Sarah Drew recalls questioning herself after 'damaging' online criticism

Sarah Drew has recently shared an emotional experience of negative online comments.

The Grey's Anatomy actress recalled the criticism she received on her appearance during her early career.

During her conversation on the Broad Ideas podcast, Drew revealed that she was called "ugly" while starring in the early 2000s drama Everwood.

She said, "Everwood was my first show ever, and I got addicted, there was no social media yet, but there were forums and message boards. And I was addicted to reading message boards."

"It's the worst thing ever. It was so bad for me. Because my character, I came on to play the ugly wallflower best friend of Emily VanCamp. I had glasses and frizzy hair and not a stitch of makeup. I was the ugly one, the ugly duckling," she added.

Despite the positive feedback about her acting, Drew said she still remembers cruel comments like "Sarah Drew is so ugly that the television cracks every time she steps in front of it" adding, "it hurt so badly."

The actress revealed that these comments made her question herself saying, "absorbing all of these comments, so many nasty things about how ugly I was. All of a sudden I was like, 'Am I an ugly person? I guess maybe I'm an ugly person.'"

However, now decades later, Drew has a new perspective on online feedback.

"We are not built for this feedback. Social media? Our nervous systems are not built to take in all of this feedback," Drew said.

It is worth mentioning that Drew now works as a writer and producer, helping create movies like Reindeer Games Homecoming and Mistletoe Murders.

She is determined to use her platform to encourage conversations around mental health.