Poldark star Heida Reed has opened up about fighting her body insecurities that stemmed from being told she was “considered too big” for the modelling industry.
The actress posted a picture of herself on Instagram in a T-shirt and underwear while telling her followers that she feels empowered by a recent body positive post by singer Demi Lovato, and the display of a range of models at Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty fashion show.
Reed, 31, wrote that, following Lovato’s “gorgeous picture the other day I felt inspired”.
She said: “Before I was an actress I was a model. I’ve been judged on my appearance since I was 15. That’s more than half of my life!
“I never made it onto the catwalk because back then, even though I was much smaller, my hips were considered too big for the industry and that’s stayed with me ever since.
“But I see that changing now, like in @badgalriri @savagexfenty lingerie show, and it was so empowering to watch!”
Reed said that she is “grateful” for her body and for the way she looks, but that she does “struggle with my appearance ALL THE TIME!”.
The Icelandic star said: “My thighs jiggle a bunch and I have so much more cellulite than in this photo!
“I struggle being consistent with exercise, I have a complicated relationship with food, and I’m working on all of that, but more importantly I want to work on embracing myself as I am right now.
“I want to be a part of keeping this dialogue open and share my journey with you and maybe some of you will share yours with me.”
Earlier this month, Lovato posted an unedited picture of herself wearing a bikini, alongside which she said she was “unashamed, unafraid and proud” of her body.
Lovato said sharing the image, captioned “it’s CELLULIT!!!!”, was “my biggest fear” and that she is “sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body”.
Reed played Elizabeth Warleggan in the BBC’s Poldark opposite Aidan Turner, Eleanor Tomlinson and Jack Farthing for four series from 2015 until 2018.
The fourth series ended with the shock death of Elizabeth, Poldark’s former love.
Elizabeth took a potion, to induce the premature birth of her baby, which proved fatal.