BFFR with Sydney Leroux & Ali Riley

Episode Title: Ariel Winter Spills on Modern Family, New Movie "Pools" & Going Undercover to Catch Predators
Release Date: September 1, 2025

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Professional soccer stars and best friends Sydney Leroux and Ali Riley bring their signature candor and humor to another episode of BFFR, blending unfiltered conversation about life on and off the field with celebrity guest banter. This week, they sit down with actress Ariel Winter, best known as Alex Dunphy from Modern Family. The wide-ranging conversation covers Ariel’s new indie film "Pools," her candid stories about growing up in the spotlight, her undercover work catching online predators, her life as a dog mom of six, and much more—sprinkled with laughter, vulnerability, and a few memorable rapid-fire confessions.

HOST CATCH-UP & LISTENER LOVE (00:00–12:08)

Highs, Lows, and Life Updates

• Ali shares her emotional return to dressing for Angel City FC for the first time since her injury in April 2024, reflecting on the surreal feelings, supportive community, and her process through recovery.

  “It’s a privilege. And it’s something, again, I didn’t dare really hope I would get to do again. …I’ll never forget it.” —Ali (02:14)

• Sydney celebrates her niece’s gymnastics skills and recounts a wild Uber drop-off and scooter ride after getting traded, a moment fans hilariously captured in photos.
• The hosts delight in fan engagement, billboards, and legendary moments from previous episodes, especially the popularity of Sid’s cake recommendations and the infamous “soccer underwear” social media post.

  “I think people who, like, when you ask someone, hey, where’d you get that? And they’re like, ‘Oh, I can’t tell.’ I’m like, you’re a loser. No gatekeeping here.” —Sydney (09:50)

INTRODUCING ARIEL WINTER (12:08–12:46)

• The hosts hype up Ariel’s multi-hyphenate talents—acting, producing, an Instagram-worthy cooking journey, and a dog mom to six—and tease her new indie flick "Pools".

ARIEL WINTER INTERVIEW

On "Pools" and Not Being a Swimmer (12:50–14:52)

• Ariel reflects on filming "Pools," confessing her lack of swimming skills:

  “I can barely do it. Not good at flying, floating—like, doggy paddle? I don’t know who that is.” —Ariel (13:10)

• Humorous behind-the-scenes tales: Swimming in sandals, the cast’s collective poor aquatic prowess, and playful on-set shade.

Kissing Scenes & On-Screen Awkwardness (14:52–17:15)

• The actresses ask Ariel about the realities of kissing scenes:

  “If a person makes it awkward, but if you have a good friendship...It’s our job.” —Ariel (15:09)

• Ariel references Jennifer Lawrence’s trick of eating onions before love scenes, to general amusement.

Transition from Alex Dunphy to New Roles (17:32–19:36)

• Ariel shares her excitement to take on "authentic, age-appropriate" roles after years playing the younger, brainy Alex Dunphy:

  “I played Alex Dunphy for so long...but now I’m, like, ready to play my age and play the real life things that somebody my age is going through.” —Ariel (18:14)

Growing Up on Modern Family & the Cost of Fame (19:36–22:50)

• Candid discussion on the realities of child stardom:

  “They don’t see young people, like child actors...as children. So that was hard. I definitely don’t think I’d want my kid to do it.” —Ariel (20:10)

• The group bonds over challenges of being women in the public eye.

On Undercover Work with Sosa (22:50–28:15)

• Ariel describes her passion for working with Sosa, an organization catching online child predators.

  “It’s the work I’m most passionate about in my life, more than really anything.” —Ariel (24:36)

• She details the disturbing prevalence of predators online, why anonymity doesn’t protect kids, and why she feels compelled to act:

  “There’s no amount of love or attention or care you can give your kid where they aren’t a potential victim...because they’re online.” —Ariel (28:07)

Career Bucket List & Turning to Producing (28:45–29:58)

• Ariel is producing (including a cooking show), launching a new podcast, and going with the flow to pursue what excites her.

Life After Modern Family (29:58–32:21)

• Navigating public recognition (or anonymity), funny stories about being mistaken as “the girl with the big boobs” or literal family status, and maintaining close ties with castmate Nolan Gould (“that’s my brother”).

Voice Acting: Sofia the First (32:25–35:36)

• Ariel demonstrates her “Sofia the First” princess voice to the hosts’ delight:

  “Hi, I’m Sofia, and I’m so happy to be on the BFFR podcast.” —Ariel as Sofia (34:17)

• Insights into voiceover work and preserving the “Disney princess magic” for young fans.

