Jonah Hill is taking a break from promoting films because of anxiety attacks
By Amarachi Orie, CNN
Actor and filmmaker Jonah Hill is stepping back from promoting his films, including his debut documentary, due to anxiety attacks.
Known for starring in films such as “21 Jump Street” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” the 38-year-old will explore mental health and the impact his job has had on his anxiety in his upcoming documentary, “Stutz.”
“I have finished directing my second film, a documentary about me and my therapist which explores mental health in general called ‘Stutz.’ The whole purpose of making this film is to give therapy and the tools I’ve learned in therapy to a wide audience for private use through an entertaining film,” he said in a statement issued to Deadline on Wednesday.
“Through this journey of self-discovery within the film, I have come to the understanding that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, which are exacerbated by media appearances and public facing events,” Hill added.
In the light of this, the actor said he would not be promoting the documentary, in order to “protect” himself, although he said he “can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world in the hope that it will help those struggling.”
“If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film,” said the actor who directed the film, which he hopes “will speak for itself.”
The same goes for his other upcoming projects.
Hill last appeared in the 2021 film “Don’t Look Up,” which was nominated for four Oscars. He is set to star in the comedy “You People,” which is currently in post-production and expected to premiere this year.
“I understand that I am of the privileged few who can afford to take time off. I won’t lose my job while working on my anxiety,” he said.
“With this letter and with ‘Stutz,’ I’m hoping to make it more normal for people to talk and act on this stuff. So they can take steps towards feeling better and so that the people in their lives might understand their issues more clearly,” Hill added.
Last year, the actor opened up about his body image insecurities, telling his followers on Instagram: “I kindly ask that you not comment on my body.”
Hill is not the first celebrity to reveal mental health struggles.
On Sunday, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” star Tom Holland said he was taking a break from social media because of the “detrimental effect” on his mental state.
Last year, actor Ryan Reynolds spoke about the impact that anxiety has had on his life and work. He described the anxiety, which he said developed in childhood, as “an engine for creativity but it’s also got its own cloud and shroud of darkness.”
And in April, singer Camila Cabello opened up about the “crippling” anxiety she felt while making her album “Familia.” She’s now in a better place, she said, adding she attributes that to her vulnerability and efforts to heal.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
To get help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). There is also a crisis text line. For crisis support in Spanish, call 1-888-628-9454.
