Calista Flockhart recently opened up about the profound impact her sudden rise to fame as the star of “Ally McBeal” had on her mental health. The actress, who became a household name in the late 1990s, revealed that the intense paparazzi attention made her increasingly reluctant to leave her home.
Flockhart was catapulted into the limelight as the lead character in the popular comedy-drama series, which aired from 1997 to 2002. The show, which followed a Boston-based lawyer navigating her professional and personal life, was a critical success, winning two Golden Globes and an Emmy.
In a candid conversation on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Flockhart, now 59, reflected on the dual nature of her experience. While she appreciated the show’s success and the discussions it sparked, the accompanying public scrutiny was overwhelming. “I realized this was really cool, that people were watching it and talking about it, and then people started debating it. I mean, it was amazing,” she said. “That’s the goal, right?”
However, the show’s popularity also meant that Flockhart’s personal life was under constant surveillance. “At the risk of sounding like I’m whining, the paparazzi truly did follow me everywhere I went,” she admitted. “Truthfully, I don’t think I’ve ever really adjusted to the paparazzi.”
The relentless attention took a toll on her mental well-being. After adopting her son, Liam, in 2001, and beginning a relationship with Hollywood actor Harrison Ford in 2002, which led to their marriage in 2010, Flockhart found herself increasingly retreating from public life. “I decided the only thing that I could do was stay inside, so I stopped leaving my apartment,” she shared. “I stopped leaving my house. I stopped going out, and I was isolated. I think that… I don’t want to go so far as saying that I was depressed, but it was hard. It was challenging.”
Before her breakthrough role in “Ally McBeal,” Flockhart was performing in a play in New York. She pondered how different her career might have been if she hadn’t landed the role. “I probably would’ve stayed in New York doing a lot of theatre, and hopefully I would’ve started a family, and hopefully I would’ve eventually found a TV show or found a movie or something,” she mused. “I mean, I think I would’ve kept acting.”
Flockhart’s reflections highlight the often unseen pressures that come with sudden fame. While “Ally McBeal” brought her professional acclaim, it also brought an invasive level of public interest that she struggled to cope with. Her story is a poignant reminder of the personal costs that can accompany public success.
