Sam Claflin reveals his body dysmorphia meant he hated filming shirtless scenes in his early career as he opens up about the 'everyday struggle' of his disordered eating

Sam Claflin has revealed that he hated filming shirtless scenes because of his body dysmorphia as he opened up about his disordered eating in a candid new chat.

The Hunger Games star, 39, has opened up about his struggles with body confidence and recalled being petrified when he was told that he would be taking his top off in one of his early movie roles.

Speaking on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, Sam said: 'A lot of the roles I played earlier on in my career - I had a topless scene in one of my first movies, but it wasn't in the script and I got told a week before they were going to my top off. 

'I was like, 's***, I haven't been working out, what am I going to do?' This is my first introduction to the world.'

The Love, Rosie star said that his body dysmorphia may have stemmed from the fact that he hit 'puberty late' and didn't feel as if he was 'good-looking' or 'strong enough' during his adolescent years.

Sam explained that he still feels uncomfortable now whenever he sees his face on screen.

The star said: 'I'm incredibly insecure. I just went to a screening of a film I was in and everyone immediately afterwards (asked), 'How was it?' And (I was like), 'I hated it'. It's my face I don't like. I have like a form of body dysmorphia.

Sam explained that his struggles have been exacerbated with the industry he works in and the fact that others can comment on his appearance using social media.

He said: 'I've been massively affected by (body dysmorphia). I'd say most guys are but I would say mine got quite bad.'

In the podcast chat he also opened up about his issues around eating as he explained: 'I really overthink everything. Um, so you know, I will skip meals. I don't eat breakfast. 

'I have like a juice in the morning and I work out doubly hard if I've had a bad meal the night before and I try not to drink as much alcohol anymore. 

'It's a real it's a real struggle. It's like an everyday struggle. I am massively impacted by what other people think and if they think I look good or am a nice person.' 

The Pirates of the Caribbean star revealed last year that he suffered from body dysmorphia because he felt 'pressure' trying to attain the perfect Hollywood physique.

Sam told The Telegraph newspaper: 'I was always really short until I was 18, so I never thought of myself in any way as a leading man...

'I assumed I'd become a character actor. When I was cast in Pirates [Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides], I thought: 'What on earth am I doing here?'

'There is this Hollywood assumption that it's the men with the six packs who sell the movie. So there was a pressure that that was what I needed to look like.

'As a result, I developed a form of body dysmorphia. 

'It wasn't quite an eating disorder, and I'm not blaming anyone but myself, but it was definitely because of the industry I'm in.'

Actor Sam is thought to be currently single following a split from model and influencer Cassie Amato in 2024.

After their split a source said: 'It was his first proper relationship after splitting from his wife Laura Haddock and they had lots of fun together.

'Things ran their course – the distance between them and different schedules got too much.

'They are still good mates. But Sam isn't wasting any time and has already signed up to a dating site and is open to meeting someone new.'

The Daily Mail contacted representatives for Sam Claflin and Cassie for comment at the time. 

The pair were first spotted together in September 2022, but didn't make their red carpet debut until January of this year. 

Sam was previously married to actress Laura Haddock from 2013 to 2019. They share two children.