Portia de Rossi conquers anorexia, accepts herself

[Kadie]

Portia de Rossi conquers anorexia, accepts herself
Carolyne Zinko, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, December 12, 2010


It was early in her acting career, but already Portia de Rossi seemed to have it all. The Australian actress, who'd begun her life in the spotlight as a model at age 12, landed a role in 1998 on the hit ABC series "Ally McBeal" at age 25, and was cast in a leading role in a major motion picture only two years later. Tall and slender, with a mane of blond hair, she looked on the outside to have an ideal life.

On the inside, it was anything but.

In 2000, she collapsed on the set of "Who is Cletis Tout?" At 5 feet 8, she weighed 82 pounds, the result of a regimen in which she ate only 300 calories a day and exercised unrelentingly.

She was hiding a secret she thought would ruin her career prospects - that she was a lesbian - and was ashamed of her lie. She thought if she were thinner, she'd be more beautiful, more accepted and more successful.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/10/LV4K1GKF1J.DTL#ixzz17wOJANma

[On the Road]

1. It's Amazing That Portia de Rossi Couldn't Accept Herself

She played the ideal woman on Ally McBeal. Everyone, not only John Cage, was 'drawn to her.' And it was not simply looks -- her character Nell was the moral center of the show.

The obsession with anorexic looks is puzzling. It's not what most men want. My giefriend's niece is the same way. She was gorgeous and went on a diet. Now she looks emaciated and is thrilled.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. Probably didn't help starting her career with fucking asshole David Kelley

He's well known for browbeating actresses about their weight.

[dsc]

3. I find that a little hard to believe

He wrote Boston Legal which had Elanor Frutt on it and is now doing a series staring Kathy Bates of Misery fame.

[Hello_Kitty]

4. Having a couple of fat female characters doesn't mean he didn't body police the thin ones. eom

[Lady President]

5. I've heard the same

I remember reading a story that Courtney Thorne-Smith was constantly reminded that she wasn't thin enough when she was on Ally McBeal. She decided to leave the show for health reasons. No surprise that Portia had the same pressures on her.

[CatWoman]

6. what really is so strange

is that all you saw in the press was "concern" and negative comments about Calista Flockhart's weight