Ariel Winter Explains Why She Got Legally Emancipated From Her Mom
In the worst moments of your fights with Mom and Dad, you might have fantasized about moving out of their house and taking control of your own life. Some teens actually do it: it's called emancipation, a legal process in which you essentially "divorce" your parents and take control of your own living situation, finances, and important decisions.
Modern Family actress Ariel Winter grew up with a rocky relationship with her parents and was legally emancipated last year. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to talk about her emancipation, her breast reduction, and her dreams of going to college.
Ariel explained that her sister, actress Shanelle Workman, 37, was her legal guardian from the ages of 14 to 17, and that she was legally emancipated before she turned 18.
"It has been very sad for me, but at the same time it's been much better for me emotionally and physically to be on my own and have a better, safer household and support system," the actress said.
Ariel and her mom don't speak anymore, in part because of the way her mom pushed her into the entertainment industry from the age of four, rather than letting Ariel consciously choose to pursue an acting career.
"Not to say that this isn't my passion and I don't love it," Ariel said. "I do love it, and I would love to continue doing it for the rest of my life. But I also want to explore other avenues. I've wanted to go to college since I was very young. I've worked very hard. I go to real high school and I do my best to move forward in my future that way. Yeah, I would love to be a lawyer, and I've applied for college, and I'm going through that process right now."
That's not the only reason Ariel chose to become emancipated - there's probably a lot more to the story than that. But Ariel explained that's what she feels comfortable making public knowledge for now.
Ellen pointed out that her mom attempted to save her own public reputation by doing a tell-all interview on The Dr. Phil Show.
"Well, you know, it just really didn't try and fix anything with me," Ariel said. "It just tried to make herself look better, and I'm not interested in doing that. People can make their own judgments. I had to do what I had to do for myself."
For more - including how Ariel dealt with the backlash to her breast reduction and why she loves going to a "normal" high school - watch the powerful interview below.
