Reese Witherspoon underwent HYPNOSIS in order to tackle ‘panic attacks’ prior to filming Wild

Reese Witherspoon says she underwent hypnosis as a means to alleviate ‘panic attacks’ stemming from fear over shooting her 2014 film Wild.

The 45-year-old actress, who earned an Academy Award nomination for the role, made the revelation during a recent discussion with Tracee Ellis Ross for Interview magazine.

Witherspoon told Ross that Wild was the film that ‘changed [her] the most’ because of the toll it took on her – even before she stepped in front of the camera.

‘I was so scared to do that, Tracee. I had hypnosis, I was so scared. I was having panic attacks for three weeks before I started,’ she admitted.

Wild, based on the 2012 memoir by Cheryl Strayed of the same name, followed Strayed’s brave 1,100 mile solo trek around the Pacific Crest Trail following a string of personal tragedies and struggles.

Reese explained that the project proved difficult due to the story’s dark elements and her unfamiliarity of performing onscreen alone.

‘There was the nudity, sexuality, and drug-use aspect, but also being alone on camera with no other actors

‘I hadn’t ever been alone in scenes for days and days. There were probably 25 days of the shoot where I had no other actor opposite me.

‘It was just me and a camera and a backpack. I was like, “Is this going to be so boring?”‘ she recalled.

Although she was plagued by fear and anxiety, Reese was undoubtedly relieved when she learned of the film’s positive critical reception, as well as her eventual Academy Award nomination.

Witherspoon famously took Strayed as her date to the 2015 Golden Globes, where her work in the film was also recognized with a nomination.

The Walk The Line actress told Ross that Strayed’s memoir is still ‘sacred’ to her and that it continues to speak to her womanhood.

‘Cheryl Strayed’s book was so beautiful and sacred to me because it spoke to me so deeply about how we as women have to save ourselves,’ she gushed.

‘There’s no mother or father coming to save us. There’s no spouse. I thought it was radical that at the end of the film, she ends up with no family, no money, no job, no partner, and she’s happy. 

‘I don’t know if I’ll ever work that hard again, but it changed me on a cellular level,’ Witherspoon concluded.