EXCLUSIVE: Burt Reynolds Praises Co-Star Ariel Winter, Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance

Burt Reynolds says his Dog Years co-star, Ariel Winter, doesn't need any advice from him when it comes to her acting career.

The 81-year-old actor joined the 19-year-old Modern Family star at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on Saturday to premiere their film, along with Chevy Chase -- who also stars in the movie -- and Robert De Niro. This marked Reynolds' first public appearance in over a year.

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In Dog Years, directed by Adam Rifkin, Reynolds portrays an aging, former movie star who is forced to face the reality that his glory days are behind him. "It's a sweet picture," Reynolds told ET. "I had two rather famous directors [watch it], both cried at the end. That's a good sign."

When asked if he offered up any words of wisdom to Winter while filming the movie, he responded, "No, she was doing fine. She's going to be great."

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Reynolds also revealed that he's planning on working with Chase again. "They have to write it, and remember, 'I'm a star!'" he quipped. "I'm above the title but under him," Chase chimed in.

In 2015, Reynolds released his memoir, But Enough About Me, and spoke candidly with ET about his decades-long life in the spotlight. When it comes to his legacy, the actor said he knows exactly how he wants to be remembered: "He worked hard, he was always on time and knew his lines, and he tried really hard to be a good guy."

^{Reporting by David Batista.}