By the time she reached early adulthood, she had grown tired of the industry.
So, she left it behind for a college degree and an office job.
Since then, Chlumsky has slowly begun to shed her reputation as the endearingly morbid Vada.
The role brought the young Chlumsky instant fame.
Suffice to say, it was a shock.
“And sometimes I just want to enjoy my privacy, too.”
Looking back, Chlumsky sees the dark side of the media’s obsession with her as a child.
For Anna Chlumsky, growing up in the public eye proved to be far from easy.
“You’re also setting them back from their ability to develop.
So when they are faced with [adult life], the tools aren’t there.”
As Chlumsky got older, she found the pressures of Hollywood difficult to grapple with.
She felt uncomfortable in her body.
She was sent to numerousdermatologists to “fix” her skin.
She was told she needed to work out on set.
Work also began to dwindle.
So, she decided to leave the industry behind entirely.
As she went on to tellElle, she was still trying to audition for films when she began college.
Then one day, she realized: “You never have to do this again.”
After that, she began ignoring her agents and skipping auditions.
She studied International Studies at the University of Chicago.
While at university, she picked up a new skill set and a new punch in of confidence.
While studying, Chulmsky began to consider her future.
“That showed me that I really didn’t want to work at the State Department either.”
Chlumsky graduated in 2002.
She met Shaun So on campus and, as of April 2023, has been with him ever since.
“We fell for each other quickly and knew we’d stay together after I graduated.”
So went on to join the Army Reserve while working at the Department of Defense.
So, he ended up going to Afghanistan in 2004 until 2006.
While it was hard for the actor, she was dedicated to her relationship.
They married in 2008.
For Chlumsky, So has come to represent stability and comfort.
“You’re not meeting each other with preconceived notions of how you are now.”
This was followed by a job as an editorial assistant at HarperCollins.
As she went on to explain, she became interested in fiction and writing.
“I went to HarperCollins and edited science fiction and fantasy,” she said.
Even though Chlumsky loved her job, she still didn’t feel satisfied.
In fact, she still felt almost as unhappy as she had as a young woman pursuing acting.
That’s why I left it.
‘No more it makes me feel like crap,'" she said toThe Guardian.
“So then to continue to feel that way was like, aargh!
And so much of that has to do with being in what I call the pre-life crisis.”
So, after a few years in publishing, she rethought things again.
Apparently, her inspiration came from a very unexpected place.
On her way to work, a fortune teller approached her in the street.
“She’s like, ‘Are you the girl from ‘My Girl?”
“I’m like, God dammit.
And then she’s, ‘Wait.
You’re not done.
You want to keep doing it.'”
As she toldThe Guardian, her husband was completely supportive.
As she toldPeople, she gave herself one year to make acting work.
So, she took a course at a New York drama school.
At first, trying to rebuild her career was tough.
Luckily, training as an adult made a big difference.
“Emotionally, it was taxing, but it still always felt right and always felt good.”
She also landed cameos in “30 Rock” and “Eight Days a Week.”
In 2008, she appeared in the film “Eavesdrop,” an ensemble film set in a restaurant.
Her second big break came in 2009 with the Armando Iannucci film “In The Loop.”
She also appeared in “Veep” another one of Iannucci’s films.
For Chlumsky, the role in “In The Loop” was a dream come true.
“It was the best moment of my career to date,” she gushed toVanity Fairin 2019.
“It was heaven; it was a joy to work with them.
They are so collaborative, and it was the most money I’d made.
So I just loved it.”
Chlumsky was thrilled to work with Iannucci again.
For one thing, she loved the process.
It’s just the most delicious way to work."
The show also ended up transforming Chlumsky’s career and giving her the stability she had been craving.
“‘Veep’ was a life-changer an absolute phenomenal life-changer,” she toldPeople.
I’m able to be choosy at this point about work I do."
The baby came just a week before the actor received an Emmy nod for “Veep.”
“My husband and I were hanging in the nursery.
My manager let me know, and he was so excited that I reacted more to his excitement.
It just came out as uncontrollable laughter.”
My priorities are in check," she said.
Two years later, Chlumsky spoke toPeopleabout her life as a mother.
“It’s awesome.
There’s no one way to be a mom or one way to be a ‘good’ mom.”
After all, every single interviewer is sure to bring up the film.
As she toldEllein 2022, she is “unequivocally” tired of discussing the movie in interviews.
“You ever get sick of talking about that recital you did when you were 10?…
“There’s so much unknown right now,” she toldVanity Fairat the time.
Luckily, she was soon cast in yet another major role.
Chlumsky first got involved with the project while still finishing up “Veep” press.
It was Chlumsky’s first time playing a real person.
She met the real-life journalist (named Jessica Pressler) and even worked with her throughout the filming process.
It was sort of thrilling, it felt a little dangerous even, it was fun.”
As the actor explained toHarper’s Bazaar, there is still a lot she wants to do including directing.
“I’ve got some wild aspirations,” she teased.
And, of course, she wants to keep acting.
But, she knows that there’s a whole new world of characters to play.
It’s cool, and it’s different.
Ingenues are done."
We certainly can’t wait to see where she goes next.
After all, she has a successful career, a jam-packed resume, and a thriving family.
Plus, she’s no longer being objectified by the media for her “My Girl” role.
“I’m very happy,” she toldElle.
“I have a beautiful life.”
But, of course, it’s complicated.
“I do love my life now,” she said to the publication.
“It’s a great life, but therapy is necessary.”
