Actress Rene Russo has revealed that she suffers from bipolar disorder.
Russo, 60, shared her story during a taping of “The Queen Latifah Show” on Monday (via People), after host Queen Latifah asked Russo and her “Nightcrawler” co-star Jake Gyllenhaal to discuss something they’ve had to push through to take their lives “one step further.”
“Bipolar medication,” answered Russo, visibly surprising Latifah, the audience and her co-star, who quickly responded: “She’s got me beat.”
“I literally crashed, hit a wall and couldn’t get out of bed,” Russo divulged about what prompted her to get on medication. “I thought it was depression, but if you take antidepressants it speeds you up more.”
“My mom said my whole childhood … [was] stop-and-go,” added the “Thomas Crown Affair” star. “And then I stopped and was like, ‘Whoa.’ That was it for me. I didn’t really expect to say this, but that was really it for me.”
She continued, “I haven’t shared this. I have friends who don’t want to go on medication, and they are suffering.”
“It’s OK, it’s not easy but you will make it through,” Russo said, advising people who are struggling.
Unfortunately with Bipolar, since the name change and many celebrities disclosing. It’s become the next big thing. Are teens going out their way just to try to get the diagnosis. Same can be said for some of the celebrities who are trying to jump on the bandwagon. Not understanding what a crippling illness it is.
I totally agree with you @Dreamscape - too many celebrities think its ‘cool’ to have such a wicked illness - but I do commend her for coming out, she did not have to do this
Many celebrities that work and function in society have the cyclothymic or bipolar type 2 variety - I doubt that there are many celebrities functioning well -diagnosed with the more severe form of the illness - the type 1 variety
I love Rene Russo…she is really beautiful and talented actress. Amazing that she is bipolar. I miss that old commercial that showed famous people wearing t shirts with their diagnosis wrote on it being in full support physically by their families. we need more of that. and barbie I hope it’s time…it’s about freaking time as a matter of fact.
