Heavy A DWTS cast member is speaking out about her dark past.
Season 31 “Dancing With the Stars” fan favorite Selma Blair did a candid interview with Vogue UK, landing the cover of the magazine’s May 2023 issue.
Blair, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, opened up about having her symptoms going undiagnosed for 40 years. In the time before she found out that she had MS, Blair admits that she fell into a dark hole, and says that she even attempted suicide — more than once.
“As an adult, the lassitude and anxiety became terrifying, actually. I made mistakes. Wished myself dead. Attempted suicide. A few times. Out of desperation,” she told Vogue UK.
“Sets were excruciating sometimes with the exhaustion and the tics. I took benzos and Klonopin. I didn’t abuse those things, just alcohol. But I was lost and sad and could hardly ever smile. Hence my roles, I imagine,” she added.
Here’s what you need to know:
Selma Blair Suffered Debilitating Symptoms for Many Years Before Getting a Diagnosis
In her interview with Vogue UK, Blair said that she would often feel weak and sick, and suffered “baldness and rashes” all during the height of her acting career.
“I remember being very, very poorly on ‘Hellboy’ and was diagnosed with cat scratch fever and possible leukemia in Prague. I couldn’t tell anybody. I couldn’t admit alcoholism or [access] treatment in my insurance for fear I’d be deemed an insurance risk. I fell apart once I got back to LA,” she explained.
In 2009, Blair says that her symptoms brought on “self-hatred.”
“I could not manage well and I couldn’t even try to find work… It was a running joke. How far was the audition? How many naps would I fit in on the side of the road before and after?” she recalled. And when she gave up acting, she said she’d often spend “days in bed, crying, sometimes binge drinking.”
It wasn’t until nearly a decade later that Blair finally got a diagnosis.
“I have #multiplesclerosis,” Blair captioned an Instagram post in October 2018. “I am in an exacerbation. By the grace of the lord, and will power and the understanding producers at Netflix, I have a job. A wonderful job. I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken gps. But we are doing it. And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best,” she added.
Selma Blair Was Forced to Leave DWTS in Week 5
Blair was paired with ballroom pro Sasha Farber for her time on season 31 of “Dancing With the Stars.” While she took some extra precautions to ensure that she was listening to her body while learning some tough routines, she ultimately needed to exit the competition because of her health.
“What this show has given me is beyond measure in spirit life. What my partner @sashafarber1 has gifted me, a sense of self in my body, will be forever felt. What you all have shown me is love. Precious love. And I will spend my days returning the swell of grace,” Blair captioned an Instagram post following her DWTS departure.
“Each celebrity and pro has embraced me with the love of family. I am so honored. So truly honored. I weep with genuine appreciation. And gratitude. What an evening to remember. I will perfect this waltz Sasha so thoughtfully gave me. And I will dance it with wisdom and ease and great serenity. When my knee and hip heal. And I will remember these steps under a full moon of memory. With love,” her caption concluded.
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