Penn Badgley Opens Up About Dark Period That Triggered His Body Dysmorphia

In a new interview, the “You” actor shared some insight into the isolation he felt during his adolescent years.

Penn Badgley is opening up about his early struggles with body image, long before “Gossip Girl” and “You” made him a household name.

In an interview with The Guardian to promote the final season of “You,” the actor said he experienced body dysmorphia during his adolescent years, but acknowledged he never received a formal diagnosis.

“I know that I hated my body and simply wanted a different one,” Badgley told the outlet.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, body dysmorphia or body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition where a person has an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in their appearance. It can lead to stress, anxiety and even suicidal ideations.

Badgley pointed to his parents’ divorce as taking a negative toll on his self-esteem, after which he began overeating in response. When he began acting at age 12, making his first on-screen appearance with a small role on “Will & Grace,” he said his pressures only increased.