Jonah Hill stops promoting movies to avoid anxiety attacks
Jonah Hill is done making media appearances after decades of quietly battling anxiety attacks.
“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,” the actor, 38, wrote in a statement to Deadline Wednesday regarding his lack of promotion for his upcoming documentary, “Stutz.”
Hill noted that while he was “grateful” for the chance to share the film with others who are also “struggling,” he did not plan to promote it — or any other upcoming projects.
The “Superbad” star called the decision an “important step to protect” himself.
“If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film,” he explained.
“With this letter and with ‘Stutz,’ I’m hoping to make it more normal for people to talk and act on this stuff,” Hill continued. “So they can take steps towards feeling better and so that the people in their lives might understand their issues more clearly.”
While this is the Oscar nominee’s first time addressing his mental health at length, he has been open in the past about the struggles of being in the public eye.
In October 2021, Hill, who has made headlines for his weight gains and losses, asked fans to stop commenting on his body.
“Good or bad I want to politely let you know it’s not helpful and doesn’t feel good,” he wrote via Instagram at the time, adding that he knew people “mean[t] well” with their compliments. “Much respect.”
The “The Wolf of Wall Street” star has since deleted his Instagram account.
While Hill’s girlfriend, Sarah Brady, does have a presence on the social media platform, the 25-year-old surfer rarely gives glimpses into their romance.
The pair have been Instagram-official since September 2021, with Hill denying engagement speculation five months later.
“The rumors are not true,” he jokingly told his followers in February. “I am engaged. But not to my girlfriend. I am engaged to your mom. I know this is shocking.”