We hope Alex is proud of you for showing off your smarts, and glad you get to live out her party dreams.