But that still didn’t stop the popular Modern Family star marking her official entry into adulthood in style.
She set the mood early by posting a cheeky late-night Boomerang-app video to Instagram, just a few minutes after she officially turned 18.
Then her cast members showered her with birthday love, on and off the set of the hit Ten comedy series.
Co-star Sofia Vergara posted this snapshot below of the actress blowing out her candles and simply captioned the sweet photo, “Happy bday @arielwinter,” with of course a number of cake emojis.
Eric Stonestreet went on to Twitter to tell his young on-screen niece, “Happy birthday to the sweet, adorable and wildly talented @arielwinter1. My promise to have Ed O’Neill crush anyone who hurts you remains.”
Meanwhile, her on-screen sister Sarah Hyland shared this adorable photo of the pair rocking some wetsuits on the beach.
“Happy 18th birthday @arielwinter!!!! It blows my mind that you’re now the age I was when we first met. Love you little sister.”
Rico Rodriguez, who plays her younger uncle Manny on Modern Family, shared some throwback pics and told Ariel, “Happy 18th birthday @arielwinter! You are such a kind, talented, and beautiful woman and it’s been fun getting to grow up with you for the past 10 years. Cheers to many more birthdays together!”
In an earlier interview with People magazine Ariel said she has “kind of been in adulthood for a little bit now”.
On top of the pressures of being on screen since she was just four, the actress has already experienced two significant events that most people her age never live through.
In May of 2015, Ariel became legally emancipated from her mother, Shenelle Gray, after it was ruled that she emotionally abused her daughter.
Then, in June the same year, the teen star underwent a breast reduction surgery, and now feels “comfortable” in her own skin.
“It was an instant weight lifted off my chest – both literally and figuratively. There’s a confidence you find when you finally feel right in your body.”
