‘Bridgerton’ star Ruby Barker hospitalized due to mental health issues

MANILA, Philippines – Bridgerton actress Ruby Barker admitted in an Instagram post on Thursday, May 26, that she had been hospitalized due to her mental health. 

The actress came clean about her current condition, stating that she “[has] been unwell for a really long time.”

“It is mad out here. It is mad. And sometimes, you just gotta take a break and say, ‘I can’t do this right now. I need support,’” said Ruby.

In her caption, she said that mental health week is every week for her. “Off my chest. I feel like I’ve not been completely honest so this is for my followers. Time to be transparent. I’ve been struggling since Bridgerton, this is the truth. Thank you all for supporting me, your love holds me up,” she said.

The 25-year-old also called for a shift in the “linguistics” used to engage in mental health-related discourse to encourage people to participate in these dialogues. She shared that talks on her own mental health is “a conversation [she] really needs to have.”

Ruby further went on to thank the people who have consistently held her together and made her aware of her purpose and value: her mentors, clients, and friends.

Ruby also expressed her desire to get better — reassuring her fans with struggles of their own that they will overcome them, too. “I want to survive and I will survive and so are you,” she said.

Ruby gave a special mention to Bridgerton producer Shonda Rhimes for “saving her”, and to singer-songwriter Sexton for bringing her “out of pits” through her music. 

“Keep shining beautiful. I’m learning all of us with a lot of talent have been very hard on ourselves at some point but I learned to switch up my perspective and it took the weight off my shoulders,” commented Sexton under the Bridgerton star’s post. 

Ruby Barker first joined the cast of Bridgerton in 2020 as Marina Thompson. Her character is now known as Lady Crane. The Netflix series was renewed for seasons three and four in April 2021. – with reports from Juno Reyes/Rappler.com

Juno Reyes is a Rappler intern.