AnnaLynne McCord.Photo: Presley Ann/Getty Images for Visionary Women
AnnaLynne McCordis opening up about overcoming the horrific sexual trauma in her past — and how filming a pivotal scene on her hit drama90210helped uncover long suppressed memories.
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AnnaLynne McCord.Paul Archuleta/Wireimage
“It wasn’t a conscious decision to shut it out,” says McCord. “My dissociation took care of that and absorbed the bubble of my trauma. My brain protected me.”
“I was like, ‘What a great storyline, let’s do this,'” she recalls. “We dove in and we did the scene. It didn’t trigger anything.” But then, filming the aftermath of the rape with costar Jessica Stroup, “I just broke,” says McCord. “My heart, which was made to feel like love was a bad, dangerous thing, was just broken.”
AnnaLynne McCord and Shenae Grimes on90210.Everett
Despite the recognition, McCord still didn’t come to terms with the pain of her past until finally, during therapy in 2018, “the bubble popped,” she says. “I was able to connect to my sexual abuse and face it.”
Now, “I’m grateful to be on the other side,” says McCord. “Healing can be terrible. But I love my life.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
