Kristin Davis has revealed the extreme lengths she went to in a bid to lose weight while filming Sex and the City, admitting she once survived almost entirely on candy for weeks.
The 61-year-old actress, who played Charlotte York in the beloved HBO series, recalled becoming so thin that her ribs were visible as she struggled to meet the beauty standards of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Speaking to former co-star Evan Handler, who played her on-screen husband Harry Goldenblatt, on her Are You a Charlotte? podcast, Kristin admitted that she "just ate M&Ms for a couple weeks" during one particularly difficult period.
© GC Images"I had no breasts left, like it's just bones," she recalled of her dramatically diminished figure.
The actress explained that she had been inspired after reading about ballet dancers surviving on cigarettes and chocolate bars to maintain their slender physiques.
Although Kristin did not take up smoking, she decided to try the restrictive eating habits herself, later recalling how an acupuncturist was horrified when he discovered that candy was virtually all she was eating.
© Penske Media via Getty ImagesAt the time, Kristin felt enormous pressure to achieve the slim, straight silhouette favoured by fashion designers, despite her naturally curvier shape.
She explained that no amount of dieting seemed to change her figure, and the constant scrutiny took a toll on her confidence.
© GettyEvan also shared his own uncomfortable experiences with body-related comments, recalling how strangers would approach him in public and remark that he appeared heavier on television.
Kristin admitted she endured similar encounters throughout the show's six-season run, with fans frequently making unsolicited observations about her appearance.
The pressure dated back to her time on Melrose Place, where she previously revealed she felt compelled to maintain an exceptionally slim figure to fit in alongside her co-stars.
© Getty ImagesHowever, by the final season of Sex and the City, Kristin had begun to feel more comfortable in her own skin.
Looking back at Charlotte's wedding to Harry in season six, she said she now appreciates how beautiful she looked in her wedding dress, embracing her curves rather than trying to disguise them.
After portraying Charlotte for six seasons, two movies and three seasons of the sequel And Just Like That, Kristin has continued to speak openly about the pressures women face over their appearance and the importance of accepting their bodies.
