‘I don’t need to explain myself’

Ariel Winter hits back at trolls accusing her of underage drinking, drug use

Ariel Winter has hit back at online critics who have accused her of underage drinking and illegal drug use.

The Modern Family actress took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a joyful photo of herself toasting the new year at a party with her 31-year-old boyfriend Levi Meaden.

However, one fan soon accused Winter of underage drinking, as she doesn’t turn 21 until late January, and commented, “Drinking underage! Very bad! Lol.”

“Honestly anything acidic kills my stomach so I really just held his because I didn’t want to be the only one toasting with water,” she then replied.

In addition, Winter was forced to speak out about the reasons for her recent weight loss, when another follower claimed she had been using illegal substances such as cocaine and methamphetamine. “Not half as bad as all the coke/meth she uses. She literally dropped 30 ponds (sic),” one Instagram user commented, causing the star to jokingly respond: “Yup...I dropped 30 bodies of water so fast.. and yes!! My psychiatrist switched me from my previous anti depressant that didn’t work and made me gain weight, to coke/meth!! Definitely not a new one that worked and then regulated my metabolism. Coke/meth was a controversial decision but she stands by it.”

The same person then stirred up controversy again, and accused Winter of abusing prescription and illegal drugs so she could slim down in order to conform by conventional standards of beauty in Hollywood.

“I don’t need to explain myself to anyone. No one does,” she wrote.