Bridgerton Actor Ruby Barker Opens Up About Psychotic Breaks, Lack of Support from Netflix and Shondaland

Actor Ruby Barker of "Bridgerton" has disclosed that following the success of the Netflix series, she experienced "psychotic breaks".

In an interview with Oxford University's LOAF Podcast, Barker criticized Netflix and Shondaland for their lack of encouragement for her.

"Not a single person from Netflix, not a single person from Shondaland, since I have had two psychotic breaks from that show, have even contacted me or even emailed me to ask me if I’m okay or if I would benefit from any sort of aftercare or support," the actor, 26, said.

Barker was a series regular in the first season of the show in 2019, according to American news outlet Variety, and he returned as a guest actor for the second season in 2022.

She portrayed Marina, a Featherington cousin who becomes socially isolated in Regency-era London due to her scandalous pregnancy.

Barker asserted that she suffered because of her solitary personality.

"I was getting worse while we were filming. Because my character was so alone and shunned in these terrible circumstances, it was an extremely painful place for me to be," she continued.

After "Bridgerton" came out, the British actor—who has also appeared in UK series like "Wolfblood" and "Doctors"—said that her life "drastically overnight" changed.

"But after all that time, there was still no support and never has been. I therefore made a concerted effort to pretend that everything was fine, that I could work, and that there was no issue.

This show is bubbly and fun, so it's almost like I had this metaphorical invisible gun to my head to sell it. Barker continued, "I don't want to come out and poo-poo on that because then I might never work again."

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