Ariel Winter Reveals Fun Changes to the Upcoming “Sofia the First” Reboot (Exclusive)

Gillian TellingMon, May 18, 2026 at 6:31 PM UTC

0

Ariel Winter Returns to Sofia the First Role this May
Credit: Disney; Disney/Michael Kirchoff -

Ariel Winter reprises her role as Sofia in the reboot Sofia the First: Royal Magic, out May 25 and 26

The reboot features music, cross-genre styles and guest appearances by Disney princesses like Ariel and Moana

Winter says the show feels nostalgic and shares how her nieces grew up loving the original series

Ariel Winter is back to finding out what being royal is all about.

The Modern Familyalum returns to voice the Disney cartoon princess in the beloved Sofia the First series that first ran from 2013-2018, in a new reboot titled Sofia the First: Royal Magic. The new show, which begins airing on Disney Jr. on May. 25, and on Disney+ on May 26, follows the young princess as she goes to new school to learn magic.

"It's so nostalgic for me because I remember my audition in 2011 and just waiting for my callback and thinking 'It would be so cool to be a Disney princess,'" Winter, 28, tells PEOPLE of originally landing the role when she was 13.

"Then getting the job and watching my nieces, who were 2 at the time, growing up with Sofia. They actually called me the other day, and she and all their friends rapped the theme song to me. They told me how much the first one meant to them, so when I told them it was coming back they were so excited."

— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In this season, Sofia will once again be visited by fellow Disney royalty, like Ariel, Jasmine, Tiana and Moana, who will have guest arcs.

Jenna Dewan and other celebrity fans and their kids joined the cast and creative team for an enchanted breakfast event to celebrate the premiere of “Sofia the First: Royal Magic” at Short Stories Hotel in Los Angeles on Saturday,
Credit: Disney/Jesse Grant

"It's like a little bit of like a childhood dream come true," Winter says. "We have so many of the original princesses and played by cast members who did those princess voices coming back."

Advertisement

She notes that those aren't the only changes coming to the show.

"The music behind it is a little bit different," she says. "It's the same theme song but it's got a new beat, and the rest of music in the show is definitely a lot more current. Like it goes like cross genre, with some hip-hop and house and pop."

Winter adds, "She's also at a different school, this time for magic, so she's in potions class, spells class, battle charm class, and she's the most magical princess in the Ever-Realm, which is her world. I love it because I feel like I get to be in my own little Hogwarts."

Winter, who voiced the title character at the same time as playing Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, says she gets asked all the time about whether there will be a Modern Family reboot, but she says not that she knows of.

Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy on 'Modern Family'
Credit: Eric McCandless/Walt Disney Television via Getty

"If there is, I haven't heard about it yet," says Winter, who says she's back to spending more time in Los Angeles after a recent split with her boyfriend, Luke Benward.

Sofia The First: Royal Magic returns to Disney Jr. and Disney + on May 25.

on People

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”