How Ariel Winter forged a new path after ‘Modern Family’

Ariel Winter is a modern woman.

After growing up in the spotlight as Alex Dunphy in the hit sitcom “Modern Family”, Winter, 27, has forged a new path in Hollywood.

Along with landing various acting roles, including the new Apple TV+ animated series, “Sisters Grimm,” the actress has partnered with Safe from Online Sex Abuse (SOSA) to help combat online sexual predation.

Throughout the years, Winter has learned to remain true to herself while exploring her interests.

“I think it’s it’s hard to do for sure because people like to just put you in the character that you were in for so long and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, you’re just that. And that’s what it is’” the actress exclusively told The Post while promoting “Sisters Grimm.” “I see that it’s happened to a lot of us for sure.”

Winter portrayed the middle child on “Modern Family” alongside stars Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sarah Hyland and Nolan Gould.

“I do think I was lucky in the sense that I, maybe was different enough from Alex in the public eye that I got pulled into that box a little bit less than some of my costars,” Winter mused. “Which I was grateful for. But I don’t know why I was I was lucky enough to have it a little bit differently.”

As for how she was able to break away from her sitcom character, the “Killers” alum credits her ability to beat to her own drum.

“I think I’ve just always done my own thing,” Winter confessed. “I think I’ve just had to in my life. I didn’t have as much guidance as maybe some others did. I kind of was figuring stuff out on my own. I had guidance from like 14 to 18, and my sister was an incredible influence in my life. I had that for sure. But I’ve figured so much stuff out on my own. And it’s been kind of a great thing for me to just feel free enough in the sense to be like, ‘All right, I’m just going to do this over here and I’m going to do that.’”

The sitcom star, who sold her Los Angeles home and bought a house in Nashville, Tennessee in 2020, added that she has “kind of diversified my life.”

“I went to high school and then I’ve now gotten into cooking and I do voice acting, and I do this and I do that, and I’m a dog mom, and I’m out here in the public and I’m also not. So I think that that’s kind of helped me.”

Winter also opened up about her former co-star Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, 18, — who now goes by Frances Anderson — moving into the music space.

“I love Aubrey so much. And now that she’s Frances Anderson, I really hope that it helps her because she is just so talented and such an amazing person, and she deserves to be taken seriously for the talent that she is showing and working so hard on,” gushed the “Sofia the First” vet. “And she has that talent and she’s not Lily from ‘Modern Family’ anymore. She’ll always have that. But that’s not what she’s doing now and she’s killing it.

“I’m proud of her and I really hope that people can see that,” reflected Winter.

These days, Winter is focused on her role as Sabrina Grimm in “Sisters Grimm,” which is based off the book series of the same name by Michael Buckley.

The animated series stars two sisters on a quest to solve their parents’ mysterious disappearance, all while dealing with heroes and villains torn straight from fantasy and fairy tale lore.

Although Winter didn’t read the books growing up, she became a “first time fan” while reading the project’s scripts.

“I’m definitely new to the universe and I loved it. I loved it when I did some research into it. I was so excited because I just think it’s so cool. I love fantasy as well. It’s such a cool universe,” detailed the Gold Derby TV Award winner.

She added, “There’s so many themes and messages that I feel like are important to share with the world. Instead of just being like a fun fantasy show, like, you have so many things that go with it.”

Winter also revealed some pre-show rituals she does before stepping into the booth.

“I do listen to a true crime podcast every time before I go to record,” she confessed. “I love this true crime podcast called ‘Psychopedia.’ It’s pretty awesome.”

When Winter isn’t performing, the dog mom spends her free time helping SOSA catch online predators.

Not only has the advocate gone undercover, but she has spoken out about the organization’s important work time and time again.

Winter shared that the work she does “has healed me every time.”

“Every time we assist in arresting somebody, it is so healing,” she elaborated. “It’s extremely hard work, it’s extremely emotionally taxing. It’s rough. But every time we’re able to do that, like a little piece of me feels like some justice has been served for myself and for everybody that deserves that justice. It absolutely is amazing.”

Winter noted that she has had “such a career that I have been really so lucky and grateful for. Like I’ve been so grateful in my life.”

But working alongside SOSA takes the cake.

“It’s the thing that I’m the most honored for and the most grateful for, because they’re just so kick-ass. That group is so amazing and we’re really doing it. We’re really working with law enforcement and doing it the right way. And and it is so healing. It is so healing. And yeah, I just love it.“