Erin Moriarty shares emotional health struggle during 'The Boys' production

Erin Moriarty reveals she felt like she was 'dying' while filming 'The Boys' amid Graves’ disease symptoms

Erin Moriarty has opened up about the severe health struggles she faced while filming the final season of The Boys, revealing she believed she was “dying” before receiving her Graves’ disease diagnosis.

In a new op-ed for Time, Moriarty described the experience of living with undiagnosed symptoms as “physical hell,” explaining that her condition escalated while she was working on the fifth and final season of the Prime Video superhero series. She said she was in so much discomfort at one point that death “felt like a potential relief.”

The actress, who plays Annie January / Starlight, shared that the symptoms of her autoimmune disorder significantly affected her ability to work. She recalled struggling with memory loss, physical exhaustion and emotional disconnect while still performing in a high-pressure production environment.

Moriarty said the experience was made more difficult by being in the public eye, noting that her visible symptoms were often speculated about and dismissed online while she continued filming.

She added that she eventually sought specialist medical help and was referred to a neurologist before receiving a diagnosis of Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition affecting the thyroid. The disorder can cause a range of symptoms including fatigue, weight changes, tremors and heart irregularities.

Moriarty was diagnosed during production of the final season and later shared her condition publicly, saying she hoped transparency could encourage others to seek medical attention earlier.

Despite her struggles, she described her role in The Boys as deeply meaningful, noting that she felt a disconnection from her character during her illness but continued working through the production’s conclusion.

She has since emphasized the importance of recognising symptoms early and seeking medical care, encouraging others not to ignore persistent health changes.