Anna Chlumsky Reveals Why She Took A Long Hiatus From Acting: ‘I Wasn’t Getting Much Reward’

etcanada.com:

Anna Chlumsky is opening up about why it took her so long to return to acting. The actress’ career began early at the age of 11 when she co-starred in “My Girl” with McCauley Caulkin – but it may have been that early exposure to fame that kept her from fully stepping into the world of big pictures. “We know so much more about what it is to be a child who is put into performing,” she told People in an interview. “As a kid, you’re just along for the ride, but it can be extremely damaging. [In college] I had this out-of-body moment where I realized, ‘I don’t have to do this anymore.'” READ MORE: Anna Chlumsky Candidly Shares Her Feelings On Talking About ‘My Girl’ The decision was also brought on by a dry spell in her career, despite her earlier success. “Throughout my adolescence, I was not getting booked, I was told I was too fat or too ugly,” she recalled. “You live on a risk-reward system and I wasn’t getting much reward.

And I knew I always wanted to go to school and get my education so I did that. And I’m glad that I did.” Chlumsky then took a 10-year-long break from acting to focus on her schooling.

She attended the University of Chicago where she met her future husband Shaun So and worked for a period as an editorial assistant at book publisher Harper Collins.

Eventually, however, she found herself being drawn to the world of show business again. READ MORE: Julia Garner Stars As Notorious Con Artist In New Trailer For ‘Inventing Anna’ “I was seeing a lot of Broadway, and I was inspired again,” shared Chlumsky. “And it was alluring to apply my creativity towards something and tell a story — but of my own decision making.” The decision saw her attending the Atlantic Acting School.