Megan Fox: ‘Psychological breakdown’ behind Hollywood exit - NEWS.com.au

Actress Megan Fox has long held the title of one of the hottest women in Hollywood.

Having sizzled across silver screens in mega-hit Transformers and secured leading roles in How to Lose Friends and Alienate People and TV show Hope & Faith, the genetically-blessed brunette has undoubtedly been an A-list crush of many.

But in a candid new interview, the actress reveals it was this very reality — the overwhelming focus on her looks — that led her to fear the fame machine and everything that came with it.

So overwhelming, it resulted in her suffering a psychological breakdown, she now reveals.

The 33-year-old actress spoke to Entertainment Tonight about reaching “breaking point” after the 2009 release of horror film Jennifer’s Body, a time when she found herself constantly being sexualised in films and media.

Watch the trailer for Jennifer’s Body, also starring Amanda Seyfried, below.

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“It wasn’t just that movie, it was every day of my life, all the time, with every project I worked on and every producer I worked with,” Fox told the publication. “It preceded a breaking point for me.”

As a result, the actress’ mental health suffered a devastating blow.

“I think I had a genuine psychological breakdown where I wanted just nothing to do,” Fox said. “I didn’t want to be seen, I didn’t want to have to take a photo, do a magazine, walk a carpet, I didn’t want to be seen in public at all because of the fear, and the belief, and the absolute certainty that I was going to be mocked, or spat at, or someone was going to yell at me, or people would stone me or savage me for just being out.”

She added, “So I went through a very dark moment after that.”

Coupled with this, the star said she’s long felt alienated from the #MeToo movement by other women, as though her thoughts were unwelcome because she wasn’t the right brand of feminism.

“I feel like I was sort of out and in front of the #MeToo movement before the #MeToo movement happened, I was speaking out and saying, ‘Hey, these things are happening to me and they’re not OK,’” she recalled. “And everyone was like, ‘Oh well, f — you. We don’t care, you deserve it.’ Because everybody talked about how you looked or how you dressed or the jokes you made.’”

She went on to say that she doesn’t feel as though “there is a space in feminism” for her, despite considering herself a feminist.

“I feel like feminists don’t want me to be a part of their group. What is supporting other females if there are only certain ones of us we support?” she said. “If I have to be an academic or have to be non-threatening to you in some way? Why can’t I be a part of the group as well?”

But there was light at the end of the tunnel.

When Fox and her actor husband Brian Austin Green, of Beverly Hills 90210 fame, fell pregnant with their first child Noah, things improved drastically.

“I think that was the first real breakthrough where my consciousness shifted and my mind opened up and I was able to see from a birds-eye view and breath and take it in,” Fox explained of pregnancy. “And then another kid, and then another kid and with every kid, I feel like that’s always been the doorway into a better version of myself.”

Fox and Green share three sons — Noah, 6, Bodhi, 5, and Journey, 3.

The new Entertainment Tonight interview isn’t the first time Fox has said she felt excluded from the #MeToo movement. Last year, she said she was convinced she’d be seen as an “unsympathetic victim” if she joined in and shared her #MeToo stories.

“I didn’t speak out for many reasons,” she told The New York Times. “I just didn’t think based on how I’d been received by people, and by feminists, that I would be a sympathetic victim.”

“I thought if ever there were a time when the world would agree that it’s appropriate to victim-shame someone, it would be when I came forward with my story,” she continued.

At the time, Fox revealed she had “quite a few stories” involving sexual misconduct in the industry, but wouldn’t be commenting on them or outing anyone to the public.

“I don’t feel it’s my job to punish someone because they did something bad to me,” she shared. “I’m not the universal hammer of justice.”

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