'Barbie' Star Michael Cera Reveals 'Fame' Made Him 'Paranoid' And He Almost Quit Acting

In a candid interview, Hollywood actor Michael Cera, widely recognized for his roles in "Superbad" and "Juno," has opened up about the personal "crisis" he experienced following the overwhelming success of his blockbuster films.

The "Barbie" star admitted that he contemplated quitting acting altogether, finding it difficult to navigate the pressures and expectations that came with fame.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Cera, known for his endearing and awkward on-screen persona, skyrocketed to fame with his breakout performance as the lovable and socially awkward Evan in the 2007 hit comedy "Superbad." The film, directed by Greg Mottola, achieved critical acclaim and box office success, propelling Cera into the spotlight. Just months later, he further solidified his position as a rising star by portraying Paulie Bleeker in the indie darling "Juno," which garnered widespread praise.

However, Cera recently revealed that his sudden and immense recognition was overwhelming, leaving him grappling with his newfound celebrity status, per The Guardian. The pressure to maintain his success and meet the high expectations from fans began to take a toll on the actor's mental and emotional well-being.

"I didn't know how to handle walking down the street," he said in an interview with the news outlet. "Fame makes you very uncomfortable in your skin and makes you paranoid and weird. There were many great things about it, and I met many amazing people, but there's a lot of bad energies, too, ones that I was not equipped to handle."

The 35-year-old actor admitted to walking away from the acting profession altogether. Cera described the experience as a personal "crisis," as he questioned his identity and purpose outside his on-screen characters.

"There was a point where I wanted to stop taking jobs that would make me more famous," Cera confessed. "I was having a bit of a crisis … I was not enjoying the heat level. I didn't know if I would keep being an actor."

Fortunately, Cera found solace in returning from the limelight and reconnecting with his true passions. He also stuck with acting because he was billed to star in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," which came out in 2010.

Cera said he's now "so grateful" that he "committed" to that role and didn't end his career.

According to The Guardian, the "Year One" actor also revealed that one of the major hurdles he faced during his crisis was struggling to establish healthy boundaries with his fans. As his popularity soared, he found himself inundated with attention from fans who often blurred the lines between his on-screen persona and his real-life identity.

"Drunk people would be a classic example," Cera shared. "You know, if people are drunk, and they recognize you, and they're very enthusiastic, it can be toxic too. When you're a kid, people feel they can grab you – they're not respectful of you or your physical space. I didn't know how to establish my boundaries respectfully."

He shared a particular moment when he went to the bar with friends on the weekend "Superbad" came out.

"It was like a burning feeling the whole time, just like everybody was so aware of me," he said. "It was a mistake."

In a lighthearted interview with People magazine, Cera shared a humorous story about his upcoming role in the highly anticipated "Barbie" movie. The actor, who stars as Allen in the film, revealed that he was left out of the "Barbie" group chat because he still uses a flip phone.

"I don't have an iPhone myself. I have a flip phone," Cera said. "But I still think I wouldn't belong on the group chat anyway because my character, Allan, is in his little world. When I arrived, Greta's gift for me was a picture disc of NSYNC's 'No Strings Attached,' which somehow felt like a real guiding light in this character's backstory."

The actor previously documented his aversion to social media and smartphones in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

"And that is a conscious choice because I feel a bit of fear about it, honestly, like I'd lose control of my waking life," he said. "Right when people started having smartphones when it was Blackberries, I had lunch with a friend of mine who was my best friend at the time, and he'd just gotten a Blackberry, and for the whole meal he was typing emails, and I was sat there lonely and bored."

He added, "So I had an early aversion to them."