Dan Levy Revealed Why He Needed a Neck Brace While Filming 'Schitt's Creek'

As a writer, showrunner, and star of the beloved series, Schitt's Creek, it's safe to say that Dan Levy wore many hats throughout the show's five-year run. But during the show's sixth and final season, the 38-year-old endured physical struggles behind the scenes.

In a new interview with British GQ, Levy revealed that during the final season of Schitt's Creek, his anxiety manifested itself into physical pain that was so excruciating, he actually had to wear a neck brace when cameras weren't rolling. "The anxiety in my neck was so bad I couldn't move it," said Levy. "At one point there was an acupuncturist and a chiropractor coming to set every day at lunch to work on my neck so that I could actually perform and not, you know, look like I needed a neck brace." (

It wasn't the first time his anxiety caused him physical distress: Levy previously admitted to Bustle in December 2020 that his lifelong anxiety led him to isolate himself and avoid socializing, as well as causing iritis (which is the inflammation of the iris, the colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil).

"I think that came from a deep-rooted fear of knowing that I was gay and not being able to be free," said Levy to Bustle. "By the time I got to high school, when your brain is starting to catch up to your physical impulses, it led to a very confusing time. Because on the one hand, you are now being introduced to things like self-awareness and anxiety. At the same time, you're becoming more and more savvy when it comes to hiding it."

Levy also told Bustle that he was anxious about his peers discovering his true self. "Fear of being ridiculed. Fear of being othered. Fear of exposing something that I think a lot of high school students at the time didn't have the tools to process properly, to make it comfortable for me," he said.

Thankfully, Levy is proudly being the change he wished to see in the world when he was younger. His Schitt's Creek character, David Rose, is pansexual, and he also made it a point to show physical affection with his on-screen beau, Patrick Brewer, who was played by Noah Reid. (

ICYDK, there are two widely-accepted definitions of pansexual: One is being attracted to someone regardless of their sex or gender identity, while the other is an attraction to all sexes and gender identities.

Levy also recognizes the show's impact on the LGBTQIA community. "Wishing I had something like it as a kid, hoping it would be some kind of comfort for me growing up—it's an incredibly emotional experience to know that I've done something that has helped, you know, lighten the load, or helped change the conversation within a family, or made someone feel empowered," he told British GQ of Schitt's Creek. "Because growing up that's all I feel like I hoped for."

Indeed, Levy's creation changed many lives, including that of his own co-star, Emily Hampshire, who revealed that one particular scene in the series made her realize she was pansexual.

As for the future, Levy told British GQ that he plans to continue doing the work to create LGBTQIA representation in mainstream media. In fact, Levy says he's always wanted to make a romantic comedy with a gay lead. "I've always wanted to be in one," he said. "And as a gay person, you don't ever get that kind of opportunity. You get to play the zany friend or Pepe the coworker. So I'm really excited and honored to have that opportunity: to put a gay person front and center in a rom-com."