Supported by a cane

Anna Paquin struggles with mysterious illness

Anna Paquin had massive health problems for two years, which she had previously kept secret.(Bild: APA/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Leaning on a cane, Anna Paquin appeared at the premiere of her new film "A Bit Of Light" in New York on Wednesday evening. The actress revealed that she has been battling a mysterious illness for two years. 

The unspecified illness has not only made it difficult for her to walk, but has also made it difficult for her to speak, she told US magazine "People".

"Challenging"
The past two years have been "challenging" for the 41-year-old actress, who plays the lead role in "A Bit of Light" directed by her husband Stephen Moyer, she revealed. However, her recovery is progressing.

Anna Paquin and her husband Stephen Moyer, who directed the film.(Bild: APA/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Husband and director
While Paquin is on the road to recovery, she expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support of her husband Stephen Moyer, the director of the indie drama "A Bit of Light".

"He's my favorite person to play with," she praised Moyer, acknowledging his talent as a director without mixing sentimental feelings into her work.

In "A Bit of Light", Paquin embodies an alcoholic mother who struggles with personal demons and loses custody of her children in the process. She reflects on the complexities of motherhood and the reality that women are often forgotten as individuals once they become mothers.

"Not everyone ends up having the motherhood journey they hoped or planned for," she explained. "We are all flawed and imperfect." Paquin and Moyer are parents to twelve-year-old twins. 

Oscar at 11
Anna Paquin became famous at the age of 11 when she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in the film "The Piano" (1993). At the time, she was the second youngest winner in the history of the Oscars.

This early success opened the doors to further roles in well-known films such as "Amy and the Wild Geese" (1995), "Forrester - Found!" (2000) and "X-Men" (2000). She was also seen in the role of mutant Rogue in the X-Men sequels "X-Men 2" (2003) and "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006).

Anna Paquin had to lean on a stick at the premiere of "A Bit of LIght".(Bild: APA/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Mother of twins
From 2008 to 2014, she played the lead role in the successful HBO vampire series "True Blood". For this role, she received the Golden Globe for Best Series Lead Actress in 2009.

The self-confessed bisexual actress also met her husband Moyer during filming.