In a candid revelation, actress Anna Kendrick has opened up about her experience in a seven-year abusive relationship during a recent episode of the popular podcast, Call Her Daddy, hosted by Alex Cooper. The 39-year-old star, known for her roles in films like Twilight and Trolls, discussed the complexities and challenges she faced while navigating this difficult chapter of her life.
Kendrick shared that recognizing the signs of abuse was not straightforward for her. Initially, she struggled to identify her relationship as abusive because it did not conform to the traditional patterns often described in literature and media. “I was, like, reading all the articles and going, ‘This doesn’t look… like, some of it looks like how they’re describing it, but not completely,'” she recalled, emphasizing the confusion that came with her situation.
The actress revealed that the relationship lasted for seven years and described a dramatic shift that occurred during that time. “It was like an overnight switch… that went on for about a year. So it didn’t follow that more traditional, like, it’s like a frog in boiling water thing where it started slow,” Kendrick explained. This sudden change, she noted, was particularly challenging as it coincided with her preparation for her 2022 film, Alice, Darling, which explores themes of emotional abuse.
Reflecting on her feelings during the relationship, Kendrick expressed how deeply she loved and trusted her partner, which led her to believe the issues were her fault. “It came out of absolutely nowhere, but was built on this foundation of I had so much love and trust for that person, so I thought it had to be me,” she said. This mindset made it difficult for her to confront the reality of her situation. “Like, if one of us is crazy, it must be me. So it was very, very difficult to actually go, ‘No, I think this is him. I think this is his stuff,'” she added.
In her quest to salvage the relationship, Kendrick admitted that she turned her life upside down, trying to fix what she perceived as her own shortcomings. She recounted how their couples therapist seemed to align with her partner’s perspective for an extended period, which further complicated her understanding of the abuse she was experiencing. “I’ve had several sessions with him in the last several years where he’s apologized to me because I think he realized what was going on, like, right toward the end,” Kendrick shared.
A pivotal moment in her journey came during a therapy session when Kendrick finally expressed her emotions more openly. “Something shifted” after she “yelled” during a session, prompting her to reach out to her therapist later to apologize for her outburst. To her surprise, he called her instead, expressing pride in her for finally speaking out about her feelings. “Things ended pretty quickly after that,” Kendrick admitted, highlighting the significance of that moment in her healing process.
As she recounted a particularly distressing incident, Kendrick described how her ex-partner reacted to her emotional state. “He told me one day I was terrorizing him because I was just crying because I couldn’t pretend that things were fine anymore, and I just started crying. And he screamed in my face, ‘You’re terrorizing me,'” she recalled. This incident encapsulated the emotional turmoil she faced and the manipulation that characterized her relationship.
Kendrick’s willingness to share her story sheds light on the complexities of abusive relationships, particularly those that may not fit the conventional narrative. Her experience serves as a reminder of the importance of recognizing emotional abuse and the impact it can have on individuals, regardless of their public persona. Through her openness, Kendrick hopes to encourage others to seek help and recognize their worth, even in the face of adversity.
