The End of the F***ing World’s Jessica Barden shares battle with on-set sexism and panic attacks ahead of finale
JESSICA Barden, the lead actress in The End of The F***ing World, has bravely opened up about her struggle with anxiety and sexism in the industry.
The Yorkshire born star, 27, who plays Alyssa in the Channel 4 comedy drama which
airs its last-ever episode tonight, revealed how she had a panic attack when she was due to talk on stage at an event.
“I have stage fright really badly,” she told The Independent, adding how she backed out of a Q&A at the premiere of her upcoming movie Jungleland because of her nerves.
"I just couldn't do it," Jessica, who now lives in LA after her career took off in the States, revealed. "I have a fear of people… Some days you just don’t really want the attention of everybody looking at you. And it makes you feel insecure.
“It’s like a panic attack. And I do a job that is unfortunately not the best situation for that. But it doesn’t mean that I have to stop doing it."
Jess then went on to explain how she copes by being open about the issue.
"The way I deal with it is talking about it. I talk about it on my instagram," she said.
Another battle she has fought, especially since moving out to Hollywood, is dealing with sexism on set.
“I worked with a male actor who told me that I was just the girl in the movie,” she recalled of an experience in the States.
“He said that I wasn’t allowed to be part of the conversation with the director. I told him that he was a misogynist and then we had to pause filming for about three hours while there was a great discussion that I would not back down on.”
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But Jess added that she is used to being underestimated in life.
"I’m just some woman from Yorkshire. I am constantly underestimated," she revealed.
"I’m 27 and I look like I’m 20. I’m 5ft 1 and I’m not educated. I’ve only received compulsory education. And I’m a working-class female. I’m underestimated all the time.”
The End of the F**king World airs on Channel 4 on Mondays at 10pm in the UK. In the US, episodes arrive on Neflix on Tuesdays.