Jonah Hill Got Real About His Anxiety & How Public Appearances Only Made Him 'Sicker'

Many people deal with anxiety in their day-to-day life, including celebrities like Jonah Hill.

The comedic actor opened up about his anxiety in an open letter sent to Deadline this week, in which he announced that he won't be promoting his upcoming movie Stutz to focus on his mental health.

“The whole purpose of making this film is to give therapy and the tools I’ve learned in therapy to a wide audience for private use through an entertaining film,” Hill said in his statement.

He added that he won't be doing press for his upcoming projects because that contributes to his anxiety.

Stutz is a documentary-style film about Hill and his therapist, which the actor shot and directed in secret.

The film is due out this fall, but instead of sitting for a bunch of interviews, Hill hopes “the work speaks for itself.”

Hill shared that “through this journey of self-discovery within the film, I have come to the understanding that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, which are exacerbated by media appearances and public-facing events.”

“I can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world in the hope that it will help those struggling,” he continued in his statement. “However, 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. If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film.”

He acknowledged that his decision comes from a place of privilege because not many people have the option to skip a critical part of their job for mental health reasons.

“With this letter and with Stutz, I’m hoping to make it more normal for people to talk and act on this stuff,” Hill said.

“So they can take steps towards feeling better and so that the people in their lives might understand their issues more clearly.”

Hill’s decision comes as more and more celebrities open up about their struggles with anxiety and how the grind of press interviews can make things worse.

Selena Gomez also recently opened up about her struggles with anxiety and depression during an interview with Instyle, during which she said: “I found it difficult for me to be me.”

Because she struggled with her mental health, she even decided to step away from social media for some time.

Even beloved Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds has complained about feeling like a “different person” because of his anxiety.

Hill says he won't be promoting the other projects on his upcoming schedule, including the Netflix comedy You People.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or mental health concerns, please reach out to a trusted peer, parent or health care professional. You can also send a text message to 741741 24 hours a day or consult these additional resources. If you need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital. Support is available.