Renee Rapp, who plays Leighton in the popular HBO show Sex Lives of College Girls, shared her struggles when she was younger. She opened up about working on the Broadway set of Mean Girls as Regina George and how simultaneously she struggled with an eating disorder, according to Rolling Stone.

“It was because of things that were said and done to me on that show,” Renee Rapp said, recalling hurtful comments from “someone who was really influential on that project and in my life at the time.”

“Getting told how he could tell I didn’t like my body … I was like, ‘I’m a fucking teenager,’” she said.

During that time in New York, she felt more isolated. Although she made friends with her Mean Girls coworkers, they were older and much more settled into their lives. Her eating disorder worsened and she would often be pulled from the middle of shows because of nausea because she wasn't eating enough.

However, things turned around for Rapp when COVID-19 pandemic shut down production. She was relieved. “There’s a picture of me on FaceTime with my ex, sobbing and being like, ‘Oh, my God, I’m going to eat in the middle of the day.’ I was scared shitless, and I was also happier than I had been in a very long time.”

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While she wasn't working, she wanted to explore songwriting. The break didn't last long, because by fall, she was cast as Leighton in the Sex Lives of College Girls. She moved to LA to begin filming. But now she has a chance to explore songwriting again with the WGA strike pausing production.

If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, check out the national helpline here for more information.