Ellen Barkin was unable to audition for years after a teacher called her ugly.
The star was devastated when her teacher told her she wasn’t beautiful enough to be an actress and said that the cruel remark filled her with self-doubt and held her back from auditioning.
She told Piers Morgan, “It make me laugh now, but I do have to say there were 10 years between the age of 15 and maybe 25 that it didn't make me laugh. I mean, I was unable to go for an audition until I was 25 years old. And I was studying acting regularly through high school and college, but I couldn't audition for anything.
"They completely crushed me. I was way too insecure. (At) 15, you're young, you're not formed. You know, you're only just finding out who you are barely... I didn't have a straight nose. I had had my two front teeth knocked out as a 10 year old and so I still had broken teeth. I have squinty eyes. I didn't fit their idea of what pretty was. And so I understand why they were discouraging. (But) I don't understand why they were mean and cruel."
Barkin is still angered over the possibility that many young star will be discouraged from following their dreams because of their looks.
She said, “Sometimes I think I just – I get angry and I think who else are they doing this to? And are there still kids they’re saying this to?”
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