Washington [US], April 21 (ANI): Actress Christina Ricci has opened up about her journey to self-acceptance and learning to love herself beyond her physical appearance, and how she is instilling the same lessons in her daughter, Cleo.

In an interview with People Magazine at a 'Yellowjackets' Season 3 event, Ricci shared her insights on separating her external appearance from her true identity.

Ricci emphasised that she no longer defines beauty by external standards.

'I think what I learned was that it doesn't matter if I'm beautiful or not by anyone's standards,' she said, adding, 'I am myself. I view myself as a face and a brain. I don't think about my body. I don't think about what other people think of me.'

Ricci credited her 3-year-old daughter, Cleo, with helping her develop this perspective.

She recalled a moment when Cleo asserted her individuality and said, 'I'm not cute. I'm Cleo.'

Ricci described this as a crucial lesson in self-identity and shared that she is committed to nurturing a strong sense of self in her daughter.

She said she prioritises praising her daughter's personality, intelligence, and strength over her physical appearance.

'I talk about how strong she is, how hard she tried, how smart she is, how funny she is all the things that have to do with personality and identity,' she said in an interview with People magazine.

Ricci believes that society's emphasis on appearance often distracts women from focusing on what truly matters.

'The biggest trick that's ever been played on the female race is keeping us so preoccupied with our appearance that we can't focus on what's really important,' Ricci said.

She also shared that she hopes to inspire women to look beyond societal beauty standards and focus on their inner qualities.

Ricci has previously spoken about the challenges of growing up in the spotlight and the impact on her body image.

As per People Magazine, Ricci had earlier shared that she developed an eating disorder during puberty and has since made it a priority to promote a healthy relationship with food and body image for her children. (ANI)