Ricci: 'Insecurities kept me grounded'

Christina Ricci is convinced her insecurities as a teenager kept her from going off the rails like other former child stars.

The 27-year-old suffered terrible self-esteem issues after becoming one of Hollywood's most in-demand young actresses at the age of 11.

Ricci, who shot to fame as Wednesday Addams in the 1991 movie The Addams Family, has admitted to both self-harm and eating disorders in her youth.

However, the star insists her crippling anxieties were a blessing as they prevented her from developing an over-inflated ego.

She says: "When I was younger and just starting to become successful, I was not able to enjoy it because I was so busy hating myself. I was too uncomfortable in my own skin."