The 18-year-old actress, who plays Alex Dunphy on the hit ABC series, reflects how "really cool" it has been to grow up with her alter-ego.
Ariel Winter has opened up about how growing up on Modern Family has helped her learn to deal with rejection and social struggles.
The 18-year-old actress is entering her eighth season playing Alex Dunphy on the hit ABC series and reflects how "really cool" it has been to grow up with her alter-ego.
"We first started with her and she was super, super, super young, so we were focused on doing all of her school [work], and not really concerned about the social aspect," Winter says in an exclusive clip from the Modern Family season 7 DVD, which hits stores on Tuesday.
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"Then you saw Alex transition into being a more normal teenager -- really caring what others think," she continues. "You see her having struggles with friends and real life things which are actually interesting for me to go through, as well as having Alex go through."
"That's been pretty cool with my life paralleling hers. I learned a lot about sending in college essays and [dealing] with rejection from Harvard!"
Despite rumors that Winter would not be returning for the Emmy-winning comedy's eighth season, which premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. ET, ABC has confirmed Alex will indeed be back.
The coming season will reportedly see her take on more duties at Caltech.
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Whatever else lays ahead for Winter's alter-ego, she confesses that after seven years, there is one downside to playing Alex -- her questionable wardrobe choices!
"The only thing that I don't love about Alex is her sweaters," Winter says. "And plaid is not my favorite. But that's okay … other than that Alex is pretty great!"
When speaking with ET at Variety's Power of Young Hollywood Issue Celebration in August, Winter opened up about her struggles with her body image, but credited some of her strong female colleagues for helping her come to accept and embrace her appearance.
"I really had the greatest opportunity to have some wonderful role models, especially Sofia Vergara," Winter shared. "Working with a curvy beautiful woman that everybody looked up to and loved the way she looked… that was my inspiration to move forward and accept myself because that's what matters."