Horrifying verbal abuse, an inability to eat or drink, and a role that nearly broke her. Bailee Madison may be celebrated for her heartfelt performances and charming presence on-screen — but she's also faced a number of tragedies when the cameras are off.
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00:00Horrifying verbal abuse, an inability to eat or drink, and a role that nearly broke her.
00:06Bailey Madison may be celebrated for her heartfelt performances and charming presence on screen,
00:12but she's also faced a number of tragedies when the cameras are off.
00:16Bailey Madison began appearing in TV commercials when she was two weeks old, and by the time
00:21she was six, she landed her first major role in Bridge to Terabithia.
00:26And then from that point on, it just started."
00:28However, Madison struggled with the demands of being a child actor, eventually leaving
00:34her burnt out.
00:36She told the New Zealand Herald,
00:37"'There definitely was a moment, when I had, where I was like, does this bring me joy?
00:42Am I happy?'
00:44In an interview with WonderMind, Madison recounted going through a difficult situation at age
00:4811 that left her questioning everything, including her faith.
00:52She said,
00:53"'It made me want to quit the industry at the time, the thing that I loved the most.
00:58It made me, I was really, really, really low, and I had just come off of, from six to 11,
01:03the most blessed little life of experiences.'"
01:07Over the years, Madison has been open about her mental health struggles.
01:10In her May 2024 interview with WonderMind, she opened up about her role in Pretty Little
01:15Liars Original Sin and the toll it took on her mental health.
01:19In the show, Madison's character goes through a series of traumatic experiences, including
01:24a sexual assault.
01:25"'She's a 15-year-old girl who has had so much trauma and so much tragedy.'"
01:32Unsurprisingly, these horrible events leave her character struggling with a number of
01:36mental health issues, eventually forcing her to seek help in therapy.
01:41For Madison, taking up the role meant fully immersing herself in her character's pains
01:45and joys.
01:46A move that left a lasting impact on her own mental health.
01:49She told the outlet,
01:50"'I find myself to be a slightly emotional person who can hold onto other people's energies
01:55and emotions.
01:56So for 19 hours a day, for nine months at a time, if you're playing someone who even
02:01within the joy still has those cuts inside, it's something that I'm cautious or thoughtful
02:06of.'"
02:07During the conversation, Madison also opened up about filming during the COVID-19 pandemic
02:12and how it contributed to her struggles.
02:14She admitted,
02:15"'I remember having this moment of, I'm doing a show that has always been a dream of mine,
02:20and I'm the happiest I've ever been.
02:21I'm also the lowest I've ever been.'"
02:23"'Yeah, it's heavy stuff.'"
02:26Madison has an interesting dating history with links to several public figures, including
02:30social media influencer Alex Lange.
02:33But while Madison's 2019 split from Lange was seemingly amicable, her first relationship
02:38ended on a sour note.
02:40She talked about an unpleasant experience with her first boyfriend, actor Emery Kelly,
02:45in a 2015 Tumblr post, writing,
02:47"...I was just labeled as a prude by someone a few weeks ago.
02:50Now at the time I didn't know what it meant, so I just laughed it off, and nodded my head
02:55awkwardly as I do.
02:56I then got home and looked up the definition of it and was so taken back."
03:01Though painful, this experience helped Madison decide what was acceptable in a relationship
03:05and what wasn't.
03:06She told Clover Letter in an interview,
03:08"...The biggest thing that I've learned is to respect yourself enough to walk away from
03:12a relationship, a friendship, or any situation that isn't making you better and happier and
03:17challenging you to be a great person."
03:19Being on camera since before you can remember can mess with your mind.
03:24In her interview with Sean, Bayley Madison opened up about the struggles of growing up
03:28in the limelight and the ensuing pressure of having to look perfect all the time.
03:32"...I think I was so young that I didn't understand really much of it."
03:37But while she is mostly able to shake it off, the actor admitted that self-doubt sometimes
03:42Reflecting on a recent makeup-free photo shoot, Madison described feeling unsure about
03:47herself and how the pictures would turn out.
03:49She told the outlet,
03:50"...The creative team wanted my skin to be fresh and I was feeling very self-conscious
03:55and not photogenic at all.
03:56I left the shoot feeling insecure and feared that when people saw those pictures, they
04:01would think that I wasn't pretty enough to be in a magazine spread."
04:04Not only did the pictures turn out well, but Madison also described it as one of her favorite
04:08photo shoots ever.
04:10Madison also took to Instagram to share a photo from the shoot, encouraging fans to
04:14challenge existing societal beauty standards, instead embracing and practicing self-acceptance.
04:20She wrote in the post,
04:21"...We must be gentler and kinder to ourselves.
04:24To stop comparing ourselves or what we look like, how we talk, what we're accomplishing
04:28to others."
04:30In March 2017, Madison took to Instagram announcing that she was due to get tonsil surgery in
04:35a few hours.
04:37A few weeks later, she shared an update on her recovery status, revealing that it was
04:41proving more challenging than she thought.
04:43She wrote in the caption,
04:44"...Yes, tonsil surgery might not seem like the worst thing ever, and I know that it isn't.
04:49However, I can tell you that for a week I've been in pain and so down."
04:53In the post, Madison explained that she had been struggling to eat, drink, or speak during
04:57her recovery process.
04:59The actor reflected on the experience, acknowledging that, like many others, she had sometimes
05:03taken her good health for granted.
05:06She added in the post,
05:07"...My prayers and thoughts go out to anyone tonight whose body is making them crumble
05:11inside.
05:12I'm praying for strength and health for them."
05:15In November 2023, Madison shared some devastating news with fans.
05:19Her grandfather had died.
05:21In a heartwarming tribute on Instagram, Madison described her grandfather as a man full of
05:26love and light, who found joy in the simple things of life.
05:29She also said she was grateful to see him one last time prior to his passing, before
05:34adding,
05:35"...I miss him dearly, and as much as I wish he could be by my side through the next big
05:38phases of life as I grow older, I do know I will carry him with me and feel him in my
05:43heart always."