Penn Badgley, best known for his chilling role as Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s hit thriller You, is opening up about a much more personal struggle — body dysmorphia. While the actor has earned praise for portraying the unsettlingly charming stalker, he recently revealed the toll fame and image expectations have taken on his mental health.
Also Read: Netflix’s You Season 5: Release date, plot, cast and more
Badgley reveals his struggles with body dysmorphia
In a candid reflection, Badgley shared his unease with the public’s fascination with his dark character, admitting that parts of Joe’s twisted mindset uncomfortably mirror aspects of his own. He also revealed that he suffered from “body dysmorphia” as a child, which was, however, not diagnosed by any doctors or psychologists. He told The Guardian, “I know that I hated my body and simply wanted a different one.”
Badgley added that he desperately wanted to look like the men he used to see in films, but “that just seemed like an impossibility”. He added that he began overeating as a result of social isolation and his parents’ divorce, as reported by The Independent.
The acting industry put his appearance in the spotlight
As the Gossip Girl alum made his way into the acting industry, his appearance came under scrutiny. He told the media outlet, “There was just a period where, coming out of depression and isolation, I was jumping wilfully into, but also being thrust into, this world where the more conventionally beautiful I seemed, the more successful I might be, the more value I might have.”
He added, “There’s no way to get past the superficiality of this work, and if you recognise that, you can’t help but recognise the superficiality of our culture, because of the way it rewards this work.”
He also mentioned how Gossip Girl was difficult for this reason, as, according to Badgley, the cast of the show was famous for their looks. The actor said, “What was that show other than aesthetic? That was its thing, the way we all looked,” he said. “I didn’t particularly love the superficial celebrity aspect of the way I was perceived.”
However, he was glad that his time with Joe was almost over, as this is the final chapter of You. He shared, “The way this show plays with questions of how we reward bad people, that was a more playful question eight to 10 years ago. It’s not as playful a question now, and it comes with way more stakes, and I’m glad we’re not going to be playing with it any longer. And for that reason, I’m really glad it’s ending.”
