Calista Flockhart reflects on ‘painful’ anorexia rumors that she thought were going to ‘ruin’ her career

Calista Flockhart is opening up about the “painful” rumors surrounding her weight.

In a wide-ranging profile for the New York Times, the “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans” actor reflected on the hurtful chatter about whether she had anorexia while starring in the hit ‘90s sitcom “Ally McBeal.”

“It wasn’t the case, and there was nothing I could do to convince anybody or get out of it,” she said. “If I had worn a big padded bra, they probably would never have been able to target me in that way. I look back at pictures, and I’m the same then as I am now, and nobody says a word now.”

Flockheart said she felt like she was “an easy target.”

“It was painful, it was complicated,” she continued. “I loved working on ‘Ally McBeal,’ and it just made it sour. I was very sleep-deprived and I was depressed about it. I did think that it was going to ruin my career. I didn’t think anybody would ever hire me again, because they would just assume I had anorexia, and that would be the end of that.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder often characterized by an “abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted perception of weight.”

Those with the disorder often restrict the amount of food they eat by controlling their calorie intake. This can be through “vomiting after eating or by misusing laxatives, diet aids, diuretics or enemas,” as per the Mayo Clinic.

Flockhart added that she experienced days where she felt “really hurt and embarrassed and infuriated,” noting that she did her best to push through the difficulties.

“I was lucky that I had to work. I just put my head down. I always felt like, ‘Calista, you’re a good person, you’re not mean to anybody,’ and I’m confident in that,” she recalled.

In regards to her trim physique, the 59-year-old said she’s never had to “watch…