Kristin Davis: How the Obsession with Slimming Ruined Her Health

"Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis, 60, learned firsthand that fans target not only acting talent but also looks. In the latest episode of her podcast "Are You a Charlotte?", she speaks openly about hurtful comments about her body and the impact they have had.

Kristin Davis: "Everyone was beautiful and super thin"

Even at the beginning of filming for "Sex and the City," negative comments from fans and the media shaped her self-image. While her costars were celebrated for their slim silhouettes, Kristin Davis repeatedly received criticism for her "curves." "Everyone was beautiful and super-thin. So I thought, 'I have to achieve that, too,'" she says.

To fit in, she resorted to radical measures: unhealthy crash diets that drove her to the point of fainting, and excessive cardio training—including up to three hours of spinning a day. Even supposed compliments like "not as fat as I thought" left their mark. "It's quite clear that you develop disordered eating behavior when you're constantly confronted with things like that," Davis says. At some point, she "couldn't think straight anymore."

Do you see signs of an eating disorder, addiction, anxiety disorder, depression, self-harming tendencies, or any other potential threat to your health or life? The helpline of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) can help you anonymously. You can reach them at: +49 221 892 031 . You can also find further professional and specialized counseling services on the BZgA's information pages .

The actress also recalls her time on the 90s cult series "Melrose Place." A co-star approached her in makeup: "He said, 'Kristin, I'm so happy to see you here. I just wanted to tell you that you look great and not to let the producers talk you into it.'" When she asked what he meant by that, he referred to her figure: "I think it's great that we have a woman with curves."

Davis then confronted the production. While the people in charge assured her that "she was perfect the way she was," they added that she "should not gain any more weight under any circumstances." Statements that Davis now clearly condemns—and relentlessly questions in her podcast.

Brigitte

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