Christina Ricci recently opened up about the darker side of her early fame, shedding light on the unsettling experiences she faced with paparazzi and stalkers during her youth.
Appearing on a new episode of the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the Yellowjackets star spoke candidly about how isolating and dangerous it felt to live alone while being in the public eye at such a young age.
Ricci admitted that being a famous child actor “felt very threatening,” especially when she sensed she was being followed. Rather than risking her safety by returning home and revealing her address, Christina Ricci often sought refuge at a nearby liquor store. “There was this guy Rick who always worked there, smoking outside. He was the only person I ever let call me Chris,” Ricci recalled. “If someone was following me, I’d drive to Rick’s liquor store. I’d tell him, and Rick would come out and chase them off.”
Despite her celebrity status, Christina Ricci shared that she “never felt famous” and often used mental strategies to cope. One of these included pretending she wasn’t a star, but simply the beloved daughter of a well-known doctor. “I’d tell myself everyone’s being nice because I’m Dr. Ricci’s daughter, not because I’m famous,” she said. While the technique helped her feel grounded, Ricci admitted it sometimes lowered her guard too much, putting her at risk. “Eventually, I had to stop doing that,” Christina Ricci said.
In a more chilling revelation, Christina Ricci recounted how a man used to stalk her house, leaving notes on her car. The situation became so distressing that Ricci would turn off all the lights in her home and wait in silence for the man to leave before going out.
Christina Ricci began her career in 1990 with a role in Mermaids and rose to fame as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family (1991). Her candid reflections offer a glimpse into the hidden challenges that came with growing up under constant spotlight—challenges that Christina Ricci continues to speak about with honesty and strength.