Brittany Snow Reflects on Leaving Hollywood
Brittany Snow shares that stepping away from Hollywood was a pivotal moment in her life. In a recent interview with Self magazine, the actress, now 39, disclosed that she left her acting career at 23, emphasizing that “my life depended on it.”
Despite her success in films like The Pacifier and Hairspray and appearances on shows such as Guiding Light and American Dream, Snow battled an eating disorder behind the scenes. “It’s hard to believe I’m still here,” she remarked, trying not to exaggerate her feelings about leaving the business.
She entered rehab for the first time at 19 but cut her stay short to work on the film John Tucker Must Die. Snow opened up about her struggles publicly in a 2009 essay, where she detailed her lengthy fight with anorexia.
Her second stint in rehab was particularly frightening—she recalled a fellow resident threatening to go public about her issues. After exiting rehab, she shifted to an outpatient program, supported by her parents, which consisted of therapy sessions, classes, and regular check-ins with the program director.
“In rehab, I felt safe because of my surroundings,” she shared. “You don’t have to face social situations, like dining out with friends who are indulging.”
Snow emphasized the importance of learning to trust herself through her recovery. “Reprogramming my mind so I didn’t feel the urge to harm myself in familiar situations was a game changer for me,” she noted.
Looking back, Snow felt grateful that her first significant role after returning to the industry was in Pitch Perfect in 2012. She said that working on the film was “really special” because she had doubted if she’d ever have the opportunity again.
More recently, she starred in the Netflix series The Hunting Wives, where she portrayed Sophie, a character who develops a romantic relationship with Margo, played by Malin Akerman. The show did quite well, attracting 5.2 million views within its first week.
Snow and Akerman revealed on social media that the show would return for a second season, scheduled to start production soon. Akerman mentioned that this new season is expected to premiere in the summer of 2026.
Despite her history with an eating disorder, Snow mentioned that she doesn’t focus on her body during intimate scenes, noting that it’s typically the men who appear more preoccupied with their looks. “Marin was exceptionally attentive, always checking in with me,” she added. “It felt really good.”
In addition to her work on The Hunting Wives, Snow is also involved in Hulu’s drama series Murdough: Death in the Family and Netflix’s upcoming release The Beast in Me, which comes out November 13.
