Jonah Hill, 38, is the latest Hollywood celebrity to come out and address his mental health struggles. The Superbad actor confirmed that he’s taking a break from promoting his latest film, and from Hollywood in general. The two-time Academy Award nominee just released a statement saying that he will not go on tour and promote his new film Stutz. In his statement, Hill shares that he has suffered from anxiety attacks for the past 20 years, which have been “exacerbated by media appearances and public facing events”.
Stutz
Stutz is a documentary film starring Jonah Hill. It also marks Hill’s second time directing a film. The synopsis from IMDB reads: The film was shot in secret and captures earnest discussions about mental health in general and how it relates to Hill’s career as an actor, producer, and director. Through the film, he shares the darker side of the movie business and the extent of his struggles with mental illness.
Mental health
In his statement, Hill describes his excitement about the film but also shares that he will not be doing any promotional work for the film. According to the actor “you won’t see me out there promoting this film, or any of my upcoming films, while I take this important step to protect myself.” With his mental health struggles, the actor explains that interviews give him panic attacks and he “wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film.” The actor also shared that he is one of the privileged few who can take time off to deal with mental health issues. The actor hopes others would follow suit and start talking about mental health. Hill will also not be taking part in promoting “You People”, a Netflix film that he co-writes with director Kenya Barris. The actor is also set to star in the movie alongside Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, and Rhea Perlman. Stutz will premiere at a prestigious film festival later this year. Hill hopes the work will “speak for itself” and help others who are also struggling with mental illness.
Other celebrities
Hill is not the only A-list celebrity to open up about mental health issues this week. Actor Tom Holland recently released a video message addressing his absence from social media and struggles with anxiety. Many other celebrities from musicians Adele, Demi Lovato, and Lady Gaga to director J.K. Rowling have revealed their personal struggles with mental health.
