Beautiful inside and out. This Is Us breakout star Chrissy Metz opened up about being a plus-size actress in Hollywood in a new interview with the Today show.
“I don’t find my value in my body or my weight. It’s really more about who I am and what I can offer as a human being to the people in my life and the people in the world,” Metz, 37, said. “I know that sounds corny. And I know you’ve heard it before. But it’s really true: We’re so much more than our bodies.”
On This Is Us, Metz plays Kate, whose storyline partially focuses on her weight struggle. (Watch her in a clip from the hit drama in the video above.) She attends weight-loss therapy classes with her boyfriend, Toby (Chris Sullivan), and flashbacks often show her parents, Rebecca and Jack (Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia), trying to shield her from criticism.
“It’s impossible to accept love from anyone else if you don’t love yourself,” Metz told Today. “It’s a big issue particularly for us plus-size ladies and for anyone dealing with weight, because we’re not taught to love ourselves or be our own cheerleaders.”
The Florida native embraces her fuller figure, though. For her, choosing outfits that are cute and comfortable can make all the difference when she attends red-carpet events.
“It can be very hard to find clothing for different body shapes. After all, there are only, what, five companies for plus-size women? Just because we’re a bit curvier doesn’t mean we don’t want to look great,” she said. “Until you love yourself, until you really believe that, you’re stopped in your tracks. That’s why it’s so important to wear what you want to wear and be who you want to be.”
This Is Us airs Tuesdays on NBC at 9 p.m. ET.
