Ariel Winter wants fans to know she’s a daddy’s girl.
The Modern Family actress penned a short but sweet message to her father, Glenn Workman, on Wednesday to celebrate his birthday.
Videos by PopCulture.com
She shared a throwback photo of the family’s Christmas festivities — complete with matching red onesies — in which she’s snuggled up next to her dad while a younger relative gives him bunny ears from behind.
“Happy birthday dad. thank you for being the best ever. I love you so much and am so grateful for you,” Winter wrote on Instagram.
Last month, the actress shared another photo of herself and her proud father dressed up together, telling fans she’s a “lucky girl.”
The 19-year-old has shown candid glimpses into her relationship with her father recently, following ongoing drama with her estranged mother, Crystal Workman.
Winter has been estranged from her mother since 2015, but the pair went public with their controversy after the actress accused her mom of sexualizing her from childhood.
“People thought I was 24 when I was 12,” Winter told The Hollywood Reporter in September. “If there was going to be a nude scene when I was that age, my mother would have a thousand percent said yes.”
Crystal hit back against the claims made by her famous daughter, venting in an Inside Edition interview that Winter “continues to attack me.”
“I feel that Ariel is starving for attention,” she said. “I feel that this is a cry for help from my child.”
After joining Modern Family, Winter made the decision to share her struggles — which allegedly included abuse, starvation and neglect — with her on-set teacher Sharon Sacks. Sacks reported Winter’s home life situation with Workman to Los Angeles’ Child Protective Services. In 2012, Winter was prepared to go into foster care until her older sister, Shanelle Gray, agreed to take her in, even though they barely knew each other.
Winter was eventually emancipated from Workman and Gray became her legal guardian in 2015, after years of family drama.
Winter’s father’s whereabouts during the custody drama isn’t known, but she thanked him following the Hollywood Reporter interview for his “love and support.” “He is one of the closest people in my life — I’m very lucky to have you dad!” she wrote on Instagram.
Despite the struggles of her childhood, Winter has a positive outlook on how it impacted her life.
“Even though I wish I had a better childhood, I wouldn’t trade it, because it made me who I am today,” Winter said. “I still respect the people that hurt me.”
