Divergent star Shailene Woodley opens up about being "very, very sick" during the series

Photo credit: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff - Getty Images
Photo credit: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff - Getty Images

From Digital Spy

Shailene Woodley has spoken about her illness during the Divergent series.

The actress played Tris Prior in the unfinished series, with the first film being released in 2014.

Speaking to the New York Times, Shailene described her twenties as feeling "a little bit like being in a washing machine, where you're being thrown all over the place".

Photo credit: Lionsgate
Photo credit: Lionsgate

She added: "I haven't spoken much about this yet publicly, and I will one day, but I was very, very sick in my early 20s.

"While I was doing the Divergent movies and working hard, I also was struggling with a deeply personal, very scary physical situation.

"Because of that, I said no to a lot of opportunities because I needed to get better, and those jobs ended up going to peers of mine who I love.

"They went on to a lot of success, but there was a mix of people saying, 'You shouldn't have let that go!' or 'You shouldn't have been sick!'"

Photo credit: Summit Entertainment
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

Shailene continued: "That was combined with my own internal process of, 'Am I going to survive what I'm going through right now and ever be healthy, or even have the opportunity to work on projects I'm passionate about again because of the situation I'm in?'

"I was in a place where I had no choice but to just surrender and let go of my career, and it brought out this negative voice in my mind that kept spinning for years and years afterward."

Photo credit: David Poller Photography - Getty Images
Photo credit: David Poller Photography - Getty Images

Shailene starred in three Divergent films, with the last book Allegiant originally set to be split into two movies.

But with the adaptations enduring falling ratings and box office profits, the final novel never made it to the screen.

It was rumoured the story would be continued as a TV show, but Shailene said she wouldn't be keen to star in the series and it was put on hold.


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