The woman playing Princess Anna on Broadway reminds us that even Disney Princesses deal with mental health issues
We can only imagine that when one has achieved being cast as a Disney Princess on Broadway, life is complete. There’s nothing else one needs to worry about once “Princess status” is reached, right? Wrong. It turns out Disney Princesses are real people, too. Patti Murin, who plays Frozen’s Princess Anna on Broadway, recently opened up to fans about her struggle with mental health.
Murin called in sick before Frozen’s April 17th show and took to social media to pull back the curtain, so to speak, to reveal what’s really going on in her life.
"So last night I called out of the show because I had a massive anxiety attack in the afternoon," Murin wrote in an April 18th Instagram caption. "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."
In her post, Murin drove home the message that taking care of yourself and your mental health should always be top priority — even if you’re expected to play a Disney Princess on Broadway. She continued,
"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."
Murin explained that rest and self-care are vital to healing and keeping anxiety and depression at bay.
But as those of us who struggle with mental health know, life sometimes continues to throw unavoidable curveballs and tasks at us, which can build up and cause a breakdown. It’s always okay to admit defeat and to tell others you need a break.
"While I hate missing the show for any reason at all," Murin continued, "Disney has been nothing but supportive of me as I navigate my life and work, and I’m so grateful to them."
If you are someone who is dealing with a mental health issue, it’s incredibly important to know you’re not alone. You can always ask for help or reassurance. Murin reminded her followers of that.
"Just remember that you’re not alone, your feelings are real, and this is not your fault," she wrote. "Even Disney princesses are terrified sometimes."
Honestly, that’s a comforting reminder that we never really knew we needed.
