It's just an act for 'Once' teen

By Arlene Vigoda, USA TODAY
Once and Again's Evan Rachel Wood says she relied on her acting instincts to play Jessie Sammler, who is battling an eating disorder. The powerful story line began two weeks ago on the ABC series' Thanksgiving dinner episode.

"I've never known about anybody that had that problem, so I just had to imagine what it would be like," says Wood, 13, whose character on the critically acclaimed drama is seen tonight (10 ET/PT) discussing her anorexia with a therapist. (He's played by series creator/director Edward Zwick.)

"Sometimes I hear my friends talking about how fat they are, and I think, 'How could you talk like that? Your stomach is so flat, and you look healthy and fine,'" Wood says. "It's upsetting that how you look is the most important thing."

She doesn't watch her weight. "All my friends get mad at me," she says with a laugh. "I eat all the time. My mom forces salads on me, and I really like to eat healthy, but I love junk food, too — especially Whoppers at Burger King."

Wood says she understands some of the issues confronting her TV character, a high school freshman who is turning 14. "I see how much Jessie is going through," she says. "She is realizing that her parents (played by Billy Campbell and Susanna Thompson) will never get back together."

Wood's parents split up when she was 9. "Sometimes the stories on the show hit close to home," she says. "It's really easy to put myself in that place, but the good thing is I can let things out as Jessie and cry."__USA TODAY (December 4, 2000)