Brandon Sklenar Opens Up About Body Dysmorphia and Going to Therapy After Feeling Like a ‘Chunky Kid’: ‘I Got Made Fun Of’
Brandon Sklenar Opens Up About Body Dysmorphia and Going to Therapy After Feeling Like a ‘Chunky Kid’: ‘I Got Made Fun Of’
OK! Staff Wed, November 11, 2026 at 11:40 PM UTC
0
Brandon Sklenar candidly confronted his battle with body dysmorphia. BY: MEGA
Actor Brandon Sklenar candidly opened up about his ongoing battle with body dysmorphia, revealing how therapy has helped him navigate deep-rooted physical insecurities.
Promoting his upcoming sports drama Iron Jane, the 36-year-old star admitted that despite his present-day athletic build, he frequently struggles with distorted self-perception.
He confessed that inside, he still sees himself as a “chunky” 12-year-old boy who never felt good enough.
Childhood Bullying Shaped Brandon Sklenar’s Early Relationship With His Body
Early childhood bullying severely damaged Brandon Sklenar’s self-esteem. BY: MEGA
Sklenar explained that his complex relationship with his body began long before he entered Hollywood, rooted deeply in the teasing he endured throughout his childhood.
“It’s something I’ve had since I was a kid,” the star revealed when discussing how the disorder first took hold.
Recalling the painful experiences that shaped his youth, he shared, “I was a little kid — short, chunky. I swam in a T-shirt and got made fun of. Then I had a growth spurt and became really lanky, and I got made fun of for that.”
Obsessive Training Distorted How Brandon Sklenar Viewed Himself
Unhealthy obsessive exercise distorted Brandon Sklenar’s self-perception. BY: MEGA
The relentless teasing from peers eventually transformed into a driven obsession to completely reshape his physique as a defense mechanism.
“So I started training a lot and got obsessed with working out, like, ‘I’ll show them,'” Sklenar recalled.
However, the desire to prove his bullies wrong quickly morphed into an unhealthy mental cycle.
Advertisement
“And then it became a kind of obsession, and it becomes a very weird thing, where you see yourself completely differently than pretty much anybody else does, and usually in not a good way,” he noted.
Brandon Sklenar Connected His Real-Life Insecurities to His Acting Role
Brandon Sklenar deeply channeled personal insecurities into acting. BY: MEGA
This internal conflict directly mirrors his character in Iron Jane, a film starring Eiza Gonzalez that examines the psychological pressure behind elite physical conditioning.
Sklenar reflected on how his childhood insecurities continue to echo into his adult life, making the role intensely personal.
“If you look at me now as a 36-year-old man, you’d never guess it, but I still very much feel like that 12-year-old chunky kid — that sense of nothing is ever good enough,” he explained.
Therapy Helped Brandon Sklenar Manage His Ongoing Negative Self-Talk
Therapy guided Brandon Sklenar to overcome negative mindsets. BY: MEGA
To navigate these persistent thoughts, Sklenar relies heavily on therapy and deliberate mental discipline.
“You have to find a way to check your self-talk, because that’s really where it begins and ends — but it’s easier said than done,” he emphasized. “When I was 15, I was cleaning the floors, and by 18, I was a trainer, training everybody and running the whole gym,” he shared, detailing the environment where his intense physical routine first took root.
Read more at OK!
Get OK!'s biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now.
FOLLOW OK! ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, entertainment, and pop culture via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
