Taiwanese actress Michelle Chen recently opened up about the challenges she faced during pregnancy.
In a live broadcast on Monday (Nov 10), the 42-year-old revealed that she almost broke down after witnessing the physical changes her body underwent while expecting.
Chen admitted that as her belly grew and stretch marks appeared, she felt anxious, worrying that the changes might affect her future acting work.
This concern lingered even after the birth of her son in 2016, during her post-partum recovery.
“As an actress, I had to quickly restore my flawless image for the screen. When I saw the stretch marks, I really felt like crying,” she said, growing visibly emotional as she spoke.
The You Are The Apple Of My Eye (2011) star continued: “I was afraid my skin would look wrinkled and unattractive on camera.”
While Chen initially struggled to accept the physical changes her body underwent, she made it clear that she no longer lets them define her confidence today.
She also called for women to love themselves, adding that their beauty and worth should never be measured by marks on the body.
Chen’s candid reflections struck a chord with many netizens, who praised her wisdom. Others also opened up about their own similar experiences with pregnancy.
“I can really relate to how she felt,” said one person.
Another commented: “I hope there will be less criticism of women’s bodies in the industry moving forward.”
Chen shares a nine-year-old son with her ex-husband, Chinese actor Chen Xiao.
The pair, who met while filming the drama The Romance Of The Condor Heroes (2014 to 2015), married in 2016 but announced their divorce in February this year.
