Ariel Winter’s new TV appearance will serve as the former child star’s official transition into an adult lead role.
The 24-year-old Modern Family alum has landed the lead role in Demi Lovato’s upcoming NBC sitcom Hungry.
Lovato, 29, was supposed to star in and produce a comedy series, but they had to leave the show due to scheduling conflicts.
The Cool for the Summer singer will continue to serve as an executive producer alongside her manager Scooter Braun.
The multi-camera production is being written by Hot in Cleveland writer Suzanne Martin and directed by television legend James Burroughs (Cheers, Friends).
“Hungry” is about a group of friends who attend a food support group and help each other in their search for love, success, and the perfect thing in the fridge that will make everything better.
Valerie Bertinelli, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Ryan McPartlin, Anna Akana and Ashley D. Kelly were cast in the lead roles. The former Disney Channel star’s project was first announced in January 2021.
The veteran sitcom and Food Network chef Bertinelli, 61, was previously spotted filming a stripped-down version of the Hungry pilot in Central Park back in July 2021.
Winter replaces Lovato as Teddy, a food stylist who tries to maintain a healthy relationship with food while dating men. Bertinelli plays Teddy’s mother, Lisa, a restaurant owner who had weight issues.
The role marks the return of the former Modern Family child star. Winter has gone through a battle with depression, her own public weight loss and several high-profile hair color changes after a battle for control of her career with her ex-mammier, who she claims “sexualized” her as a child.
Ariel Winter has taken on the lead role in Demi Lovato’s NBC comedy. Larry Busacca
Meanwhile, the show seemed like the right fit for Lovato, as they’ve openly discussed battling body image issues and eating disorders in the past. Lovato has dealt with anorexia and bulimia throughout her career and has focused on body positivity in recent years.
In her 2017 YouTube documentary “Simply Complicated”, Lovato revealed that food was “the biggest problem in my life” and they opened up about their problems with food.
“When I was in a relationship with Wilmer [Valderrama] I went three years without a clean and when we broke up it was one of the first things I did,” they said in a special at the time. “The less I have to think about food, the easier it is to lead a normal life, and I don’t want to let anyone down, so when I have moments where I am wrong, I am very ashamed.”
Lovato added that their relapse happened when they started missing their ex. “And when I feel lonely, my heart feels hungry and I end up overeating,” the Dancing with the Devil singer continued. Their eating problems began to arise in childhood, explaining that they first began to overeat at the age of 8 after the birth of their younger sister.