Lily Collins feared talk of her eating disorder could overshadow her accomplishments as an actress.
Lily Collins
The 28-year-old star has previously admitted to battling an eating disorder and she was worried the discussion surrounding her personal struggle might detract from her acting talents, which has seen her win critical acclaim.
Lily - who was widely praised for her performances in 'Rules Don't Apply' and 'Mirror Mirror' - shared: "I did consider that talking about my struggles with an eating disorder would overshadow my accomplishments as an actor, but I also knew this was something I needed to do to move forward as a human and an actress. I needed to let go.
"I've always strived to start conversations about taboo subjects with young women."
And Lily - who is the daughter of musician Phil Collins - also insisted she isn't defined by her eating disorder battle.
Speaking to Shape magazine, she said: "Having suffered from an eating disorder doesn't define me; I'm not ashamed of my past."
Lily also claimed that her latest movie role in 'To the Bone' helped in her recovery.
In the film, Lily's character Ellen battles anorexia and the actress explained how making the movie proved to be beneficial to her.
She said: "Although I was in recovery for several years before the movie, preparing for the film allowed me to gather facts about eating disorders from professionals.
"It was a new form of recovery for me. I got to experience it as my character, Ellen, but also as Lily.
"I was terrified that doing the movie would take me backward, but I had to remind myself that they hired me to tell a story, not to be a certain weight. In the end, it was a gift to be able to step back into shoes I had once worn but from a more mature place."
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