The Chronicles of Narnia 's Georgie Henley Recalls Battling Flesh-Eating Disease
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For almost a decade, Georgie Henley, the former child star who played Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia movies, has kept a secret about her health. Now, the 27-year-old is ready to tell her story. sharing her experience with a flesh-eating bacterial disease that nearly cost the actress her arm.
"When I was eighteen years old and in my sixth week of university, I contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and punishing infection that nearly claimed my life and wrought havoc throughout my body," Henley wrote in the Oct. 25 post, alongside a photo of her with scars running down her left forearm. "In order to prevent the amputation of my left hand and arm I received grueling invasive surgery, and later extensive reconstructive surgery which resulted in a series of skin grafts and scars."
She continued, "It has taken me a long time to heal both physically and mentally but I hoped that one day there would be the right time to talk about what happened. Today is a start."
Amid her health battle, Henley continued attending red carpet events and acting, filming a Game of Thrones prequel pilot—that ultimately never aired—and playing Meg Tutor on Starz' The Spanish Princess. While the actress previously went to great lengths to hide her scarring, she's now ready to show them off.
"For the last nine years I have been open about my scars in my personal life, but have hidden them entirely in any professional context: wearing bandages or coverings, makeup on set and stage, long sleeves whenever I might be photographed, trousers so I could put my hand in a pocket," she wrote on Instagram. "The industry I am part of often focuses on a very narrow idea of what is deemed aesthetic ‘perfection', and I worried that my scars would prevent me from getting work."
Now, Henley looks at her scars a different way. "My scars are not something to be ashamed of," she wrote. "They are a map of the pain my body has endured, and most importantly a reminder of my survival. They do not affect my capacity as an actor, and I'm proud to be a person who has visible scars in this industry."
Noting she'll continue to open up about her health journey, she concluded her message, "I'm sure I will talk more about my experiences in the future but today I am simply happy to feel, for the first time in a very long time, finally free."
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