RENE RUSSO is riding high starring in the blockbuster new “Thor” movie – but not long ago the redheaded beauty was mired in the throes of a secret breakdown so severe that she became a virtual recluse, often refusing to leave her home or even get dressed, said a source.
The actress, 59, suddenly dropped out of show business in 2005, was seldom seen at Hollywood events and didn’t return until she played Thor’s mother Frigga in the 2011 super-hero hit.
“After a string of box office failures, Rene came home one day, curled up into a ball and didn’t come out of the house for months at a time,” revealed an insider. “It was more than facing a mid-life crisis – she was a complete wreck!
“She stopped functioning and went off the Hollywood grid. Close friends and family would find her curled up in a fetal position in the corner of her bedroom, crying.”