Bryce Dallas Howard Chose to Stay Away From Darker Movies After Her Pregnancy
Actor Bryce Dallas Howard has starred in a wide range of movies, from The Village to the Twilight series. But after one of her pregnancies, the actor decided it might’ve been better for her to avoid material with too much misery.
Bryce Dallas Howard once opened up about her challenges with postpartum depression
Pregnancy could often be a challenging time for new mothers for a variety of reasons. For Dallas Howard, she had difficulty dealing with a sudden lack of emotion she experienced after giving birth to her firstborn. She noticed it was a strange and odd reaction she had at the time. Especially considering how excited she was to learn that she was pregnant in the first place.
“We had enthusiastically planned for a natural home birth. And, to be honest, I am glad we did. Natural labor was painful, but because I was home, my husband and parents were by my side every step of the way, and even when complications arose causing me to have to go to the hospital, my son was born with no medical interference,” Dallas Howard once wrote through Goop.
The Mandalorian director opened up about privately breaking down numerous times in the days and weeks following her pregnancy. She was soon diagnosed with postpartum depression.
But with the help and support of friends and family, Dallas Howard was able to regain her mental health. Working was also an exercise that gradually helped the actor improve.
“As it happened, the independent film I shot chronicled a woman falling deeper and deeper into her own insane delusions. The experience was serendipitous, just the material I needed to work on to help me to reconnect to my true feelings,” she said.
Bryce Dallas Howard chose to stay away from darker movies after her pregnancy
Dallas Howard has a variety of films under her belt. But although she hasn’t pinned herself down to one genre, there’s only so much darkness the actor can handle.
According to Independent, her experience with postpartum depression is partially responsible for the kinds of films she chooses. Although not completely against doing darker material, the Jurassic World actor asserted there needs to be light at the end of the tunnel.
“For me, there always needs to be something positive at the end. I love all genres but the only ones that turn me off are those really dark films about miserable people living miserable lives in a miserable town in the USA. I would just feel sad during the whole movie. But if I think there’s something redeeming or inspiring, or something that resonates on a deeper level – then I’ll do it, no matter what the genre is,” she said.
Bryce Dallas Howard learned to embrace negative thoughts
Fairly recently, Dallas Howard reflected on her battle with depression again. Although she acknowledged how challenging the period was for her, the movie star also viewed it as a learning experience.
“My entire life, I had been so hyper-focused on blocking negative thoughts that I failed to embrace or appreciate that these feelings and emotions and crises were not only not to be avoided, but that they were integral to the human experience,” she posted on Instagram (via Ace Showbiz).
