Content warning: this article discusses eating disorders.
Euphoria breakout star Chloe Cherry believes her time working in the adult entertainment industry led her to develop an eating disorder.
Cherry began her career as a pornographic actress upon turning 18 years old, but the now 24-year-old says that her time in the industry led her to develop an eating disorder that she has only recently recovered from. Cherry, while speaking on the podcast Call Her Daddy, said a horrendous experience with her agent had a big impact on her.
“It all started when this agent that I had when I was in porn said to my face that I was fat, he said, ‘Everyone says that you’re fat and the fastest way to lose weight is by not eating.’ He said that to me and I was like, ‘What the fuck?'”
After that fateful encounter with her agent, it began to spiral quickly, and Cherry spoke of how easily it turned into an eating disorder.
“It just turned into an eating disorder cause I was so young at the time. He said that to me when I was 18, and it was so fucking freaky because no one in my whole life had ever said that I was fat and then it just became an obsession.”
Cherry was able to overcome her eating disorder, and said that talking about her experiences with loved ones helped her get through it.
“To get out of it really took a lot of me opening up to all my friends,” Cherry revealed.
“Opening up about it suddenly made it all come down.”
She ditched the harmful diet she was on, and said she feels better than ever since the change.
“I was just miserable and not treating my body well, and now that I don’t count a single calorie and literally just eat anything I want and do anything I want, my body actually looks better than it ever has my entire fucking life.
“I do not restrict my diet whatsoever. And that’s why I think a lot of people don’t think that I went through an eating disorder because I’m skinner now than I was even though I was starving myself then.”
Cherry has starred as Faye in Euphoria‘s second season, a role which came about after showrunner Sam Levinson became a fan of her on Instagram, citing her sense of humor.
If you or someone you know is battling an eating disorder, please contact the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at 1-800-931-2237 or go to NationalEatingDisorders.org.