Jonah Hill announced that he will be taking a break from film promotion for his upcoming films due to mental health issues.
In an open letter PubliziertDeadline reports that the filmmaker admitted to realizing he had needed to stop making public appearances while directing. “Stutz,”A documentary about mental health and his personal journey to mental health.
“Through this journey of self-discovery within the film, I have come to the understanding that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, which are exacerbated by media appearances and public facing events,”He wrote.
The actor “Mid90s”Director expressed his appreciation that his second feature would be premiered “at a prestigious film festival this fall,”I hoped it would resonate with audiences. He reaffirmed his promise to not participate in any media surrounding the release and called it “an important step to protect myself.”
“If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film,”He added.
Hill AnnouncementIn Nov. 2020, he announced that he was working with Netflix and producer Joaquin Phoenix to produce a documentary about Dr. Phil Stutz, his therapist. “The idea is to make a film that frames therapy and Phil’s tools for dealing with life in a way that isn’t corny or cheesy,”He wrote the following on Instagram at that time. “If you can’t afford therapy or there is stigma in your family and life, the idea is that you can privately use these tools based on the feelings you are having (depression, anxiety, regret etc), and use them in the privacy of your own home on Netflix.”
Ahead of last year’s “Don’t Look Up,”The 38-year-old GQPhoenix had introduced Phoenix to his therapist just a few months prior. “Mid90s.”
“He invented a set of visualization techniques that greatly changed my life,”Hill spoke highly of Dr. Stutz “Netflix let me make a doc on therapy and Phil’s teachings, and then it became about Phil’s life, and then it became about how insane it is that I am making a movie about my therapist, and now it’s become…I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s become very collapsed on itself.”
Hill has spoken out publicly about his struggles in the last few years with mental health and social networking, calling Instagram “Instagram”. “the biggest killer”And “the cigarettes of this time”The same GQ profile. After photos of him surfing were published by the Daily Mail in 2021, he asked Instagram users not to leave comments about his body. He also discussed how he feels about the way he looks. “public mockery”His body insecurity was exacerbated by his media exposure. His Instagram account was deactivated.
Read Hill’s full letter below:
My second film, a documentary about myself and my therapist that explores mental health in general, has been completed. “Stutz.” The whole purpose of making this film is to give therapy and the tools I’ve learned in therapy to a wide audience for private use through an entertaining film.
Through this film, I came to realize that I’ve suffered anxiety attacks for almost 20 years. This is exacerbated by public speaking events and media appearances.
I am so grateful that the film will make its world premiere at a prestigious film festival this fall, and I can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world in the hope that it will help those struggling. However, you won’t see me out there promoting this film, or any of my upcoming films, while I take this important step to protect myself. If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film.
I often cringe at statements or letters like these, but I realize that I am among the few who have the ability to afford time off. I won’t lose my job while working on my anxiety. This letter and the accompanying documents can be found here. “Stutz,” I’m hoping to make it more normal for people to talk and act on this stuff. They can feel better and others in their lives will be able to understand what they are going through.
I hope the work will speak for itself and I’m grateful to my collaborators, my business partners and to all reading this for your understanding and support.
-Jonah Hill