Hollywood actress Anna Faris has revealed she came close to walking away from her acting career in 2021, citing a period of unrecognised depression and deep uncertainty about her professional future. The 49-year-old made the disclosure during an appearance on the Dear Chelsea podcast, offering a candid look at the mental health struggles that shadowed the final chapter of her long-running sitcom.

The Breaking Point After 'Mom'

Faris spent eight seasons on the CBS sitcom 'Mom', which aired from 2013 to 2021. When the show concluded, she found herself at a crossroads. 'I didn't know what my ambition was. I didn't know where I stood, what opportunity there was,' she said on the podcast.

Looking back, Faris believes she was battling an undiagnosed condition at the time. 'I was, in hindsight, I think pretty depressed, like, premenopausal depression without recognising it. I was just having a distant relationship with this city and my career and wondering if I had enough money to retire,' she said.

A 'Scary Movie' Revival That Changed Everything

What pulled Faris back from the brink was an invitation to reprise her iconic role as Cindy Campbell in the latest instalment of the 'Scary Movie' franchise. The experience, she said, reignited the creative spark she feared had gone out permanently.

'Suddenly I had this rush of like, what if my destiny hasn't quite forged itself in slow aging actress retirement? It was a very wonderful and heady year for me,' she said. The franchise that first made her a household name had, in a full-circle moment, given her career a second wind.

Renewed Confidence and What It Took to Find It

Beyond the professional reset, Faris says the period forced a deeper reckoning with her sense of self-worth. 'I feel more confident in what I have to offer, which might not be, I don't know, for a wide audience. But I feel more solid in my own ability. I wish I had realised that earlier,' she said.

Her candour about premenopausal depression adds to a growing body of public conversations around women's mental health in midlife — a topic that remains underrepresented in mainstream entertainment discourse.

What's Next for Anna Faris

Faris is now set to appear in the upcoming comedy film 'Spa Weekend', alongside Isla Fisher, Leslie Mann, and Michelle Buteau. She has previously described the shoot as a 'dream', singling out the experience of working with the film's star-studded ensemble cast. The project signals a confident return to comedy — the genre that defined her early career.