Rebel Wilson: The Truth About Sacha Baron Cohen! Trauma Was The Reason I Couldn't Lose Weight!
06 May 2024 (4 months ago)
- Rebel Wilson describes her experience with Sacha Baron Cohen as the worst professional experience of her career.
- She felt humiliated and degraded.
- Rebel Wilson grew up in a regular suburban Australian upbringing.
- She was extremely shy and had social anxiety.
- Her family made money selling pet products out of a yellow Caravan at dog shows.
- She was allergic to dogs, which made her childhood uncomfortable.
- Rebel Wilson's mother was a dedicated kindergarten teacher, helping many young people, especially refugee students.
- Her father had emotional issues due to the sudden death of his father when he was 18.
- Rebel's father had aspirations of being a successful businessman but struggled to achieve his full potential.
- Rebel's father often displayed anger and had conflicts related to money within the household.
- He owned a share of a racehorse and envied the success and recognition of wealthy individuals.
- Rebel found motivational tapes, including "How to Win Friends and Influence People," in her father's gym bag, suggesting his desire for self-improvement.
- Due to the lack of awareness about mental health in Australia at the time, Rebel's father never received a proper diagnosis or therapy for his trauma.
- His unresolved trauma manifested as frequent angry outbursts, where his face would turn red, and he would say hurtful things.
- Rebel Wilson and her sister used to wet the bed to cool down during hot Australian summers.
- Their father would often react angrily and physically punish them for seemingly minor incidents.
- Rebel felt guilty and ashamed for her actions, despite her intentions to cool down.
- Such incidents were relatively common in their upbringing.
- Rebel's mother also experienced emotional abuse from their father.
- He would make derogatory comments about her appearance and weight, calling her names like "fat lazy cow."
- Financial abuse was also present, as he controlled the finances and gambled away their money, leaving them with financial difficulties.
- Physical abuse was more common in their area, with some family friends experiencing even harsher treatment.
- Rebel Wilson's parents' divorce left her with a negative view of romantic relationships.
- She observed her mother becoming a "shell of a woman" due to the relationship and did not want to end up in a similar situation.
- Her father's outbursts were only at home, which made her question why anyone would want to be in such a relationship.
- Rebel's only representation of marriage was her parents' awful marriage, which influenced her decision to avoid romantic relationships.
- The divorce process took seven years and left her mother with nothing due to legal costs.
- Rebel decided to focus on her success and career, believing that a romantic relationship would only cause her pain and hinder her personal growth.
- However, as she became successful, she started to feel lonely and reconsidered her stance on romantic relationships.
- Rebel Wilson believes her dark side comes from her father's side of the family.
- Her father's side has a history of alcoholism, addictions, and a dodgy mentality.
- Rebel feels like she has a mafia sensation of wanting revenge on people sometimes.
- She believes her dark side makes her more interesting as a person and performer.
- Her light side comes from her mother's side of the family.
- Rebel Wilson relates to Steven Bartlett's question about always questioning if he is good enough.
- She reflects on her own drive and wonders if she is truly driven or being dragged by something.
- Wilson identifies her dragging as stemming from feelings of inadequacy due to being the only black child and from the poorest family in her area.
- She explains that she derives self-esteem and self-worth from achievements, leading to issues with food and a negative self-image.
- Rebel Wilson discusses the reasons behind her inability to lose weight.
- She reveals that she was sexually assaulted by a male co-star, which left her with deep trauma.
- The trauma caused her to emotionally eat and gain weight as a coping mechanism.
- Wilson emphasizes the importance of addressing trauma and seeking help for emotional eating.
- Rebel Wilson felt like she wasn't good enough, even though she didn't do anything wrong.
- She believes that kids need to have their self-esteem fostered and nourished to avoid feeling like they're not good enough.
- She experienced microaggressions, such as not being chosen for things, being at the back or side, and not being seen as a star.
- She was painfully shy and would blush if a teacher asked her a question in class, even if she knew the answer.
- She didn't have any friends because she thought people wouldn't want to be friends with her since she wasn't good-looking, popular, or cool.
- She read an article in the library that said her personality at 15 would be her personality for life, which motivated her to change.
- She didn't want to be shy, introverted, and isolated, so she decided to make a change.
- Rebel Wilson decided to change her introverted nature and become more expressive.
- She used strategies like talking to new people daily and joining clubs at school to make friends.
- She realized that being naughty and getting attention helped her gain popularity.
