Why Hayley Mills Still Can't Watch Her Final Disney Film

Hayley Mills, Disney's golden girl who charmed millions in The Parent Trap and Pollyanna, revealed in 2021 that she still refuses to watch her final Disney film more than fifty years after making it. The reason has nothing to do with the quality of the movie and everything to do with a struggle that haunted her throughout her Disney years. This video explores the untold story behind Mills' revelation about That Darn Cat! from 1965, when she was just nineteen years old. You'll discover how the pressure of maintaining Disney's perfect image led to eating disorders that followed her for decades, why the films she made in 1961 hold a special place in her heart while her last Disney movie doesn't, and what her candid admission tells us about the impossible standards placed on young women in Hollywood's golden age. Through verified sources including Mills' own memoir Forever Young and her 2021 podcast interview, we examine the gap between the wholesome image the world saw and the young woman struggling behind it. From her Academy Juvenile Oscar in 1961 to her Disney Legend status decades later, this is the story of how body image issues can last a lifetime, even for someone who seemed to have it all. Golden Age Diaries explores the untold stories, forgotten scandals, and human struggles behind Hollywood's most iconic stars from the studio system era through the 1970s. Contact: [email protected] © Golden Age Diaries 2025