In the letter, Christina Ricci said: “You’re shy and polite but silly, dramatic and fun too. You’re so brave: unafraid to try new things, getting up to try again when you fail." Photo / FilmMagic
Christina Ricci thinks she had “unbelievable strength” as a child star.
The 43-year-old actress made her film debut in Mermaids when she was just nine years old, and has now written a letter to her younger self in which she remembered how she “hated” feeling different to other children but reminded her eight-year-old self that everything turns out “okay” in the end.
In the letter, written for People magazine’s 2023 Beautiful Issue, she said: “You’re shy and polite but silly, dramatic and fun too. You’re so brave: unafraid to try new things, getting up to try again when you fail.”
“In a year you will act in your first film, changing the trajectory of your life forever.
“I wish you knew your value, how special you are, that your work will bring joy to people. Your strength is unbelievable.
“Though you already hate how different you feel, you’ll grow to be even more unique,” the former child star said.
“At times you’ll wish more than anything that you could be like everyone else. Please don’t. Your acceptance of your individuality will mean your success.
“You’ll finally feel okay about yourself.”
The Yellowjackets star tied the knot with Mark Hampton in 2021 and has 16-month-old daughter Cleopatra with him, but has eight-year-old son Freddie with ex-husband James Heerdegen, whom she claims was “severely physically and emotionally abusive” towards her.
Ricci went on to praise her younger self for her “thoughts and kindness” and noted that she is “so proud” of eight-year-old Christina because of how she has been able to “survive” through everything.
She added: “Everything you’ve gone through in your life was worth it.”
“You’re a beautiful kid because of your thoughts, ideas, kindness and contribution,” she added.
“I’m so proud of you. What you’ll go through, survive — and the beauty you’ll make out of it — is what makes us special, makes us beautiful.”