- Rebel Wilson's desire for attention and validation stemmed from wanting friends and respect.
- Her mother enrolled her in drama classes to improve her self-esteem and self-confidence.
- Acting allowed her to escape her shyness by playing different characters and gradually boosted her confidence.
- Rebel Wilson had various drives within her, including the desire for external validation and the need for academic and professional success.
- She excelled academically and attended boarding school at 16, partly to escape her childhood household dynamics.
- During her final year of school, she witnessed a major crime and testified in a Squad investigation, which led to her being recommended for a Rotary Youth Ambassador program.
- She was sent to South Africa, which was a very different and dangerous environment compared to Australia.
- Johannesburg had a high crime rate, and Rebel had to carry a wooden baton for self-defense.
- Experiencing the violence in South Africa led to a life-changing vision where she realized her desire to become an actress.
- If she hadn't gone to Africa, she might have pursued law school and become a lawyer in Australia.
- Rebel Wilson had a near-death experience due to malaria in Africa when she was young. During her hallucinations, she envisioned winning an Academy Award and becoming an actress.
- Despite skepticism, she pursued acting after recovering, believing it was her purpose.
- It took five years after her vision for her to realize she could make a living from acting.
- Rebel Wilson questions whether her vision was a result of malaria hallucinations, a subconscious desire, or divine intervention.
- Rebel Wilson's mother wanted her to have a normal life with friends and relationships, not to be a known public person.
- Rebel Wilson's parents wanted her to have a successful career, such as becoming a lawyer.
- She attended law school but struggled to balance her studies with her acting career.
- It took her 10 years to complete her law degree due to her acting commitments.
- Rebel Wilson started acting at the age of 18 or 19, which is considered late compared to many actors.
- She wrote her first play at the age of 21, which won a playwriting competition and was professionally produced.
- Despite this early success, she realized that she needed to write her own material to make it as an actress.
- She didn't start earning a full-time wage as an actress until she became a regular on a TV show at the age of 23.
- Rebel Wilson realized that her weight influenced how people perceived and cast her in acting roles.
- At 21 or 22, she was diagnosed with PCOS, which caused rapid weight gain and other symptoms.
- She noticed that a larger actress received more laughs in a play she wrote, leading her to believe that people found larger women funnier.
- She studied comedy and power in university, learning that people tend to laugh at those with physical irregularities, making larger women successful in comedy.
- Despite initially aiming to be a serious actress, she decided to embrace comedy and use her weight as an advantage in her comedic performances.
- Rebel Wilson reveals that she struggled with emotional eating and trauma, which hindered her weight loss efforts.
- She explains that she was sexually assaulted at the age of 18, which left her with deep emotional scars.
- The trauma led to unhealthy coping mechanisms, including emotional eating, which contributed to her weight gain.
- She sought therapy and worked on healing her trauma, which ultimately helped her lose weight and improve her overall health.
- Rebel Wilson used her weight to her advantage in comedy, as it made people laugh harder and led to more pay.
- She received a scholarship from Nicole Kidman to attend the Second City Comedy School in New York.
- Wilson realized she had a knack for comedy and it was taking off more than dramatic acting.
- Despite her success, she felt conflicted about her weight, knowing she was not treating herself well and not being healthy.
- Rebel Wilson played a character in the movie "Fat Pizza" where she was someone that someone else was embarrassed about.
- She mentioned that while acting, she could separate herself from the character, but there were instances where people confused her character with her real self, which was hurtful.
- Wilson recalled an incident at a post office where a fan of the show addressed her by her character's name and made comments similar to the character, which she found hurtful.
- Despite the occasional hurtful experiences, Wilson's success in playing characters like "Fat Amy" brought her millions of dollars, which she prioritized over her self-esteem at the time.
- Rebel Wilson discusses the idea of achieving success in one area of life while neglecting others, leading to personal imbalances.
- She relates this to her own experience of becoming successful in the entertainment industry but lacking in personal aspects such as dating and relationships.
- Wilson highlights the trade-off that often comes with great success, comparing it to Olympic athletes who may excel in their sport but struggle in other areas of their lives.
- Rebel Wilson reveals that she received only $3,500 for her role in the movie "Bridesmaids," which was her first job in America.
- After paying union fees and expenses for the movie premiere, she actually lost money from the role.
- Wilson had to live on a very limited budget of $60 per week while waiting for "Bridesmaids" to be released a year later.
- After the success of "Bridesmaids," Rebel Wilson booked six movies, including "Pitch Perfect," which became a global hit and the highest-grossing musical comedy franchise of all time.
