Helen Hunt Felt ‘Misery and Shame’ About Hollywood Beauty Standards

Helen Hunt is divorcing herself from the pressures of Hollywood.

The Hacks actress, 61, talked about the pressures that comes with being a part of the entertainment industry, and revealed in an interview with Flow Space that not having her mental wellbeing affected by the demands of her job has taken work.

“It felt impossible not to internalize the way you’re supposed to look,” Hunt told the outlet, “And [there was] a certain amount of misery and shame around not looking exactly that way.”

Though Hunt noted that she rarely ever likes talking about that aspect of her Hollywood experience, she put her foot down in order to prevent the pressure from getting to her.

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“I realized, ‘This could quietly ruin your whole life,’” she continued. “I made a decision: I’m not playing. Not gonna [let it] take up a lot of space in my mind.”

Hunt’s longtime friend and Mad About You costar, Paul Reiser, supported her statement, saying, “She has always been terrifically centered and forthright about setting up boundaries.”

As part of her health journey, Hunt revealed that she sought guidance through the book, The Only Diet There Is, by spiritual leader Sondra Ray.

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“What I took from it,” she added, “is eat what you want and love every bite, period.” Hunt credited the book with helping her heal her relationship with food.

The Twister actress also revealed in the feature that she isn’t falling for uncomfortable heels being a red carpet requirement. The actress reflected on her experience at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty and revealed that her open-toed heels placed her in a lot of pain.

“I was like, ‘This has to be done. I have to be done now — I can’t walk!’ ” she recalled. “I cannot walk. I cannot walk to get my drink at the bar or my In-N-Out Burger, which they serve. There has to be a new ethos about women and shoes. I want them to invent a new way to do it without hurting your feet!”