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22 Feb 2026 15:21
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Reese Witherspoon had panic attacks "for weeks" before filming 'Wild'

    The 45-year-old actress admitted making the 2014 movie - which is based on Cheryl Strayed's memoir about getting her life back together by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail - was the biggest career challenge she's ever faced and she turned to hypnosis to calm her fears before she started work on the project


    Speaking to Tracee Ellis Ross for Interview magazine, she admitted: "I was so scared to do that... I had hypnosis, I was so scared. I was having panic attacks for three weeks before I started.

    “There was the nudity, sexuality, and drug-use aspect, but also being alone on camera with no other actors. I hadn’t ever been alone in scenes for days and days. There were probably 25 days of the shoot where I had no other actor opposite me. It was just me and a camera and a backpack. I was like, ‘Is this going to be so boring?’”

    And the 'Big Little Lies' star admitted making the film changed her forever after pushing her to her limits.

    She said: "I don’t know if I’ll ever work that hard again, but it changed me on a cellular level.”

    But Reese - who has Ava, 21, and Deacon, 17, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, as well as Tennessee, eight, with spouse Jim Toth - thought Cheryl's book was "beautiful and sacred" because it had taught her a lot.

    She said: “[It] was so beautiful and sacred to me because it spoke to me so deeply about how we as women have to save ourselves. There’s no mother or father coming to save us. There’s no spouse.

    "I thought it was radical that at the end of the film, she ends up with no family, no money, no job, no partner, and she’s happy.”

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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     Today's News

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    Jennifer Garner's children think she is "fully cringe" 15:17

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    The Nancy Guthrie reward money has been doubled as the search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mom continues 14:47

    General:
    Alisa Camplin-Warner calls for more funding after historic 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 14:17

    Entertainment:
    Romeo Beckham has added fuel to his brother Brooklyn's family feud, by "liking" an Instagram video claiming Nicola Peltz is "the problem" 14:17

    Soccer:
    Wellington Phoenix football coach Giancarlo Italiano is stepping down with his head held high 14:07

    Entertainment:
    Brandi Glanville has finally discovered the cause of the facial disfiguration which aged her "20 years overnight" 13:47

    Cricket:
    The Black Caps are trying not to be upset at their T20 World Cup match against Pakistan being abandoned due to rain in Colombo 13:37

    Law and Order:
    Christchurch City Council says no previous complaints had been made about two dogs involved in an attack yesterday, that left three people injured 13:27


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