Naomie Harris is radiant on the cover of Shape‘s October issue, available now.
Here’s what the 43year-old actress had to share with the mag:
On her battle with scoliosis as a child: “Around age 11, I was diagnosed with scoliosis. The progression of the disease became severe in my teens, and I needed an operation. Doctors inserted a metal rod down my spine. I spent a month in the hospital recovering and had to learn how to walk again. It was really traumatic. I saw kids in the hospital with scoliosis so advanced that they would never be able to stand properly. I felt really lucky. Since then, I have always appreciated the gift of a healthy body.”
On how she deals with stress: “Meditation has changed my life and the way I deal with stress. I do it twice a day for 20 minutes. It forces me to stop whatever I’m doing and take a break. That’s crucial because I have to have a goal. It keeps me expanding and growing and learning, and it forces me out of my comfort zone to develop new skills.”
On being a role model and using her platform: “I never really considered myself a role model, but people have called me one, so I guess I probably am. I’ve always tried to live my best possible life. I want to be an upstanding citizen and contribute. I’m an ambassador for a youth theater group in the U.K. that works with kids from troubled backgrounds, I’m an advocate for a mental health group, and I work with a charity that helps children in South Africa who have been affected by AIDS and HIV. I try to use my voice and bring awareness to these critical issues.”
For more from Naomie Harris, visit Shape.com.
