Troian Bellisario understood her eating disorder from a "greater perspective" after starring in ‘Feed’.
The 31-year-old actor struggled with anorexia earlier in her life, and has said that whilst she assumed she was fine now because her battle ended "years ago", starring in the intense drama – which explores themes of anorexia, depression and isolation – helped her realise there was more going on "under the surface".
She said: "I got to examine the illness from a greater perspective. Now, jumping into the role and in acting it, I think I had a lot of naivete just being like, ‘Yeah! I got this! You know? That was like, years ago!’ and then all of a sudden I was like, ‘Oh, wow, this has just been living under the surface.’"
The ‘Pretty Little Liars’ star went spoke to her therapist about her struggles whilst the movie – which is available on video on demand (VOD) and digital platforms now – and has said being "vulnerable" was "really important" for the role.
She added: "It was really important to re-engage in those conversations. To be open and to be vulnerable and continue to talk to my therapist and my family and say, ‘Wow, I’m really struggling with doing this,’ and even struggling with putting the story out there, you know?"
Despite having come out the other side of her battle with anorexia, Troian – who is married to Patrick J. Adams – is still "nervous" for her mother to see the finished movie, as it’s a "very personal" story that her mother watched her endure.
Speaking to ‘Entertainment Tonight’, Troian said: "My mum was really wonderful when she spoke to me about it. She said, ‘You know I love you, and I loved you through your illness, but I didn’t understand it until I read your script.’
"She’s nervous and I’m nervous for her to see [the film], because even though this is not my story, it’s very personal and she suffered through it in her own way, next to me. So, for her to say to me, ‘I understood it for the first time after reading your script,’ that to me is worth everything."
Troian Bellisario: Feed helped me understand my eating disorder
