The Ellen DeGeneres Show turned much serious on March 21 when Ariel Winter started opening up about her difficult family struggle.
The 18-year-old 'Modern Family' star said that she had been embroiled in a legal battle with her own mother for years and in May 2015, she officially became emancipated, reports E! Online.
"Emancipation is basically you become your own entity," she told.
Winter's battle for freedom stemmed from alleged emotional and physical abuse from her mother, Chrisoula Workman, whom she did not speak to in three years.
The 'Phineas and Ferb' star even spoke about her close relationship with her older sister, Shanelle Gray, and how she has been a great support system throughout the ordeal.
"She's been the best part of my life. She really is my best friend. She is the most important thing to me," the actress added.