‘It’s About Time’ for change
Rachel McAdams's healthy attitude to her appearance and professional pressures
She was one of Hollywood’s most talked-about actresses in the early 2000s, starring in back-to-back cult films Mean Girls (2004), The Notebook (2004) and Wedding Crashers (2005) and even being called the next Julia Roberts. Yet at the height of her fame Rachel McAdams surprised fans and Hollywood alike by taking a two-year break, during which she stepped away from the limelight and moved back to her native Toronto. During this period, the About Time star turned down major roles in multiple projects including The Devil Wears Prada and the Bond film Casino Royale.
Now a mother-of-two and in a committed relationship with her long-term partner, American screenwriter Jamie Linden, she is promoting her new film, a screen adaptation of Judy Blume’s novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. And in an interview with Bustle last week she spoke about her decision to take time out from Hollywood and the importance of showing real bodies in the media – at her request, photos from the interview shoot were minimally edited and her armpit hair remains visible in the photos.
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Rachel told Bustle: “With this shoot, I’m wearing latex underwear. But I’ve had two children. This is my body, and I think that’s so important to reflect back out to the world. It’s OK to look your best and work at it and be healthy, but that’s different for everyone.” And in a video interview released alongside the article, the star speaks about the advice she would give to her preteen self, including on hair removal.
In keeping with her laid back and family orientated personality, Rachel employed her sister Kayleen as her makeup artist for her latest film. Renting next-door houses meant that their children could spend time with each other while the pair went off to work. And Kayleen spoke about her sister’s half-glass-full mentality, saying: “[Rachel is] very confident in what she believes and being able to align with her inner compass. There can be moments when you do things that you might not be ready for. You can take a job that isn’t quite right for you because you’re feeling those external pressures. Rachel has such a strong internal sense of self and a really strong belief that the world will work out as it should.”
This mentality helped the star during her acting hiatus in the mid-2000s, when she would feel guilty for not making the most of the opportunities she was being given. But, with hindsight, taking the time to reset, reconnect with herself and find balance was exactly what she needed, and she has continued to take breaks between projects ever since. Known for being down-to-earth, Rachel is a self-proclaimed environmentalist and loves nothing more than spending time with her young children. And despite her break from acting, she is still considered one of the most talented and versatile actresses of her generation.