As Lucy Chen in The Rookie, Melissa O’Neil has found a legion of fans. But in a heartbreaking new interview, the actress has admitted that societal and industry pressure to look a certain way has left her with insecurities that she continues to face today.
“In this industry there is so much concern with our bodies that you are not immune to [understanding that] there are certain things that are ‘desirable’ and certain things that are not,” Melissa, 36, shared, admitting that she has noticed she has been treated differently when her body fits different standards.
“I have gone through so much fluctuation in eight years [on The Rookie]. It’s a journey. People treat you differently when you look different ways,” she said.
Speaking to Tommy DiDario on his podcast I’ve Never Said this Before, the actress revealed that the conversation was “making me tear up a bit,” as she realized she wanted “to be someone who says, ‘I love my body’.”
“It’s been through a lot with me and it’s carried me and it’s so strong,” she shared. “It’s so funny to me how many women and men have this crazy experience to live in western society that has so much focus on this part but they don’t regard it as your sacred animal but more so a commodity to profit from.”
© Getty ImagesMelissa, who has appeared in the ABC drama The Rookie since season one, is from Canada and has been in the public eye since she won Canadian Idol in 2005 at the age of 17.
Since then she has appeared in Rogue, Dark Matter and iZombie.
© WireImage“It’s so strange being an actress,” Melissa went on to say.
“You’re a commodity. As I was getting ready for the Upfronts I spent a whole week becoming a really pretty pony for it – it’s this whole thing – and as somebody who is more interested in spending time with a different aspectof my being here, it is strange to have your body be a representative of you.”
© Disney via Getty ImagesMelissa – who is currently on hiatus from The Rookie – is incredibly close to her Rookie family, and is expected to reunite with them for season eight. Greenlit by ABC this month, the police procedural has been riding high with its seventh instalment, which has already scored a new “all-time high” for episode views on streaming.
Nathan Fillion, who stars as the show’s titular rookie, John Nolan, shared a video montage of the cast on April 4 that thanked his castmate and the viewers for their love.
The caption read: “I’ve been around long enough to know how truly challenging and rare it is to have a long-running show.
“Thank you all for sticking around for these 7 seasons- it’s because of you that we are announcing season 8!! Congratulations to @alexihawley and the wonderful team that put this show together. I am so very proud to work alongside all of you. Let’s do this! #therookie.”
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