Camila Mendes has opened up about the mental health struggles she faced while filming Riverdale. The actress revealed that perfectionism shaped much of her experience during the show’s early days, while the pressures of filming also contributed to eating disorder struggles and panic attacks. Mendes recently reflected on that difficult period during a podcast appearance.
Camila Mendes revealed panic attacks and an eating disorder while filming the show’s first season
In a recent episode of the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, Mendes revealed that her perfectionism had made an impact on many aspects of her life. “My perfectionism came up a lot,” she said. “I needed to be on all the time and at my best, and looking my best.” She said she had an eating disorder during the first season of Riverdale, but it had started in high school.
According to PEOPLE, the actress said that the struggles were made even harder to handle when she was filming. “That’s when I really started to come face to face with it,” Mendes said. She explained that Veronica’s wardrobe often included tight dresses, mini skirts and heels, which made her feel insecure on days when she felt bloated. She also said that these feelings could sometimes result in panic attacks before shooting scenes.
“I would sometimes have panic attacks about that,” Mendes said. She remembered how “disgusting” she felt before going in front of the camera and how she could not take the way she looked.
Mendes said that panic attacks occurred when she was unable to express her emotions freely. “If I’m feeling like I want to cry and I know that I can’t, that will cause my panic attack,” she said.
The actress said she would simply cry if someone gave her time to process her feelings. “If I was told, ‘You have an hour,’ I’d be like, ‘Great. I’m going to cry for a bit. Let it out. I’ll be good to go in an hour,'” she said.
She said she enjoyed her days on Riverdale, though it wasn’t easy because she was young and didn’t have much control over her schedule; she still has positive things to say about her time there.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, The Alliance for Eating Disorders provides a fully staffed helpline at 1-866-662-1235, as well as free, therapist-led support groups.
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