'Modern Family' star Ariel Winter is clearly in love with her longtime boyfriend Laurent Gaudette, and it's not just because of his good looks!

"It's so awesome to be in love with somebody who's so supportive and wonderful and just somebody who's also your best friend," the 17-year-old actress told Us Weekly.

Just how supportive has Laurent Gaudette been of Ariel Winter? The 18-year-old helped the 'Modern Family' actress through a difficult period when she was up against her own mother in court. Winter had to go through years of physical and emotional abuse under her mother's care and finally got legal emancipation this year.

But Ariel Winter is obviously not a woman who would let a few obstacles get in her way. The 17-year-old 'ParaNorman' actress admitted that she made the first move to get Laurent Gaudette's attention!

"It was kind of like I saw him, and I was like, 'I would like to get to know him. And I did!'" Winter revealed, adding that she sent the young songwriter a text message.

"I'm very outgoing, so I kind of initiated the, 'Hi, I'm here! It's nice to meet you,'" she said.

It sure sounds like Ariel Winter is a lot like her 'Modern Family' character Alex Dunphy, who will finally be going to college. But don't expect Alex to be leaving the show anytime soon.

"Just because my character wants to go to college because I, myself, want to go to college, that does not mean my character's going to leave," Winter said. "Alex is going to college 30 minutes away from her house."

Ariel Winter has appeared in several films including 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang' and 'One Missed Call.' She is also a voice actress for 'Sofia the First,' 'Phineas and Ferb,' 'The Penguins of Madagascar' and 'Winx Club.'