Gina Rodriguez feared a thyroid disorder would destroy her Hollywood dream because she was too "curvy" to be a leading lady.
Gina Rodriguez
The 'Jane the Virgin' star was concerned her condition would lead to rejection when she went to auditions because she found it "difficult" to stay in a "comfortable zone" with her weight.
She recalled: "It began when I was 19 years old and I got fired, and I realised keeping my weight down was going to be much more difficult.
"It was difficult for me to stay in the comfortable zone of my weight. I was very tired. My fatigue was through the roof. When everyone else was cold, I was sweating bullets...
"I was like, 'OK, I want to be an actor. I want to be a leading lady.' But now I am being told there is no way I can because they are way skinnier, which was very destructive to me because I felt like I was getting curvy."
But the 31-year-old star decided she wouldn't let stereotypes stand in her way and vowed to make negative attitudes change.
She told PeopleStyle: "For many years I had a daily conversation with myself about how I was going to help make that change.
"Because there is no way in this world things are only allotted to certain people because of their figure. There is no way that should be possible. There is no way that's fair. There is no way that kind of limitation is going to help those that don't fit into that box."
Over the years, Gina has taught herself to listen to her "unicorn" rather than her "demon" and embrace her flaws.
She said: "Why do we allow that voice that we get inside when we look in the mirror? 'Oh you look fat. Oh God the pimple! Oh my God that skin. Oh my God no one is going to love me.' Who is that voice?
!I started to realise that little demon that was inside of me, and I was going to find my unicorn and I was going to let them have a conversation because that unicorn was the one that was like, 'No, no, no. It's just a freaking pimple. It's just five pimples. They will go away eventually. It's okay. Look at that smile though. Alright, so you're curvier today. Yeah let's work those curves.'
"For women on this journey, have a conversation with yourself. "Recognise the voice that comes in but wants to tear down the beautiful amazing human being that you are.
"And when that demon comes in and says your thighs are thick, you say, 'You know what demon? Yes they are and I am going to work them. I am going to rock the s**t out of my thick thighs and I am rocking this whole damn city with my thick thighs loving them.'"
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