Ariel Winter's mom 'openly mean' to teen on 'Modern Family'

A number of sources on the set of the hit ABC sitcom “Modern Family” tell Sun-Times star Bill Zwecker there long has been concern about what one show staffer called “the horribly dysfunctional relationship” between teen star Ariel Winter and her mother, Chrystal Workman.

According to Zwecker’s sources, long before Workman was pulled into court and charged with both physical and emotional abuse of her daughter, who plays Alex Dunphy on “Modern Family,” stars and staffers working behind the camera had expressed concern for Winter’s well-being.

“I’ve seen many, many stage mothers and stage fathers,” said a longtime Hollywood TV exec who works on “Modern Family.”

“But never have I seen someone who was so openly mean to the young star who was her meal ticket. The entire cast was aware of how much Ariel has been going through,” indicating those “aware” cast members included Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet and Sarah Hyland.