VIDEO: Audra McDonald Says Julliard Helped Her Get Through Dark Period

Six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald sat down for a special interview on "Popcorn with Peter Travers" and revealed how Julliard, the New York performing arts conservatory which she attended, helped her get through a very dark period in her life.

"When I was [in college] at Julliard, I had a suicide attempt," she tell Travers." "I tried to slit my wrist." She went on to explain how the school helped her cope with her depression. "When someone is suicidal, one of the first things you have to do is to protect them from themselves," she said. "They had a mental health facilitator there, a therapist there and they checked me into a mental health hospital where I was for a month and got me the help I needed."

Luckily for the actress, some life-changing professional opportunities came her way which helped her through, including a role in a national tour of "The Secret Garden" Explains McDonald, "Julliard was like... 'We think that that musical theater thing is more for you anyway. That seems to be where you're the happiest." She recalls, "I went out and did 'Secret Garden' and then I came back and finished Julliard."

Since then, the 44-year-old has gone on to great success both on stage and off. The Lady at Emerson's Bar & Grill" star won more Tonys than any other woman, along with two Grammy Awards!

Watch the interview in full below!

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!