Is Ariel Winter In A Relationship?

Best known for her role as Alex Dunphy in the ABC comedy series "Modern Family," Ariel Winter has evolved from a shy child actor to a confident young woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. These days, when she is not on set working her on-screen magic, you will most likely find Winter advocating against online bullying and body shaming. "Please leave young women alone," a 2017 note shared on Twitter read. "We're just living our lives. It's really troubling that we even have to deal with this kind of stuff nowadays." Though only in her 20s, Winter's fearlessness in the face of internet bullying has continued to inspire women of all ages. "I get a lot of messages from people, especially girls, telling me that it's nice that they see somebody talking about, you know, weight in a positive way," she once told Good Morning America.

Beyond her impact on the internet, Winter enjoys a close bond with many of her "Modern Family" co-stars. This includes her on-screen sister Sarah Hyland, who claims to have helped the younger actor with her body confidence. "I tried to be a good role model for her and a true older sister for her because she's such a sweet little girl," Hyland told People back in 2017. And while she clearly enjoys love and support from her loved ones, many fans still wonder if the actor has a special person in her life.

In December 2019, Ariel Winter was first linked to Disney star Luke Benward after they were spotted together looking cozy in West Hollywood. "It was very clear they are a couple and they were affectionate all night long," a source told E! News at the time. One month later, Us Weekly confirmed that the two were indeed dating. "Ariel is trying to keep her relationship with Luke somewhat private and isn't telling a ton of people that they're dating, but they are," an insider told the outlet. These days, however, the "Modern Family" star's relationship is anything but private. To celebrate his 26th birthday in May 2021, Winter took to Instagram, sharing a heartwarming tribute to Benward. "You've been my safe space and guiding light through all of the tough days this past year— thankful doesn't even begin to describe how I feel," she captioned a carousel of loved-up photos of the couple. 

Speaking to ET in July 2021, Winter opened up about her relationship with Benward, revealing that they had long been friends before their romance. "He's my best friend. He's my boyfriend, so it's really beautiful to be able to get to that place with somebody and to have the friendship foundation first and then to be able to grow into everything, is really, really beautiful," she gushed in the interview.

Before her relationship with Luke Benward, Ariel Winter was in a long-term relationship with her "Modern Family" co-star Levi Meaden. In a since-deleted Instagram post celebrating their anniversary, Winter revealed she and Meaden first met in 2016 at popular Los Angeles restaurant. "Two years ago today we met at Catch LA, so it was only fitting that we celebrated with brunch there today," Winter captioned, via OK Magazine. But while Winter and Meaden never shied away from showing off their commitment to each other, the couple also faced backlash over their wide age gap. Even worse, they faced criticism after Winter revealed that she had moved in with the Canadian actor. The public's opinion, however, never bothered her. "I'm happy, and whatever people want to say, they can say," she told Refinery29 during an interview. "I don't understand why someone would even comment on our situation at all. There are tons of people of all ages that live with their boyfriend."

But while Winter might initially not have had an issue with it, the 11-year age difference between the couple eventually contributed to their split in October 2019. "There was quite a big age difference between Ariel and her boyfriend Levi and she found herself being a homebody," an insider exclusively told HollywoodLife. According to the source, Winter and Meaden grew apart after realizing they had little in common.