Rainn Wilson says he was an ‘abandoned toddler’ in a ‘loveless home’ as he opens up on childhood ‘trauma’

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rainn Wilson has spoken candidly about his experiences of childhood “trauma” and how it has affected his mental health. It certainly wouldn’t have been an actor, it certainly wouldn’t have been a successful actor.” Wilson explained that his birth mother – an actor – “took off” before he turned two, leaving him to be raised by his father Robert G Wilson, who died in 2020. Wilson opened up about his experiences on Steven Bartlett’s podcast Recalling the “different kinds of abuse”, Wilson said: “Abandoned toddler, that’ll f*** you up… and was this weird gaslighting mind f***.” Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Wilson claimed that his father had experienced his own traumatic childhood, and would gaslight him, switching between “rage” and praising him and “doing kumbaya”.