Netflix Star Hospitalized For Mental Health After Filming Hit Series
One of the stars of a critically acclaimed Netflix drama has some words regarding hospitalization and mental health.
This article is more than 2 years old
Bridgerton star Ruby Barker is taking some time away from public life. In a post on Instagram the actress, who plays Lady Maria Crane (née Thompson) on the popular Netflix series, told her followers that she had checked into a hospital after being “really unwell for a really long time.” Touching on her mental health problems, the British actress urged viewers to be gentle with themselves if they’re also struggling.
“Stop being so hard on yourself,” Ruby Barker said in the video. “Sometimes you’ve just got to take a break and you’ve got to say, ‘I just can’t do this right now. I need support.’” While the 25-year-old said that she doesn’t want her diagnosis to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, she declined to name her specific condition. But she promised to have a longer conversation about her mental health in the future. She also thanked her friends, mentors, Netflix, and Bridgerton executive producer Shonda Rhimes for their ongoing support.
Check out the video from Ruby Barker below:
About five days after her heartfelt post, Ruby Barker shared another video with her Instagram followers confirming that she’s been discharged from the hospital. Once again, she thanked all her fans for their love and support. Saying she felt less alone, she also thanked her doctor and hospital staff for the great care they gave her. But the Bridgerton star is still taking it easy, spending her days outdoors and having conversations with family. In closing, the actress said people who are struggling with mental health issues shouldn’t be afraid to get the help they need.
In the Julia Quinn book To Sir Phillip with Love, on which Ruby Barker’s character is based, Marina Crane struggles with severe depression. While the Netflix series hasn’t reached that part of the story yet, it would be interesting to see how the topic would be broached on screen. However, Bridgerton could go in a different direction as it has with several other book-based storylines.
Created for television by Chris Van Dusen, Bridgerton (starring Ruby Barker) is based on Quinn’s novels set in the competitive world of Regency-era London’s ton during the season when debutantes are presented at court. The eight-episode first season debuted on Netflix in December 2020 and was met with positive reviews, becoming the most-watched series on the streaming site at the time. The second season premiered in March this year.
Based on The Viscount Who Loved Me, the story follows the eldest Bridgerton sibling, Lord Anthony, as he sets out to find a suitable wife. Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, his search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems like a lost cause until Kate and her younger sister Edwina Sharma arrive from India. When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions – that true love is not high on his priority list. While Ruby Barker’s character featured prominently in the first season, she only appeared in a supporting role in season two.
All eight installments of season two are currently streaming on Netflix. Bridgerton has also been renewed for a third and fourth season. Moreover, series showrunners recently told Entertainment Weekly that Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington will be the focus of the next season, with filming set to begin later this year. It is unclear if Ruby Barker will be involved.