- Despite achieving significant professional success, Wilson still felt unfulfilled and continued to set new goals for herself.
- The speaker announces the launch of Flight Studio, a new podcast and media technology company.
- They are hiring for 30 to 60 roles and using LinkedIn Jobs as their primary platform for recruitment.
- LinkedIn helps them source professionals who are not actively searching for jobs but might be open to opportunities.
- Over 70% of LinkedIn users do not visit other leading job websites, making it an effective platform for recruitment.
- The speaker offers a free LinkedIn job post to the audience through a link.
- Rebel Wilson initially didn't plan to have a family due to being career-driven and thinking she might not find a partner.
- She felt a biological urge to be a mother in her late 30s.
- Despite not having a partner, she decided to try to have a child at 39.
- Upon visiting a fertility doctor, she was told she needed to be healthy to have a better chance of having a baby.
- The doctor's blunt assessment made her realize that she was not healthy, despite her success and self-confidence.
- Rebel Wilson planned to dedicate the year 2020 to getting healthy, even before the pandemic.
- She acknowledged engaging in unhealthy eating behaviors and wanted to improve her health.
- Despite being a proponent of body positivity, she recognized the need to address her unhealthy habits.
- Rebel Wilson describes a pivotal moment when a stranger's comment about her health made her realize she needed to make a change.
- Despite previous attempts at dieting and temporary weight loss, she struggled to maintain a healthy weight.
- She felt resigned to her weight being a permanent aspect of her life, despite achieving success in other areas like education and acting.
- The stranger's comment served as a wake-up call, motivating her to prioritize her health, particularly with the desire to have a child in the future.
- After receiving advice from a doctor about improving her health for potential pregnancy, Rebel Wilson faced resistance from people in her team.
- They expressed concerns that losing weight would jeopardize her multi-million dollar acting career, as she had successfully carved out a niche for herself.
- This presented a dilemma for Rebel Wilson, who had to decide between pursuing her health and potentially sacrificing her career.
- Despite the discouragement, she remained determined to prioritize her health and well-being, even if it meant risking her career.
- The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for Rebel Wilson to focus on her health without the distractions of her acting career.
- Through emotional work and self-reflection, she gained a deeper understanding of her unhealthy behaviors and made significant progress in her health journey.
- Rebel Wilson's contract for Pitch Perfect prevented her from losing more than 10 pounds.
- Acting contracts often have clauses that restrict drastic changes in appearance, including weight, hair, and overall look.
- These restrictions are in place to accommodate potential reshoots or sequels that may require actors to maintain a consistent appearance.
- Rebel Wilson decided to make 2020 her "year of health" and focused on improving her overall well-being.
- She was introduced to a doctor who specialized in the connection between emotional well-being and physical health.
- Rebel realized that she was an emotional eater and needed to process her emotions to achieve sustainable weight loss.
- With the help of a doctor, she began processing her emotions through regular phone calls.
- As she processed her emotions, she was able to release them and experience weight loss.
- Rebel also committed to a rigorous workout routine, cooking her own meals, and eating high-protein meals.
- The combination of emotional healing and healthy lifestyle changes led to her successful weight loss journey.
- Rebel Wilson believes that emotional baggage can contribute to weight issues.
- She mentions having a complicated relationship with her father and experiencing sadness after his sudden death.
- She suggests that childhood experiences and unprocessed emotions can create barriers, including weight, that affect intimacy and relationships.
- Psychologists have observed that some women who lose weight through programs may regain it due to early abuse or issues, using weight as a defense against sexual advances.
- Rebel Wilson acknowledges that she embraced the "fat funny friend" role to avoid potential romantic relationships and hide her true feelings.
- Rebel Wilson did not receive any romantic attention from men until she became famous from Pitch Perfect.
- When she became famous, she started receiving attention from men, including a waiter at Chateau Marmont who gave her his number.
- Rebel Wilson felt invisible attractiveness-wise until she became successful.
- She did not text the waiter because she was shy and not used to receiving male attention.
- Rebel Wilson's father would sometimes ask her if she was seeing anyone, which made her angry because she did not want to get married like her parents.
- She felt external pressure to find a partner as a single woman over 30, but it was more pronounced in her late 30s.
- Rebel Wilson tried using a dating app called Raya but was unsuccessful because she applied when she was 19 and they are still reviewing her application.
- She is now in a relationship and does not need the dating app anymore.
