“Bridgerton” star Ruby Barker has hit out at Shondaland and Netflix for not showing support during two psychotic breaks she suffered while filming.
Barker played Marina, one of the Featherington cousins with a scandalous pregnancy.
She had a primary role in Season 1 and appeared in guest roles in Season 2.
According to Variety, Barker had her first psychotic break in 2019 as they finished Season 1’s production.
However, she had her second psychotic break in 2022 and claims no one from Netflix offered support.
“Not a single person from Netflix, not a single person from Shondaland, since I have had two psychotic breaks from that show, have even contacted me or even emailed me to ask me if I’m okay or if I would benefit from any sort of aftercare or support… Nobody.”
Barker claimed that her mental health deteriorated partly due to her character’s isolated role.
“During filming, I was deteriorating. It was a really tormenting place for me to be because my character was very alienated, very ostracized, on her own under these horrible circumstances.”
Ruby Barker Accused Netflix Of Covering Things Up When Bridgerton Came Out
“When I went into hospital a week after shooting ‘Bridgerton’ Season 1, it was really covered up and kept on the down-low because the show was going to be coming out… In the run-up to the show coming out, I was just coming out from hospital, my Instagram following was going up, I had all these engagements to do… My life was changing drastically overnight and yet there was still no support and there still hasn’t been any support all that time. So I was trying really, really hard to act like it was ok and that I could work and that it wasn’t a problem.”
Barker also referred to her psychotic breaks in a 2022 Instagram post.
“I am in hospital at the minute and I am going to be discharged soon and hopefully get to continue with my life. I was raged-filled, angry, all this intergenerational trauma bundled up inside me. I was carrying the weight of the world on my back and now I am at the point where I have a diagnosis.”
