The recently held second edition of Popsugar’s Play/ Ground event at New York City’s Pier 94 featured a star-studded lineup of panelists.
Among other things, it featured talks with This Is Us actress Mandy Moore and Riverdale actress Camila Mendes, who stressed on channeling industry-fueled negativity into opportunities for personal triumph.
Speaking to her This Is Us co-star, Susan Kelechi Watson, Moore shared how she found autonomy in her career 20 years after signing her first record deal at the age of 15. She spilled on the roles she missed out on, apparently “bombing” auditions for Mamma Mia! And Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Three significant takeaways for those sitting in the audience and seeking professional wisdom included not letting rejection consume you, trusting that you can grow from life’s disappointments and being driven by passion rather than others’ validation.
“I am becoming a force by my own definition,” Moore responded, when asked who she is unapologetically becoming. “The last year specifically has been a really monumental shift…. There is no substitute for time and the wisdom and clarity that comes with it.”
“People will say, ‘Nice people can’t finish first.’ I think they can, and they do. I’m OK being that woman. That’s who I am, and that’s who I am always going to be,” she added.
Later in the day, Mendes joined model Candice Huffine to speak about their journeys to body positivity.
For Mendes, being the perennial cool girl Veronica Lodge forced her to confront her inferior self-image.
“The pressure of playing a character like that definitely made me question myself,” she said.
About over a year ago, Mendes chose to share her struggle with eating disorders to her millions of followers. “It was a hard decision, but I felt also really confident in the fact that if I had somebody to look up to when I was younger, how that would’ve changed my life,” said Mendes, adding, “To know that I can be that person, it’s like, there’s no question. Why would I fight that? Because what am I hiding: That I’ve been through something? That I’ve experienced something painful? That I have a negative body image? We all do.”
Mendes first faced issues with bulimia and obsessive dieting when she was in high school and that continued in college. Her wake-up call was when she could no longer make it through her Riverdale fittings without breaking down. “You’re shopping for a character — not yourself,” explained Mendes, who would be moved to tears when clothing did not fit her a certain way.
Mendes eventually confided in people who were close to her, including Riverdale production assistant who helped her seek out a professional. “That’s when everything changed,” she added. “I highly recommend seeing a therapist.”
Mendes’ therapist and nutritionist helped conquer her fear of eating carbs and break the misconceptions that diets are healthy. Mendes has since collaborated with Project HEAL, a nonprofit that provides resources and funding to those seeking treatment for eating disorders.
– With information from The Hollywood Reporter