- Rebel Wilson went on a year of love experiment before her year of health to put herself out there and gain experience in dating and relationships.
- She was a virgin until she was 35.
- Rebel Wilson lost her virginity at age 35 to a man she was set up with.
- She was attracted to him because he was funny, cute, and had potential to be marriage material.
- Rebel Wilson went on a year of dating 50 people in 2019 to gain experience in dating.
- Rebel Wilson tried Ozempic for weight management after losing 35 kilos.
- She found that the drug helped her not feel full, allowing her to eat sweets and chocolate without feeling the need to stop.
- Rebel Wilson gained back 10 kilos after giving birth, directing a movie, and experiencing stress.
- She believes that Ozempic can be effective for people like her, but she is not currently taking it.
- Rebel Wilson received backlash from fans after losing weight.
- Some people felt that she would not be funny anymore after losing weight.
- Her movie "Senior Year" was a success, with 89 million unique Netflix accounts watching it in the first 10 days.
- Rebel believes that some people may have felt bad about themselves because of her weight loss and projected their feelings onto her.
- She questions what people would want her to do instead, such as die of a heart attack or remain unhealthy.
- Rebel emphasizes that comedy involves various elements beyond physical appearance and that she utilizes different aspects of her personality in her performances.
- Rebel Wilson has noticed a change in the roles she is offered since losing weight.
- She is now doing more dramatic roles, such as Lady Capulet in a film.
- Rebel mentions that she started her career doing Shakespeare before gaining weight and is now returning to that type of work.
- She describes the strange experience of going from feeling invisible to receiving positive attention due to her weight loss.
- Rebel acknowledges the positive reinforcement she received from the press and people for losing weight.
- She admits to falling into the trap of liking the positive attention and neglecting her health due to stress from directing.
- Rebel expresses her intention to get back on the health bandwagon despite her current workaholic lifestyle.
- Rebel Wilson is financially successful with multiple houses worldwide.
- She has found happiness in her personal life with her partner, Ramona.
- Despite her success, she still feels driven to earn money.
- She acknowledges that achieving goals, like winning an Oscar, may not bring lasting fulfillment.
- Rebel plans to take a break over the summer and learn to enjoy herself.
- Rebel Wilson expresses concern about not having her priorities in order.
- Having her daughter has made her want to work less and focus more on her family.
- She intends to be more selective in her work choices in the future.
- Rebel Wilson's book contains redacted pages due to legal concerns in the UK.
- The redacted chapter discusses her negative experience working with Sacha Baron Cohen on the movie "Grimsby."
- Wilson describes the experience as humiliating and degrading.
- The publisher removed the chapter to avoid potential defamation lawsuits.
- Rebel Wilson wrote about her experience with Sacha Baron Cohen on the movie "Grimsby" in her book.
- She describes it as the worst professional experience of her career.
- Wilson felt humiliated and degraded during the filming.
- She stayed in the project despite the negative treatment because she didn't want to be seen as unprofessional.
- Wilson believes her self-worth was low at the time and she should have stood up for herself.
- She wrote about the experience to release the emotions she was holding onto and to show why her self-worth was not where it should have been.
- Wilson emphasizes that her intention is not to cancel Sacha Baron Cohen but to highlight the importance of self-worth and standing up for oneself.
- Rebel Wilson reflects on the hardest moment in her life, which was when she was 13 and felt unlovable, unworthy, and isolated.
- She describes living in a challenging environment with snakes and rats crawling on her porch.
- Rebel shares her future plans, including directing a movie and spending quality time with her family.
- She expresses her desire to win an Oscar and let go of her driven and hardworking nature.
- Rebel empathizes with young people who feel invisible, lonely, and isolated.
- She encourages them to take active steps to change their lives and pursue creative arts to find their voice.
- Rebel suggests writing song lyrics, keeping a diary, or engaging in other forms of creative expression as useful tools for self-discovery.
- Rebel Wilson's personal growth journey includes overcoming extreme shyness, losing her virginity at 35, and achieving success later in life.
- Wilson's book addresses critical questions about romance, fertility, self-worth, and finding love, while also delving into her early childhood and the challenges she overcame to achieve success.
- Wilson's natural ability to be funny shines through in both her book and conversations.
- Wilson's latest movie, "The Sea Horse," tackles the serious topic of traumatic brain injury and features her first kiss with a woman, French actress Charlotte Gainsbourg.
- Despite initial nerves, Wilson is excited about the potential positive impact the movie could have on others.