You know who Adam Driver is — you've seen him all over Netflix promos for "Marriage Story," where he stars opposite Scarlett Johansson. The Noah Baumbach film has received excellent reviews for showcasing the complexity of divorce while incorporating humor and "light moments" amidst a fairly somber storyline. One way or the other, audiences everywhere are talking about the performance that Driver and Johanson poured their hearts into.
As part of any film's promotion, both leads are expected to partake in a rigorous press tour. Part of "Marriage Story's" tour included Adam Driver sitting down for an interview with NPR host Terry Gross. Driver has been interviewed by Gross before for previous project promotions — nothing out of the ordinary. You would assume being interviewed by someone you already know would mean smooth sailing for both parties, but that was not the case. Even though it was made known to Gross' team that Driver does not like listening back to his own clips, a clip was played anyway (although Gross' team says they did encourage Driver to not listen and remove his headphones).
Once the clip began to play, Driver got out of his seat and left the studio.
Driver has faced backlash from the media and fans alike for leaving mid-interview. Many people are confused about why he wouldn't just take off his headphones and "suck it up." He doesn't like to listen back to his performances, it's whatever, right? People get anxious all the time, it's not a big deal, isn't that how it works?
While many are seeing Driver's exit as unprofessional or attention-seeking, the mental health advocates of the world are a little more sympathetic toward his actions.
Breaking the mental health stigma includes having the courage to remove yourself from situations that you know are prone to triggering your anxiety, whether that be social or otherwise. As mental health has become a more prevalent topic in our world, we are all able to be more aware of what has harmed our mental health in the past. Maybe it's certain relationships. Maybe it's crowds. Maybe it's being too tired! Everyone's mental health is obviously different and unique. This means individuals need to be their own cheerleader and advocate, taking care of themselves the best they know how.
This also means it is up to absolutely no one to speculate on the mental health of others, much less being judgemental and hypercritical about a decision made for someone else's wellbeing.
Yes, Adam Driver got up and left an interview that he was supposed to be in because of anxiety. Yes, people are going to talk about it. And yes, this is the kind of mental health confidence we all could use a solid dose of. Being afraid of what people will say regarding your mental health hasn't gotten us anywhere, but throwing the opinions of others out the window and making the decisions you need for your mental health is the MOVE, for celebrities and non-celebrities alike.
