"[The first movie] was received way better than I had ever imagined in my wildest dreams," Condor told Self magazine in a new cover story. "It changed much of my life very quickly."
Condor made her debut as love-obsessed teen Lara Jean Song Covey in the 2018 rom-com, which was based on a book series by Jenny Han. The film became a massive success for the streamer, skyrocketing Condor to A-list status, turning costar Noah Centineo into the internet's boyfriend, and spawning two sequels also based on Han's novels.
The second movie was released in 2020, while the third and final film is set for release on February 12.
Condor told Self that in addition to the first "TATB" film becoming more popular than she thought possible, she experienced "emotional whiplash" from filming a gritty Syfy series called "Deadly Class."
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Condor played an assassin named Saya on the one-season show and described it as "really dark."
"I was just saying yes to everything because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you want to capitalize on it, and you want to feel like you're fully embracing everything," Condor said. "But I've never felt more horrible mentally.
She continued: "I was so burned out... I would go home at night and I couldn't speak. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I would shake going to bed and shake waking up because it was just so much stimulation."
Condor said that she reached a breaking point and finally dropped her upbeat facade during a phone call with her team.
"I had this moment where I just was in tears, telling them that I don't feel OK," the actress said. "And they were all shocked because I wasn't open about my feelings. No one knew."
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Condor said that being transparent with her team, plus the support of her parents, helped her to rebuild her mental health.
"Once I shared it and was vulnerable with my team, it was a huge change," she said. "They really have helped me navigate the industry now in a much more healthy way, where I feel like I can do what I love and also be the person that I want to be for myself."
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