Photo Credit: Getty Images
Anna Kendrick recently opened up about her seven-year emotionally abusive relationship during an interview on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast. She shared how difficult it was for her to recognize the signs of abuse, as it did not follow the typical patterns she had read about. Reflecting on the experience, Kendrick said, "It was like an overnight switch... it didn't follow that more traditional, like, it's like a frog in boiling water thing where it started slow."
She revealed that the relationship came out of nowhere, building on a foundation of love and trust she had for her partner. "I had so much love and trust for that person, so I thought it had to be me. Like, if one of us is crazy, it must be me," she explained. Kendrick recounted how she tried to fix herself, thinking she was the problem. "I turned my life completely upside down trying to fix whatever was wrong with me," she said.
One of the most poignant moments she shared was about an incident where her ex accused her of "terrorizing" him. "I was just crying because I couldn't pretend things were fine anymore, and he screamed in my face, 'You're terrorizing me,'" she recalled, adding that it came from a place where he truly believed he was being victimized. Despite the couple seeking therapy, Kendrick revealed their therapist initially failed to see the abuse, admitting that he "just bought his stuff kind of hook, line, and sinker."
Over time, however, Kendrick's therapist realized what was happening. She mentioned that after one particularly emotional therapy session, where she lost her composure and later apologized, the therapist called her to say, "I'm so proud of you." That moment was a turning point for Kendrick. "That's when I knew, like, 'Oh, something has shifted,'" she noted, and the relationship ended shortly afterward.
The breakup occurred just before she began filming her 2022 movie "Alice, Darling," a film that explores emotional abuse. Kendrick said the role resonated deeply with her own experience. "I had just gotten out of a relationship that was extremely similar to the movie," she shared. At the time, she didn't tell anyone about the connection, fearing others might discourage her from taking on the project.
