- In a new interview with the New York Times, Shailene Woodley revealed that she was "very, very sick" in her early 20s, while filming the Divergent series.
- Woodley said she was forced to "let go" of her career, and pass on several major roles.
- "I feel very grateful to have walked that line of fire, because now I know what I don’t want to ever go back to," she added.
At the height of her blockbuster career, Shailene Woodley was grappling with a "very scary" illness, the actor revealed to the New York Times in a new interview. "I haven’t spoken much about this yet publicly, and I will one day, but I was very, very sick in my early 20s," she said. "While I was doing the Divergent movies and working hard, I also was struggling with a deeply personal, very scary physical situation."
"Because of that, I said no to a lot of opportunities because I needed to get better, and those jobs ended up going to peers of mine who I love," Woodley continued. "They went on to a lot of success, but there was a mix of people saying, 'You shouldn’t have let that go!' or 'You shouldn’t have been sick!'"
At times, she feared her illness would end her career: "Am I going to survive what I’m going through right now and ever be healthy, or even have the opportunity to work on projects I’m passionate about again because of the situation I’m in?" she recalled thinking.
"I was in a place where I had no choice but to just surrender and let go of my career, and it brought out this negative voice in my mind that kept spinning for years and years afterward," Woodley said.
She told the newspaper she's now "on the other side" of her illness, adding, "A lot of the last few years has been about focusing on mental health for me, and it’s a slow process. But because of that work, I feel very grounded and rooted in who I am and very clear about everything in my life, whether it’s my career or my relationships or my own internal worth."
"I feel very grateful to have walked that line of fire," she said, "because now I know what I don’t want to ever go back to."
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
-
I Wear Exclusively Neutrals—These 14 Items From Banana Republic's MDW Sale Speak To MeLive your best life in linen.
-
Kylie Jenner and I Share The Same Favorite Phone Case Brand
The serotonin-boosting case I can't go a day without.
-
The 14 Must-Haves Marie Claire Editors Are Buying During Nordstrom's Enormous Sale
Thousands of cult products are discounted during Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale—but they're going fast.
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
