Daryl Hannah says she was diagnosed as autistic as a child

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Hollywood actress Daryl Hannah has revealed she was diagnosed as autistic as a child, but kept her condition a secret from filmmakers for years.

"I've never been comfortable being the center of attention," the 52-year-old "Kill Bill" and "Splash" star told People magazine. "It's always freaked me out."

Hannah said she frequently bowed out of interviews and promotional appearances for her films "not because I was above it, but because I was terrified."

"I wasted so much time scared, self-conscious and insecure," she said, adding she has "learned a couple of things that really would've made my life easier if I'd known them 20 years ago."

She said she is currently focusing on environmental activism and "definitely not being offered the greatest roles in the world."

However, she said she tries not to let the lack of acting jobs impact her outlook too negatively.

"Life is too short to stress the small things anymore," she said.