Broadway's Frozen Star Patti Murin Reveals She Skipped a Show Due to a 'Massive Anxiety Attack'

Alexia Fernandez
Updated

Broadway’s Frozen star Patti Murin is opening up about her mental health in a heartfelt post about why she skipped a show on Tuesday night.

“So last night I called out of the show because I had a massive anxiety attack in the afternoon,” Murin, 37, wrote on Instagram Wednesday, alongside a photo of her in character as Princess Anna.

“It had been building up for a while, and while the past month has been incredible, all of the ups and downs and stress and excitement really takes a toll on my mental health,” she revealed. “I’ve learned that these situations aren’t something to “deal with” or “push through.” Anxiety and depression are real diseases that affect so many of us.”

So last night I called out of the show because I had a massive anxiety attack in the afternoon. It had been building up for a while, and while the past month has been incredible, all of the ups and downs and stress and excitement really takes a toll on my mental health. I’ve learned that these situations aren’t something to “deal with” or “push through.” Anxiety and depression are real diseases that affect so many of us. It requires a lot of rest and self care to heal every time it becomes more than I can handle in my daily life. While I hate missing the show for any reason at all, Disney has been nothing but supportive of me as I navigate my life and work, and I’m so grateful to them. Just remember that you’re not alone, your feelings are real, and this is not your fault. Even Disney princesses are terrified sometimes.

A post shared by Pattimurin (@pattimurin) on Apr 18, 2018 at 7:32am PDT

Murin continued, “It requires a lot of rest and self care to heal every time it becomes more than I can handle in my daily life. While I hate missing the show for any reason at all, Disney has been nothing but supportive of me as I navigate my life and work, and I’m so grateful to them.”

She concluded, “Just remember that you’re not alone, your feelings are real, and this is not your fault. Even Disney princesses are terrified sometimes.”

Patti Murin
Patti Murin

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Murin has struggled with her anxiety in the past. In March, the actress told PEOPLE her costar Caissie Levy, who plays Elsa, has taken “care of me so many times.”

Caissie Levy (as Elsa) and Patti Murin (as Anna), along with the company of <em>Frozen</em> on Broadway.
Caissie Levy (as Elsa) and Patti Murin (as Anna), along with the company of Frozen on Broadway.

“There was this night in Denver when I had this severe panic attack,” Murin said. “She took me into her apartment, she had her son next door with the nanny, she made me soup, she let me sleep in her bed, she ran me a bath, and she got me through.”

“She just — her incredible maternal instinct just took over,” she continued. “She took care of me. She got me through that. That’s one of the things I’m the most grateful for her. There’s no question asked — she will be there for me. Which is good because she lives across the street from me. She means the world to me. And has so quickly become one of my closest friends.”

  • with reporting by DAVE QUINN