Samira Wiley recalls body shaming incident during photoshoot that left her in a 'horrible mood'
Samira Wiley is getting candid about the body shaming she's faced as an actress.
In a recent interview with People, the 34-year-old star of "The Handmaid's Tale" actress spoke candidly about a time she felt body shamed during a photoshoot.
“I remember this one so vividly because [I] feel like I have a healthy body image, and I was on the shoot and one of the outfits they put me in, was something that showed a bit of midriff,” she said. “And honestly, I thought it was fine. But someone on the set was like, ‘Oh, don’t worry. We can fix that in post.’”
The "Orange Is The New Black" actress said she's concerned for young girls who read magazines and believe the smoke and mirrors of retouching is "reality." The experience not only left Wiley in a "horrible mood" but made her think "but this is what I have to deal with?"
Wiley recently partnered with One A Day to co-produce a new documentary "The Gratitude Project," which highlights stories of real people who have used gratitude to feel better about themselves. She explained that she wants to set a better example for her daughter, whom she welcomed with her wife Lauren Morelli in April.
“I think about her being able to see something like (the documentary) one day and her knowing that I was involved in it, and her knowing that it’s something that is important to me," she said.
Wiley's personal journey with body gratitude began 10 years after she was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 12.
“I was in denial and I didn’t really take care of myself,” Wiley said. “And then I just got the idea that I now only got one [body]. and I feel like it’s done so much for me, and I want to be able to take care of it as well.”
Wiley said she was "angry" after her diagnosis, but has since learned to overcome those feelings.
"I finally took the leap of faith to go see a doctor. And that really changed my life. I was able to really come to terms with the damage that I was doing to my body ... I decided to make a change then," she recalled. "Sometimes I go back to the doctor and I'll see the picture that they took the first day that I walked in there, versus how I look now. It just looks like a completely different person."
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