Life as a Dog Mom (36:02–39:08)

• Ariel talks about her six dogs: three shepherd-pit mixes, a Samoyed, an Australian shepherd, and a terrier mix; costume traditions; and the challenges (and humor) of Halloween photoshoots with the pack.

Cooking Joys & Dream Dinner Menu (39:29–40:22)

• Ariel’s go-to dinner for guests is Greek food, especially Greek lemon chicken and a dish called Uvet (braised lamb), tailored to dietary preferences.

Rapid Fire Faves & Confessions (40:25–46:58)

• TV Binges: "Supernatural," "Law & Order," "Blacklist," "FBI"
• Favorite cocktail: “I love Fireball...I love a Fireball and a Coke. But I do love a Dirty Shirley as well.” (42:31)
• First concert: Jingle Ball (missed Bruno Mars!), discussed against hosts’ epic concert firsts—No Doubt, Destiny’s Child (43:26).
• Most used emoji: “The one with, like, the crying happy eyes.” (44:46)
• Celebrity crushes: Ariel—Ryan Phillipe; Sid—Jim Carrey ("He’s hilarious!”); Ali—Chad Michael Murray (“the plot is just Chad Michael Murray”); Michael B. Jordan gets a shout-out as current okay-to-crush pick.

LISTENER QUESTIONS & BFFR ADVICE (48:10–54:46)

Buying a House with a Partner Before Marriage? (48:10–51:48)

• Anonymous listener worries about a friend house-hunting with her boyfriend after only a year.
• Syd: “No, you need to call her regardless of how she takes it...I don’t necessarily think a year is enough to be purchasing something so big.” (49:11)
• Ali shares her own pre-marriage contract advice: “It’s like a prenup before the prenup.” (51:13)

Anniversary Shout-Out (51:55–54:46)

• Listener Allie asks for a shout-out to wife Cynthia for their 9th anniversary.
• The hosts celebrate their fandom and love:

  “Thank you for supporting the league, us, the show, women’s sports. It means so much to us.” —Ali (52:54)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

• “I just wanted to do something different. And I felt like it was different, but still a character that I could relate to.” —Ariel (19:01)
• “You can’t gatekeep cake or soccer underwear or anything else here.” —Sydney (09:50)
• “There’s no amount of love or attention or care you can give your kid where they aren’t a potential victim...because they’re online.” —Ariel (28:07)
• “Hi, I’m Sofia, and I’m so happy to be on the BFFR podcast.” —Ariel as Sofia (34:17)
• “If a person makes it awkward, but if you have, like, a good friendship...It’s our job.” —Ariel (15:09)

NOTABLE TIMESTAMPS

• 00:00–03:43: Ali’s emotional Angel City FC comeback, listener and fan love
• 12:08–12:46: Ariel Winter introduction
• 13:10–14:52: "Pools" movie stories, confessing that she can’t swim
• 15:09–16:20: Filming on-screen kisses
• 19:36–22:50: Growing up on Modern Family—candor about child stardom
• 22:50–28:15: Sosa undercover predator-catching work
• 32:25–35:36: Sofia the First voice acting showcase
• 39:29–40:22: Favorite dishes and hosting dreams
• 42:31: Favorite cocktail—Fireball
• 48:10–51:48: Advice for a friend thinking about buying a house with a partner early on
• 51:55–54:46: Nine year anniversary shout-out to dedicated show listeners

TONE & STYLE

Playful, deeply personal, and honest—with a warmth and humor that keeps the conversation flowing even as the topics turn serious. The BFFR vibe is always “real talk with friends”—with plenty of laughs, supportive energy, and generous advice.

SUMMARY

This BFFR episode is a ride through friendship, fame, influence, and activism. Ariel Winter is engaging, vulnerable, and funny, seamlessly moving from tales of being a not-so-confident swimmer on a pool movie set, to the unglamorous parts of growing up in the limelight, to her undercover work bringing online predators to justice. Sydney and Ali provide their trademark support, empathy, and banter, creating a conversation that's as enlightening as it is entertaining.

Listeners are left with laughter, actionable advice, and admiration for the candid, multi-faceted Ariel—and for Sydney and Ali’s commitment to keeping things “BFFR” (be f***ing for real).

Pools releases nationwide on September 5th—catch it for more of Ariel Winter’s work.

Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes of candor, chaos, and fresh perspectives from Sydney, Ali, and their all-star guests.

End of Summary