Overview
- Hewitt admitted she was initially hesitant to reprise Julie James until friends convinced her, fearing media comparisons between her 46-year-old self and her teenage appearance.
- She worked closely with the sequel’s director and stylist to design costumes that shift focus away from her body and onto her character.
- Hewitt credits her ABC’s 9-1-1 role with finally restoring attention to her acting, noting audiences now praise her performance rather than her appearance.
- She traces enduring insecurity to a 2007 People magazine cover labeled “Stop Calling Me Fat,” which she says ignited a lasting body image struggle.
- Hewitt recalls facing persistent sexualization from age 16, including inappropriate Jay Leno questions and early typecasting as a sex symbol before she fully understood her own sexuality.