Modern Family Star Ariel Winter Looks So Different Without Her Signature Brunette Hair

On "Modern Family," Alex Dunphy actor Ariel Winter didn't get to change her hair much. The star wore a cute yet casual brunette style on screen for the entirety of the ABC comedy's 11-year run, despite her character evolving from a shy, socially awkward geek into a confident, sassy young woman. "I'm pretty adventurous with my hair, I'll try a lot of things. Alex doesn't change up her look that much. I don't experiment with it [on the show] so it's fun for me to do it outside of work," she told People in 2019. And she wasn't kidding. Much like her "Modern Family" co-star Sarah Hyland, who's also had a gorgeous hair transformation, Winter has tried an array of colors that made her look drastically different.

We saw Winter really experiment and move away from her signature, dark brown style after the show ended in 2020. On Instagram, the actor revealed that she had dyed her chest-length locks a gorgeous, light red shade, debuting the look with a flattering center part and beachy waves. "I didn't think one can look so different by just changing their hair color. Looks amazing. The color is done so well," one fan commented on the shots.

Winter was clearly excited to elevate her look. "It makes me feel like a new me ... I was pretty shocked that my hair color could make me look so different and a lot of people will not recognize me," she said of the fiery shade. "They don't piece it together because the hair looks so different for them, but I like it a lot."

Red wasn't the only bold color we've seen as part of Ariel Winter's stunning transformation. Also in 2020, the star — who's actually a natural dark blond – channeled Marilyn Monroe when she dyed her hair platinum blond and cut it to shoulder-length, which made her look dramatically different once again. The "Sofia The First" voice actor shared photos of her new look on Instagram and compared herself to "Game of Thrones"' Daenerys Targaryen in the caption. "Winter Is Coming!!!!!!!!!!!," she wrote. Fans couldn't get enough of her much lighter tresses, as one told her in the comments, "The blonde suits you! You look gorgeous!" 

But with so many drastic transformations under her belt, Winter is aware she needs to keep her tresses in good condition to avoid the telltale signs of hair damage and ensure her colors stay vibrant. "I put a lot of conditioner on it. I am serious about conditioner. I also started putting argan and coconut oil on the ends of my hair," she told Allure, and coconut oil can actually have multiple uses in your beauty routine. "I put it on almost every night. I braid my hair and I go to sleep like that. It helps keep it healthy for all the styles I want to try," she said.