Portia De Rossi blames 'Ally McBeal' for eating disorder

**MaryJane** · March 16th, 2006, 04:18 AM

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Actress PORTIA DE ROSSI developed anorexia while starring in ALLY MCBEAL, because she used co-star CALISTA FLOCKHART and the other thin women on the show as her role models.

The actress hit her lowest point in 1999, when she starved herself down to a life-threatening 82 pounds (37 kilograms).

She reveals in the April issue of Vogue magazine, "I've often wondered if I wasn't on that show if it (anorexia) may not have happened. I didn't really know at that point what it was like to be a celebrity, and the only people I knew at the time who had a similar experience were these women whom I worked with. They became my role models."

The actress decided to come clean about her anorexia with the help of her girlfriend, talk show host ELLEN DeGENERES.

She adds, "We've talked a lot about this. I'm not proud of this struggle. (While anorexic) it just seemed like I literally wanted to disappear. And now I would like to reappear."

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Tiara · March 16th, 2006, 04:24 AM

I see what she's saying but she can't blame other people for her disorder, they didn't take the food away from her! What these girls need is more confidence in themselves, its so sad to see so many young girls constantly battling to look just like each other, what happened to originality and being unique??

moomies · March 16th, 2006, 04:26 AM

Calista made her feel like a bitter jealous fatty!!!

I used to like the show Ally McBeal but I hated Calista for being so skinny. I did think she was setting a very bad example for the viewers. Come to think of it, all the women on that show were very thin, musta been contagious.

But ya know, you kinda have to pick and choose who you want as your role model. I understand anorexia is a serious illness/disorder but you also gotta take control and take a good care of your mind and body.

SVZ · March 16th, 2006, 04:30 AM

the blonde dumb secretary wasn't skinny

moomies · March 16th, 2006, 04:32 AM

Ohhh, that's right but she was annoying as hell anyways

alcohol the honey · March 16th, 2006, 04:42 AM

Well Calista started that rail-thin starlet trend that never seems to disappear. I remember when tabloids and news shows focused on her weight, complained about how thin she was but deep down I knew that they liked it.

Wasn't Calista a recovering bulimic?
Courtney Thorne-Smith had an eating disorder too.

Barbara · March 16th, 2006, 05:35 AM

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Originally Posted by SVZ

the blonde dumb secretary wasn't skinny

She was my favourite character, dumb but sooo sweet

Bellatheball · March 16th, 2006, 01:37 PM

She said this years ago. It's not new. The chick on Jim Belushi's show...what the hell was her name? Courtney Thorne Smith was it? She said she developed anorexia on that show too. I believe that's why she left. Funny, Melrose Place was ok but a show about lawyers gave her a weight complex.

LynnieD · March 16th, 2006, 01:45 PM

They're all f-d up....every one of them.

CherryDarling · March 16th, 2006, 01:48 PM

That show just spawned an eating disorder frenzy...ack.

Laurent · March 16th, 2006, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alcohol the honey

Wasn't Calista a recovering bulimic?

I'm thinking that she never copped to an eating disorder. I remember her being in interviews claiming that she was just naturally very thin and being pissed off people questioned her eating habits. It was almost certainly bullshit, because at her thinnest she looked literally like a skeleton with skin stretched over it.

muchlove · March 16th, 2006, 03:30 PM

Yes, Courtney Thorne Smith said that all the women looked bigger next to Calista and that there was a lot of pressure on them to keep their weight down so that they didn't look so big next to her. It's sad.

If Portia really weighed 82lbs, wtf did Calista weigh???? 65?

**Tati** · March 17th, 2006, 01:03 AM

Courtney did say the same thing. I wonder where it all started though. Lucy Liu wasn't excessively thin, and neither was Jane Krakowski (Elaine) nor Lisa Nicole Carson (Renee). The latter two were quite voluptuous actually. Why would Portia and Courtney both seemingly take their cues from just the one actress, Calista? Especially when her character was often emphasized as being less sexy than the others (mentioned in several episodes)?

To me, Calista was always so excessively thin that I viewed her as the exception, and the other women as the rule. I understand that for some women, it's ingrained that thin = better, and when faced with someone thinner, they can't help but feel inferior... but I can't help but wonder if this pressure actually came explicitly from the director/producers, rather than implicitly from the environment, as the actresses suggest. It just seems so unlikely that these women would strive to be as thin as the one freakishy thin star of their own volition. It's not like Calista was ever celebrated as a beauty - just that her character was somewhat lovable. I wonder if they weren't told outright that they should lose weight - which would stink.