Actress Kate Beckinsale has taken to social media to address and condemn online trolls who have made critical comments about her appearance, including accusations of being "anorexic or on meth." Beckinsale, 53, shared her perspective in a series of posts on Monday, which have since been deleted, before her social media accounts were scrubbed of content.
Beckinsale stated that she frequently receives comments criticizing her looks and weight loss. She attributed her slimmer physique to a combination of personal grief and ongoing health conditions. The actress explained that she has experienced the recent loss of her mother and stepfather, describing it as a significant period of grief.
In addition to her grief, Beckinsale disclosed that she has been diagnosed with autoimmune conditions, specifically mast cell activation syndrome and mast cell disease, as well as mastocytosis. She noted that these conditions were diagnosed 16 years ago and primarily affect her digestive system. Beckinsale shared that her doctors have informed her that certain foods could be detrimental to her health.
Responding to a fan's plea for her to "eat please," Beckinsale replied that a post she had made discussed how eating could potentially be harmful to her. She urged social media users to consider that they do not know the full circumstances of people's lives and that unsolicited opinions about others' bodies are unnecessary.
Beckinsale concluded her message by advocating for empathy and kindness online, encouraging users to treat others as they would wish to be treated and to refrain from making negative comments if they have nothing constructive to say. She emphasized the importance of not being the "last straw" for someone who is struggling.
This is not the first time Beckinsale has addressed such comments. In previous instances, she has described the criticism as "passive aggressive" and unnecessary. Last December, she spoke about her weight loss being a "physical manifestation of grief" and a response to "shock and trauma."