Dan Levy, who co-authored, wrote and starred in Schitt's Creek, revealed that his anxiety caused him to wear a neck brace on set during season 6.
Schitt's Creek co-creator and star Dan Levy revealed that due to anxiety and stress, he had to wear a neck brace on set during the shooting of Season 6. Schitt's Creek debuted in 2015 and was created by Dan and his father, comedian Eugene Levy. This Canadian sitcom tells the story of the wealthy Ross family's fortunes changing overnight, making them bankrupt and trapped in this nominal backwater town, which is their last remaining asset. Although their permanent residency in the motel in the town seemed to be a nightmare at first, the Roses slowly began to rebuild their lives and establish contact with the community, strengthening their bond in the process.
Schitt's Creek attracted a fairly moderate following in the first three seasons and gained popularity when the series was added to Netflix in 2017. However, with the decline in the sixth and final seasons of the series, the sitcom’s ratings soared during the pandemic 2020. The series continued to dominate the comedy category at the 2020 Emmy Awards, winning the comedy series The most awards in a single season-including Dan Levy's outstanding supporting actor. Levi also received praise for his role as screenwriter, director, and joint performance in season 6.
Related: Why did Schitt's Creek end after Season 6 (was it cancelled?)
Now, Levy reveals that the success of the final season of Schitt's Creek was hard-won. In an interview with GQ, the actor, writer and presenter admitted that the show had taken over his life and said that because he played multiple roles on and off the screen, he would not sleep for more than eight hours in total for a few weeks. During the shooting of Season 6, Levy had to wear a neck brace because his anxiety affected him so much that the pressure reached its peak. Read his full quote below:
The anxiety on my neck is so severe that I cannot move it. Once, an acupuncturist and a chiropractor came to work on my neck at lunch every day so that I could actually perform instead, you know, it looks like I need a neck brace.
Levy's hard work at Schitt's Creek clearly paid off, as his writing and acting as David Rose won the show's praise, especially in portraying David's romantic relationship with his business partner Patrick (Noah Reid). However, his experience of anxiety is a surprising reminder that spinning too many plates can bring mental and physical loss. Levy's openness is an important encouragement, encouraging everyone to consider how their workload might affect their health.
The success of Schitt's Creek may not come easily, but it is clear that this is just the beginning of Levy. In addition to an unforgettable supporting role in the 2020 Christmas movie "Happiest Season", the talented multi-hyphen recently signed an agreement with Netflix to produce original content across movies and TV, including A romantic comedy written, directed and starred in. There is no doubt that he will bring his experience at Schitt's Creek into the new project, encouraging fans of his work to consider how their mental health and well-being are related to their careers.
More: Everything Dan Levy has done since Schitt's Creek
Sian is the final year student of English and Film major at the University of Birmingham. When she doesn't analyze TV and movies for her thesis, she only analyzes TV and movies for fun, whether as a news writer for Screen Rant or as a TV editor for the student publication Redbrick of UOB. In his spare time, Sian likes to watch TV and movies, so he doesn't need to analyze them.