Brie Larson's heartbreaking throwback: "It shocked me to find this photo."

Actress and singer Brie Larson has shared a heartbreaking throwback photo to a time when she felt “flashes of embarrassment” appearing on a red carpet. She said, “I worried I was too fat, too ugly, too depressingly banal to be honored.”

This year, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Joy ‘Ma’ Newsome in Room, but only three years ago, she was largely unknown, attending the Maui Film Festival wearing a dress she picked from her own wardrobe.

In her latest Instagram post, Larson writes, “It shocked me to find this photo because I remember the day so well.”

It shocked me to find this photo because I remember the day so well. I was respected enough to be honored at the Maui Film Festival – but not known enough to have a stylist or “glam squad”. I found this Madewell dress in my closet. The most I knew how to do for grooming was pin half of it back and blink on a few coats of mascara. Before we went to the ceremony I felt flashes of embarrassment – I worried I was too fat, too ugly, too depressingly banal to be honored. I cringed to take photos. But today I see this moment and feel only love for myself. There is nothing wrong with this person. She is honest and beautiful and committed to showing up for this life. I wish I saw myself then as I see myself now. There is no need to waste your time working to be anything other than you. So hey, #tbt – thank you for the chance to honor all the hilarious ways we didn’t know ourselves upon first meeting, and all the exciting new ways we get to know ourselves while we keep living.

A photo posted by Brie (@brielarson) on Jul 21, 2016 at 9:29am PDT

The 26-year-old says she wasn’t well known enough to have a stylist or “glam squad,” and “the most I knew how to do for grooming was pin half of it back and blink on a few coats of mascara.”

Larson “cringed to take photos,” and describes how unattractive she felt, despite her achievements.

Now, she looks back on this moment and feels “only love for myself.”
Brie Larson has potentially the most non-celebrity Instagram account of any celebrity. Post continues after gallery.

Larson’s words have resonated strongly with her social media following, with almost 40,000 people liking the post and hundreds of fans writing words of support. One woman commented, “I really hope that one day everyone else see themselves this way… I know it took me a while.”

Particularly among women, the feeling of not being good enough is all too familiar. But Larson’s post is a powerful reminder not to waste our time ruminating on our imperfections, and focus instead on loving ourselves, just as we are.