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Most of the time when people talk about the top sitcoms from the ’90s, they bring up Friends, Seinfeld, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. While that makes sense since all those sitcoms are absolutely beloved, there are other shows that should be brought up more often.
When people revisit the show 3rd Rock from the Sun today, a lot of them realize how underrated it is. With that in mind, it is a shame that the show got canceled so early on arguably because NBC moved it around the schedule so much.
There are several other reasons that fans have to be frustrated with what happened to the show 3rd Rock from the Sun. Most notably, it is disappointing that many of 3rd Rock from the Sun’s former stars aren’t in the spotlight anymore and that French Stewart went through so much pain while making the sitcom.
Unfortunately, there is another reason for fans to be a little bit sad when they look back on 3rd Rock from the Sun’s legacy. After all, series star Kristen Johnson once revealed something about her experience making the show that reflects a sad truth about society.
Was Kristen Johnston Suffering From Depression While Making 3rd Rock From The Sun?
During the mid-’90s, the producers of 3rd Rock from the Sun had to tackle the extremely difficult task of casting the show. After all, they had to find a group of people who could pull off the show’s broad humor while also being relatable enough that viewers could relate and invest in them as characters.
Of course, it should go without saying that 3rd Rock from the Sun’s producers certainly saw lots of different actors for many of the show’s main characters. Sure, 3rd Rock’s creators sought John Lithgow out, so he didn’t have to audition for his role. However, the majority of the show’s stars were previously unknown so they had to fight to be cast.
When Kristen Johnston was hired to star in the beloved sitcom, she must have been overjoyed since it was the kind of opportunity that actors dream of. With that in mind, some people may assume that she had a wonderful time throughout her time starring in 3rd Rock.
In reality, no matter how much someone may want something, that doesn’t mean that they are prepared to get it.
In 2012, Johnston released a memoir titled “Guts” and then she was interviewed by Entertainment Weekly about the book. During the resulting conversation, the interviewer brought up something from Johnston’s memoir that likely would surprise most of her fans.
“You also recall in the book how you became extremely depressed during your time on 3rd Rock From the Sun.”
In response, Johnston spoke about what she was going through at that time.
“Yeah. And you’re not supposed to be. You can’t tell anybody, “I’m so bummed you gave me an Emmy.” You can’t be sad when you’re being celebrated. So it was a big conflict and there’s no shrink that can understand it.”
“You see it happen to every person, almost.” Johnston continued, “There’s, like, a year when they become super famous that they either succeed and they move through it or they fail and became a d–g addict or die or whatever. Or an a–hole!”
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“Somebody told me once that fame makes you more of what you already are and I think it’s true.” Johnston continued, “I think if you are a good human being in your heart you don’t change because of that. But I think if you’re kind of a shallow d— you become a nightmare.”
In response to Johnston’s remarks, the interviewer brought up the kind of relationship she had with her co-stars. “I assume it didn’t help that the 3rd Rock cast, unlike say the cast of Friends, was a very mixed group in terms of age and experience. “
Johnston then went on to agree that she was in a very different position than many of her 3rd Rock co-stars. However, it turns out that Johnston wasn’t the only one who struggled while they starred in the beloved sitcom.
“The most difficult part of it was the fact that it was basically me and Joey (Gordon-Levitt) struggling. I loved all of them. But John (Lithgow) was like, “Cool, a third wind.” Jane (Curtin) was like, ‘Whatever.’ French (Stewart) was excited.”
“But Joey and I were like, ‘Oh my god, what’s happening?'” Johnston continued, “It’s just such an awful feeling to lose [your anonymity]. And then, over the past few years, I’ve started to enjoy it. I don’t think I enjoy being famous but I’ve started to go, ‘This is okay.'”
Kristen Johnston’s Battle With Mental Illness Reveals A Problem In Hollywood
Several years after Kristen Johnston’s aforementioned Entertainment Weekly interview, Joseph Gordon-Levitt touched on his mental health in a Facebook post. In his post, Gordon-Levitt wrote that he didn’t think he suffers from depression but he could relate to the following quote. “Depressed people don’t have imaginary friends. We have imaginary enemies.”
Based on that post and what Johnston also revealed, it is clear that both former 3rd Rock stars can relate to the kind of struggles a lot of people go through. Despite that, Johnston also made it clear that for many years she didn’t feel comfortable being open about her issues.
Of course, it is understandable that Johnston felt that way. After all, there are a lot of people who would be angry to hear someone who has enjoyed the level of success that Johnston did complaining about their lives.
That said, the fact that people feel that way is very sad.
It should go without saying that there are far too many people who struggle to keep a roof over their heads, food in their stomachs, and to remain healthy. On top of that, there are a lot of everyday people who have to deal with struggles like worrying about paying bills.
When people have those kinds of concerns, it can be hard to feel bad for rich and famous actors. On the other hand, it is sad that a lot of people can’t empathize with another human being who is struggling just because they are successful.
Throughout Hollywood history, it has become very clear to anyone who pays attention that many people who become rich and famous falter under the public eye. Hopefully, the masses will continue to become more understanding so some of those people don’t feel so alone.
