The ensemble of “Modern Family” won over the hearts of audiences across the United States, launching prosperous acting careers for many of its stars, including Sofia Vergara, who rose to megastardom. However, not every cast member chose to remain in the limelight. Ty Burrell, who portrayed the lovable Phil Dunphy, and Ariel Winter, his onscreen daughter Alex Dunphy, have largely stepped away from the public eye. While some might view their choices as a retreat from success, Amy Prenner, a communications expert and founder of The Prenner Group, offers a different perspective.
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In an exclusive interview with Nicki Swift, Prenner emphasized that both Burrell and Winter have intentionally redirected their careers, prioritizing a work-life balance that suits them better. She noted that while this path might not suit every actor from a hit sitcom, it can be the right move for some. “This isn’t career suicide — for the right person, at the right moment, it can actually be a brand move,” she explained. Both Burrell and Winter have shifted their focus to voiceover work and voice acting. “What Ty Burrell and Ariel Winter are doing is smart. They’ve built enormous goodwill over years of consistent, beloved work. That’s equity, and equity buys you options,” Prenner elaborated.
By opting for this career shift, Burrell and Winter have managed to stay active in the entertainment industry while enjoying more privacy, a luxury often unavailable to more high-profile celebrities. “They’re cashing in on it in the best way possible — by choosing quality of life. As a result, people know them in and out of the industry,” Prenner remarked. She believes that leaving Hollywood can signify a fresh start rather than an endpoint when approached with the right mindset and strategy.
Ty Burrell and Ariel Winter have embraced their career decisions in distinct ways. At 58 in 2025, Burrell, a devoted family man, has wholeheartedly embraced his move away from Hollywood, describing it as a decision he does not regret. Meanwhile, the younger Winter repudiates claims that she has abandoned acting. Instead, she relocated from Los Angeles to Nashville to focus on her mental well-being while exploring new acting and producing opportunities. “I didn’t leave the industry. I just left the city of L.A. It holds some not-great memories for me,” she confided to People in May 2025.
According to Prenner, this approach is precisely how to handle such career transitions. “Stop thinking about it as hiding and start thinking about it as curating. You’re not disappearing — you’re just deciding that not everything needs to be public,” she advised. For Burrell, moving to Salt Lake City was part of a conscious decision to distance himself from the spotlight. “I don’t have any regrets. It’s been lovely and a great place to raise the kids,” he shared with People in August 2025.
Ty Burrell and Ariel Winter left Hollywood for different reasons
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Ty Burrell and Ariel Winter have different views on their career decisions. Burrell, a family man who turned 58 in 2025, has embraced his decision to move out of Hollywood and never looked back. The much younger Winter, on the other hand, denies she left acting behind. Instead, Winter left Los Angeles for Nashville to work on her mental health while pursuing different opportunities in acting and producing. “I didn’t leave the industry. I just left the city of L.A. It holds some not-great memories for me,” she told People in May 2025.
That’s exactly the way to approach these types of decisions, communications expert Amy Prenner told Nicki Swift. “Stop thinking about it as hiding and start thinking about it as curating. You’re not disappearing — you’re just deciding that not everything needs to be public,” Prenner said. In her view, Burrell’s approach also worked perfectly for what he set out to do. Unlike Winter, Burrell moved to Salt Lake City with the intention of stepping away from the spotlight. “I don’t have any regrets. It’s been lovely and a great place to raise the kids,” he told People in August 2025.
It’s a decision he embraced, which Prenner said makes all the difference. “You need to commit to the version of yourself you want the public to see — and then actually live it. When clients do that with intention, it works beautifully,” she said. After splitting from her live-in boyfriend Luke Benward in 2025, Winter returned to LA to live with her “Modern Family” brother Nolan Gould. Whether that means she’s ready to return to the spotlight remains to be seen.