'You' lead Penn Badgley opens up about childhood struggles with body dysmorphia

Penn Badgley, the acclaimed actor best known for his roles in 'You' and 'Gossip Girl', candidly opened up about his long-standing battle with body dysmorphia.

In a recent interview, the 38-year-old star revealed that his struggles began in childhood, describing a deep sense of inadequacy and a persistent desire for a different body, as per People magazine. 

He linked his experiences with body dysmorphia to a mix of personal and professional pressures—including his parents' divorce, social isolation, and the relentless standards of physical perfection within the entertainment industry.

Badgley shared that his time playing Dan Humphrey on the hit series Gossip Girl intensified these issues. 

At one point, the emotional toll nearly led him to step away from acting altogether. However, Badgley credits his spiritual practices—daily prayer, meditation, and nurturing relationships with loved ones—for helping him heal and regain perspective.

"That is what allowed me to persevere through the disillusionment, all the things I'd been grappling with, and then come back to it all, but with hopefully some kind of inner transformation," he said during the interview, as quoted by People magazine.