Chrissy Metz Found Love & Felt ‘Happier Than Ever’ After Leaving Hollywood

Sep 19, 2025 by apost team

In a cover feature for PEOPLE magazine, actress Chrissy Metz reflected on gaining confidence, embracing a slower lifestyle in Nashville, and exploring exciting new roles. These days, she notices heads turning wherever she goes – not from gossip or scrutiny, but because fans are eager to approach her and express how deeply she has touched their lives.

Metz made the move from Los Angeles to Nashville in 2020, where she has been able to focus on music while enjoying a more grounded routine. Still, she remained closely connected to those who loved her work on her hit family drama “This Is Us.” She shared a heartfelt memory from a recent flight.

“I was just crying with these two women on the plane today,” Metz said. “They had a family member who was ill, and they told me how much they’d loved watching ‘This Is Us’ as a family and what it meant to them.”

During another trip, a woman quietly passed Metz a note explaining she was taking her son to an eating disorder clinic. The note revealed that Metz’s visibility on television had helped him realize his worth was far greater than his struggles.

“I was just sobbing,” said Metz, 45. “But I’ve always been the people’s person. People truly love to come up and share everything with me. I think it’s because they know I want to listen. I’ll have a real conversation with you. I’ll cry in the bathroom with you.” She added she also knew “what it’s like to need someone to talk to.”

Though Metz felt grateful for her ability to encourage others, she admitted in the PEOPLE cover story that learning to recognize her own self-worth has been an ongoing process, even after becoming a household name and earning an Emmy nomination for “This Is Us” (2016–2022).

Metz looked back on her younger years with honesty, remembering how isolating it felt to grow up in a world that didn’t seem built for her body type.

“I was always the chubby girl, and I was also sort of the only one,” she recounted. 

She recalled a childhood where she often felt “less than” next to her cheerleader and horseback-riding friends.

“We’d go shopping at Wet Seal, and I wanted to wear the cute shorts and outfits, but all I could fit were the accessories. It was really hard,” Metz continued.

She admitted that food quickly became her comfort. What she now recognizes as disordered eating felt, at the time, like an ally. She confessed:

“It was my crutch, the love to fill in the holes.”

Unlike others who turned to alcohol or drugs, she relied on food, saying it “was always my thing.”

Determined to build something more, Metz left Florida for Los Angeles, hoping comedy would open doors as she “wanted to be the female Jim Carrey.”

But Hollywood wasn’t welcoming.

“Every single role was for a tall, skinny blonde,” she said, adding plus-sized girls “were either the butt of the joke or couldn’t be attractive. One director told me I was ‘too cute’ to play the side chick.”

Everything shifted when she landed the role of Kate Pearson on “This Is Us,” a character that gave her both visibility and depth. Since then, opportunities have expanded beyond appearance. She has written children’s books, released music and enjoyed working on “The Hunting Wives.” 

Her personal life was thriving, too. Metz beamed when speaking about her partner of a year.

“He’s so supportive and so kind,” she gushed with a laugh, adding, “I’m like, this relationship makes me feel good about myself? What’s the catch?”

These days, she’s focused on strength training, meal prepping, and long-term health.

“I want to live the longest life possible,” she said, adding, “I know skinniness doesn’t equal happiness. I just want to be health-positive.”

Reflecting on her journey, Metz summed it up by saying:

“I never thought I’d have all of this.”

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Chrissy Metz’s journey is a reminder that self-worth and health aren’t defined by size. Did her story inspire you? If so, then pass this on to someone who could also use the encouragement!