Jonah Hill reveals he’ll step away from public life amid battle with anxiety attacks

Actor Jonah Hill has revealed that a 20-year battle he’s been privately waging will now see him largely retreat from the public eye.

Jonah Hill is done making media appearances after decades of quietly battling anxiety attacks.

“I have come to the understanding that I have spent nearly 20 years experiencing anxiety attacks, which are exacerbated by media appearances and public-facing events,” the actor, 38, wrote in a statement to Deadline on Wednesday regarding his lack of promotion for his upcoming documentary, Stutz.

Hill noted that while he was “grateful” for the chance to share the film with others who are also “struggling”, he did not plan to promote it - or any other upcoming projects, Page Six reported.

Jonah Hill and Sarah Brady attend the world premiere of Netflix's Don't Look Up. Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images/AFP

The Superbad star called the decision an “important step to protect” himself.

“If I made myself sicker by going out there and promoting it, I wouldn’t be acting true to myself or to the film,” he explained.

“With this letter and with Stutz, I’m hoping to make it more normal for people to talk and act on this stuff,” Hill continued. “So they can take steps towards feeling better and so that the people in their lives might understand their issues more clearly.”

While this is the Oscar nominee’s first time addressing his mental health at length, he has been open in the past about the struggles of being in the public eye.

In October 2021, Hill, who has made headlines for his weight gains and losses, asked fans to stop commenting on his body.

Jonah Hill has revealed his struggles with anxiety. (Photo by Matthias Nareyek/Getty Images)

“Good or bad I want to politely let you know it’s not helpful and doesn’t feel good,” he wrote on Instagram at the time, adding that he knew people “mean well” with their compliments. “Much respect.”

The The Wolf of Wall Street star has since deleted his Instagram account.

While Hill’s girlfriend, Sarah Brady, does have a presence on the social media platform, the 25-year-old surfer rarely gives glimpses into their romance.

The pair have been Instagram-official since September 2021, with Hill denying engagement speculation five months later.

“The rumours are not true,” he jokingly told his followers in February. “I am engaged. But not to my girlfriend. I am engaged to your mum. I know this is shocking.”

This story was originally published by Page Six and was reproduced with permission