Amy Schumer cries as she discusses struggling with her body image after finding fame

Comedian struggled to dress in a way that made her feel comfortable in the public eye

Amy Schumer (Reuters)

As a leading stand-up comedian whose film Trainwreck just grossed $110m, confidence and body image are not something you might expect to hear Amy Schumer worrying about.

Schumer is speaking to women about improving their self-confidence through fashion in 'style empowerment' workshops launched with the charity Goodwill of Southern California.

Speaking to Today, she described her own difficulties with learning how to dress in a way that made her feel comfortable after being catapulted to fame.

She became emotional as she spoke about the effect her stylist Leesa Evans had on her for showing her and her sister how to dress confidentially.

"It's been a struggle for me my whole life, and especially just being in the entertainment industry," she said.

“Standing on a stage in front of people, I can't perform my best or be confident if I'm not sure — if I'm pulling at something [I'm wearing]. And sometimes I would just want to throw in the towel and be like, 'I'm not gonna go do standup tonight.

"My sister and I, we both have always dressed badly Leesa had given me this gift of showing me how to dress and feel good. […] She shopped for my sister also, and seeing my little sister wearing a little blazer and a shirt and looking just like a strong, beautiful woman, it was ... to see this person I care the most about being given those tools was really moving for me."