Lily Collins is recognized for her acting chops, and now the British-American beauty is funneling her on-screen talent in a different way—by writing a revealing memoir that addresses her relationship with her father and her resulting struggles with anorexia and bulimia. In Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, the Golden Globe-nominated actress detailed her parents’ divorce as well as her dad Phil Collins’ affairs, particularly his split with third wife Orianne Cevey that she said led to her eating disorder.
“I couldn’t handle the pain and confusion surrounding my dad’s divorce, and I was having a hard time balancing being a teenager with pursuing two different grown-up careers,” Lily writes. “Many of my deepest insecurities stem from these issues with my dad.”
It even started to take a toll on her body; as she began to view herself differently, she tried to unhealthily control her eating habits. “My hair and nails became brittle. My throat burnt and my esophagus ached. My period stopped for a couple of years,” she wrote. “I was terrified I had ruined my chances of having kids. I was convinced that I had f****ed myself up beyond repair.”
Lily previously discussed her eating disorder when she helped promote the anorexia-focused film To The Bone at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival; she admitted to taking on the project in order to stir more conversation on a considerably taboo topic.
“My book #Unfiltered is not about the other people in my life but instead what I’ve learned about myself along the way,” she wrote in an Instagram post. “It’s not about vilifying anyone. It’s about sharing my experiences to hopefully help others.”
We couldn’t imagine what it was like for her to reveal this extremely personal experience. Thank you for opening up, Lily.
Photo: @lilyjcollins
