![]() Speaking today, she holds up her arm and motions towards a scar that remains from the incident. Once she noticed, she says she was "so zonked out on pills" that she barely reacted. It wasn't until her makeup artist alerted her that she even realized her skin was burning. If anything it’s making it worse.”Īt one point, while in her dressing room on set, she rested her arm on a curling iron without realizing it. If anything, it's making it worse." “ on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that’s not fixing my problem. " on medication and developing a habit of medicating to numb, not understanding I was developing an addiction to something that's not fixing my problem. "When you're in Hollywood, and you go to a doctor, they give you pills," she says, sharing a part of her story that she'd never revealed publicly before now. Riley says she eventually sought out medical intervention. She didn't yet have the language or the tools to process how she was feeling. She now knows that she's long had anxiety and depression and can recognize the ways in which she was triggered by how the cult-like following of the show conflicted with her individual, isolated experiences behind the scenes. The actress can recognize now that she was navigating issues associated with trauma and low self-esteem at the time. "And, that's okay because it pays my bills, I still get to be on television, I'm doing more than any other Black plus-sized women that I'm seeing right now on screen." I'm not who they're choosing, and this is just going to have to be a job for me for now," she says. ![]() "It finally got to a point where I was like, this is not my moment. Behind the scenes, Riley says she fought for her character "to have a voice" but eventually realized her efforts were useless. But in other ways, it became a reminder of the types of roles Black women, especially those who are plus-sized, are relegated to. ![]() The show introduced Riley to millions of fans and catapulted her into major Hollywood circles. Glee launched in 2009 with the promise of becoming Riley’s big break. American Idol had temporarily convinced her she wasn’t cut out for the entertainment industry, but this was validation that she was right where she belonged. Thankfully, Riley had been cast to play Mercedes Jones. After auditioning for American Idol and being turned away by producers, Riley began working for Ikea and nearly missed her Glee audition because her car broke down on the highway while en route. There wasn’t just childhood trauma to account for. “My fight or flight was on such a high level. “I was shaking in office,” she tells xoNecole. By the time she started seeing a psychologist and taking antidepressants in her thirties, her body had become jittery, a physical reminder of the trauma stacked high inside her. In a recent interview with Jason Lee, she recalls having suicidal ideation as a kid. The actress/singer has been in therapy since 2019, although she suffered from depression and anxiety way before that. ![]() Time has allowed Riley to grow more comfortable, giving fans a more intimate glimpse into her life, including her mental health journey and the ins and outs of show business. “She is who she is from when I met her back when she was singing in the front of the church to back when she landed major roles in film and TV,” Brooks says. If you ask Riley’s manager, Myisha Brooks, she’ll tell you the foundation of who the multihyphenate is hasn’t changed much since she was a kid growing up in Compton. Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.įeatured image by xavierarnau/Getty Images It can be challenging to find time for ourselves, but carving out even just a few minutes in the morning to be intentional about how we spend time with ourselves helps us feel more centered, balanced, and prepared for whatever the day may bring. Having a set structure to start the day helps ease us into our daily schedule. Studies have also shown that not eating breakfast can lead to poor heart health. People who eat breakfast are less likely to experience indigestion or other gastrointestinal problems later in the day. Breakfast helps to jump-start your metabolism and get your digestive system moving. When you sleep, your body is fasting, so you break that fast with a healthy meal. A healthy meal in your mornings is a major key.Įating a balanced, nutritious breakfast is essential to maintaining a healthy digestive system.
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