WASHINGTON: British actor Sam Claflin, widely recognised for his role as Finnick Odair in ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise, has candidly discussed his struggle with body dysmorphia, attributing the condition to the intense physical expectations of the film industry.
As per Variety, speaking on Frame Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, the actor revealed that the “Hollywood assumption” regarding male physiques significantly impacted his mental health.
Claflin, who made his cinematic debut in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’, noted that the pressure to maintain a specific aesthetic began early in his career.
Claflin recounted an experience from one of his first films where a shirtless scene was added to the production at the last minute.
“I had a topless scene… but it wasn’t in the script and I got told a week before they were going to take my top off,” he shared.
The actor described the immediate anxiety this caused, fearing he was unprepared for his “first introduction to the world.”
The actor admitted that these experiences fostered a deep-seated insecurity. Despite a successful career that includes blockbusters like ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and the acclaimed series ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’, Claflin confessed to being “massively impacted” by public perception, as per Variety.