Sets of renowned series that have upturned Hollywood and swept off most dedicated awards do not always seem as ideal as they make it to the naked eye. There is an entire unexcavated land beneath the surface that almost never shows up or is purposefully silenced.
Fan favorite Bridgerton, a series by Netflix concocted by the endearing hands of Shondaland, is being publically called out by Ruby Barker (the actress who plays Marina Thompson on the series) for not being supportive when she suffered two psychotic breaks on the sets of the show, according to information gathered by Page Six via a podcast “The LOAF Podcast” during an Oxford University interview with the star.
She reiterated her experience on the podcast, saying, “Not a single person from Netflix, not a single person from Shondaland, since I have had two psychotic breaks from that show, have even contacted me or even emailed me to ask me if I’m OK or ask me if I would benefit from any sort of aftercare or support,” she added, “Nobody.”
Page Six gathers information in her words about her experience on set, where she acclaims that the preferential treatment on set, which isolated her completely, stemmed from the storyline that her character Marina Thompson played on the hit series. The 26-year-old rising star continued, “During the filming, I was deteriorating,” adding, “It was a really tormenting place for me to be because my character was very alienated, very ostracized, on her own under these horrible circumstances.”
She continued on her experience on the sets of Season 1 of Bridgerton, where she admitted getting hospitalized due to the pressure of Season 1, saying, “It was really covered up and kept on the down-low because the show was going to be coming out,” she added to this speaking about how the uprising fame and the mental pressures it comes with, “My life was changing drastically overnight and yet there was still no support and there still hasn’t been any support all that time, adding, “So I was trying really, really hard to act like it was fine … that I could work and that it wasn’t a problem.”
Parker reiterated her second experience of suffering through a psychotic break, where she told fans via Instagram that she had been “really unwell for a really long time.” Page Six reports that Parker said in May 2022, “I was carrying the weight of the world on my back, and now I am at the point where I have a diagnosis, and I will talk to you about that at another time,” adding, “I can’t carry on the way that I’ve been carrying on. I need to change, so that’s what I am trying to do. I want to survive, and I will survive. I am going to.”
Content Warning: This story discusses sensitive topics, including mental health deprivation, that may be triggering for some readers. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts, please seek help immediately. In the United States, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, or text MHA to 741741 at the Crisis Text Line. In other countries, please refer to local helplines or mental health resources. Reader discretion is advised.