Shailene Woodley, best known for her roles in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, The Fault in Our Stars, and Divergent, recently explained the reason why she has been laying low for the last year to the New York Times, revealing that she was "very, very sick".
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
Shailene Woodley Reveals She Was 'Very, Very Sick' While Filming 'Divergent'
You probably recognize Shailene Woodley from her many roles in *The Secret Life of the American Teenager*...
Summit Entertainment
...The Fault in Our Stars, and, of course, Divergent.
For a while, it seemed like she was everywhere. Until suddenly, she wasn't...
If you've been wondering what Shailene has been up to for the last year, you're in luck.
She opened up in a recent interview with the New York Times about her love life, her upcoming projects, and being "very, very sick" while filming Divergent, resulting in her temporary hiatus.
She revealed that in her early 20s, she was very ill, which made it difficult for her to work.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
"I was very, very sick in my early 20s," she said.
"While I was doing the *Divergent* movies and working hard."
Considering the amount of stunt work over the three films, this must have been extremely difficult for her.
"I also was struggling with a deeply personal, very scary physical situation."
She explained that because she was in poor health, she had to turn down several opportunities.
"Because of that, I said no to a lot of opportunities because I needed to get better".
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
"And those jobs ended up going to peers of mine who I love," she said.
"They went on to a lot of success," she added.
"But there was a mix of people saying, 'You shouldn’t have let that go!' or 'You shouldn’t have been sick!'"
She admitted that it was difficult at times to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
"That was combined with my own internal process of, 'Am I going to survive what I’m going through right now and ever be healthy?'"
She wondered if she would have the opportunity again to do what she loves.
"'Or even have the opportunity to work on projects I’m passionate about again because of the situation I’m in?'”
"I was in a place where I had no choice but to just surrender and let go of my career," she said.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
Which obviously, when you are trying to be a successful actress, that is a very hard decision to make.
So because of that decision it began to hurt her mental health which, sadly, is understandable.
"It brought out this negative voice in my mind that kept spinning for years and years afterward."
While she didn't reveal her exact diagnosis, if it prevented her from working entirely, I'm sure it was quite serious.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
She said that she might be willing to talk about it more "one day."
Thankfully, she is doing a lot better now, and is flourishing in all areas of her life.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
"Now I’m on the other side of it, thank God," she said.
She explained that, nowadays, she has been focusing on her mental health.
Which, let's face it, is super important to do.
It's important to have a healthy body and mind.
"Because of that work, I feel very grounded and rooted in who I am and very clear about everything in my life," she said.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
"Whether it’s my career or my relationships or my own internal worth."
For the United States, Shailene's new movie, *Endings, Beginnings*, is dropping on the 17th of April.
According to IMDb, the movie follows, "A 30-something woman navigating through love and heartbreak over the course of one year."
"During that time, she will unlock the secrets to her life in a sudden turn of events and in the most surprising of places."
Starring alongside Woodley are Sebastian Stan and Jamie Dornan.
"I feel very grateful to have walked that line of fire," she said.
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
"Because now I know what I don’t want to ever go back to," she concluded.
We're so glad to hear that Shailene is doing better these days!
Instagram | @shailenewoodley
I can't wait to see her back in action in her upcoming movie, Endings, Beginnings.
What do you think of Shailene Woodley's latest interview with the *New York Times*, revealing that she was "very, very sick" while filming her iconic film, *Divergent*?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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