Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 62, reveals she was diagnosed with breast cancer the day after winning her 6th Emmy: ‘It felt like a horrible black comedy’

Julia Louis-Dreyfus opened up about being diagnosed with stage two breast cancer the day after she won her sixth consecutive Emmy Award during an interview with WSJ. Magazine that was published on Wednesday.

The 62-year-old performer discussed the shock she felt after receiving the news, which she likened to ‘a horrible black comedy.’

The Seinfeld actress, who was unaware that the classic sitcom’s creator was considering a possible reboot, also spoke about how her life had changed for the better in the years since her diagnosis.

Louis-Dreyfus began by opening up about receiving a call from her doctor the morning after she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Veep in September of 2017.

The performer portrayed the show’s lead character, Selina Meyer, for the entire length of the show’s run, which lasted from 2012 until 2019. 

She recalled: ‘It felt like it was written. It felt like it was a horrible black comedy. And then it sort of morphed into crying hysterically.’

The performer then admitted that she became scared for her health after receiving the dire news, which also served to change her outlook on mortality.

‘You just simply don’t consider it for yourself, you know, that’s sort of the arrogance of human beings. But of course, at some point, we’re all going to bite it,’ she said.

Louis-Dreyfus was ultimately declared cancer-free in October of 2018, after she underwent a double mastectomy and six rounds of chemotherapy.

The actress also spoke about the positive changes she had made in her life after undergoing her battle with the disease. 

‘I find myself living more mindfully. It’s not like it’s yakking at me all the time, but there’s more laser focus,’ she said.

The performer spoke about how her battle with breast cancer had changed her outlook on life during the 2023 New Yorker Festival, which took place last month, and she opened up about the benefits of staying stress-free.

She stated via People: ‘I’m just so happy to be here, you know. I think I’m enjoying things more. I think I work hard now to try not to allow my stress to enter my body if I can do it.’

Although Louis-Dreyfus remained realistic about the difficulty of staying calm in tense situations, she stated that the benefits of reducing stress were particularly beneficial for her mental and physical health. 

‘That’s a difficult nut to crack, you know, for sure, because we’re all stressed. But it does have an impact,’ she stated.

The actress concluded by stating that she had committed herself to maintaining a positive outlook on life despite undergoing her battle with breast cancer. 

‘I’m not saying I got cancer from stress, necessarily, but it’s not good for you. And it’s also not a happy place to live in. So, I’m just very focused on…trying to enjoy my life as much as possible,’ she said.