Actress Chloë Sevigny is opening up about the dark side of fame.
In a recent interview with Allure, the 48 year old recounted how photographers’ remarks about her physical appearance gravely affected the way she viewed herself. Sevigny got her start in the entertainment industry as a model after high school and appeared in numerous music videos before making her acting debut in 1995’s Kids.
Sevigny revealed that the first incident occurred in her late teens when working with fashion photographer Richard Avedon for a story that was never released. The American Psycho star disclosed that Avedon gave her modeling tips only to use her “left side” when taking photos. While mentioning how shocked she was by his comments, Sevigny said, “Can you imagine saying that to a 19 year old?”
Further in the discussion, Sevigny disclosed that the same thing happened to her again years later with David Bailey, a British Vogue photographer. The Zodiac actress shared that those remarks tainted her self-confidence in the past and still find a way to creep into her present life. Sevigny stated:
“Even right now, I would have preferred to sit in that seat because then you would have been looking at my left side. It informs so many parts of my life, like, when I go to dinner, when I’m rehearsing and blocking a scene, I always favor this side. It’s intense.”
Towards the end of her statement, Sevigny mentioned that she read the 1996 book, The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder by author Katharine Phillips because she thought at one point in her life she “might have” suffered from the condition.
According to Cleveland Clinic, body dysmorphic disorder is described as a “mental health condition” that affects the way an individual views “body and physical appearance.” The site says that one of the causes of body dysmorphic disorder stems from bullying.
At this time, Avedon and Bailey have yet to comment on Sevigny’s statements.