Ariel Winter 2018: Why ‘Modern Family’ Star is Dating Levi Meaden

Ariel Winter was recently seen walking in the neighborhood of Studio City, Los Angeles and fans of the actress immediately noticed the considerable weight that she lost. Sporting a leather biker jacket over a crop top with jeans and knee-high boots, the “Modern Family” star showed off her toned stomach and perfect complexion, Daily Mail reported.

Although the 20-year-old actress exudes confidence on the surface, Ariel Winter previously admitted that she suffered insecurity because of cyberbullying. She said that she would read negative comments online and try to change how she looks in an attempt to make people like her.

“Over the years, I’ve struggled with body confidence issues… It’s really important nowadays to empower young women — and young men… to feel really good about themselves, not only their appearance but to feel good enough to stand up for themselves when necessary,” Ariel Winter said in 2016.

Now, she’s in a happy relationship with Levi Meaden and had been together for two years. Their relationship started raising eyebrows on the web when news that they were dating first broke out. The issue primarily focused on the age gap between the pair. Levi Meaden is 31 years old, while Ariel Winter is 20 years old.

Although nothing has been confirmed, it’s been speculated that the reason the actress chose a much older guy to date is related to how she was raised. Ariel Winter said that she was emotionally and physically abused by her mother when she was a child. As such, it would make sense that she would gravitate towards people who are older than her and someone who can provide a sense of stability for her life.

This is doubly true if her past statements are thrown into the mix. "I needed somebody who had a lot of life experience and who was at a point in their lives that they could take care of another person, but where I didn't have to take care of them," Ariel Winter said. So far, Levi Meaden seems to give her the comfort and affection that she needs and that’s what really matters when It’s all said and done.