
Ruby Barker, who plays Marina Thompson on Bridgerton, has shared her difficult experience with mental health with her fans on Instagram.
Last week, she posted a video from hospital, explaining why she had finally prioritized healing and stopped beating herself up about not being OK, prompting commenters to praise her for her openness.
"How are you? How are you really, though?" Barker said in the video. "You know, I am better. I've been really unwell for a really long time, and I just want to be honest with everybody. I have been struggling, you know. So I'm in hospital at the minute and I'm gonna get discharged soon, and hopefully get to continue, you know, with my life."
In that first video, she thanked her friends and family, as well as Netflix and Shonda Rhimes (who produced Bridgerton), for their support. She captioned it, "Mental health week is every week for me. Off my chest. I feel like I’ve not been completely honest so this is for my followers. Time to be transparent. I’ve been struggling since Bridgerton, this is the truth. Thank you all for supporting me, your love holds me up. #mentalhealthawareness"
"!!!!!! -YOU GOT THIS," wrote Indya Moore. "Holding you in my heart," wrote Julia Quinn, who penned the Bridgerton books.
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In a new video, posted while she was enjoying a dip in a hot tub in what looks like blissful surroundings, Barker confirmed she has been discharged from hospital and took the opportunity to thank people again—including a sweet shout-out to her costar Claudia Jessie, who plays Eloise Bridgerton.
Barker expressed her gratitude to people for being so supportive and reaching out to share their own mental health struggles. "You've made me feel so happy to be alive," she said. "It's really made me feel less alone."
She also shared some beautiful advice that she has learned along the way, including from Jessie. "I remember she said to me when I was on set, she told me to flip the coin, she said, 'it might be dull on one side, but just flip the coin and you might find it's shiny on the other.'"
She captioned the video, "I’ve been discharged from hospital! Thank you so much for the support, I can’t wait for the future and I feel as if I’ve came out the other side. Thank you everyone, have a blessed day ... take care of yourselves, don’t be afraid to check in with your loved ones and we’re all in this together as they say in High School Musical ... big big love"
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Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
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