Los Angeles, CA (BANG) - Christina Ricci's teenage battle with anorexia stopped her enjoying her fame.

The "Black Snake Moan" star felt pressured to conform to the Hollywood ideal of perfection and admits the struggle made her unhappy.

Christina, 27, said, "I was a teenager going through adolescence and at one point I had a little anorexia phase and then I kind of ballooned. I feel my body now is the adult Christina and it's what I should have come to a long time ago if I hadn't been screwing around with my body so much."

"I was too busy thinking about my skin or my weight or the clothes I was wearing instead of just enjoying it and saying, 'I can't believe I get to be here. This is awesome and I'm going to experience it.'"

The actress - who is about to star opposite James McAvoy and Reese Witherspoon in new romantic comedy "Penelope" - admits she is vain, but she has learned not to obsess about her looks.

She added to U.S. TV show "Entertainment Tonight", "The more weight you give your criticisms, the more it's going to affect you. Vanity is unnecessary. I'm the vainest person around but I have found a way to let that go so I can just have fun. You really have to make a decision in life that you're not going to be crippled by your insecurities."