Anya Taylor-Joy has disclosed that during her childhood, she was subjected to severe bullying.
The abuse caused the 26-year-old actress to withdraw from school at the age of 16. However, she expressed gratitude to her parents for their encouragement and reassuring words.
During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show on Thursday, the heroine of The Queen’s Gambit discussed her turbulent upbringing.
The 5’8 beauty, adorned in a daring pink gown featuring a sartorial cutout and a hemline that reached the thighs, remarked, “I was extremely, extremely fortunate to have such parents; whenever I was bullied for my appearance, my mother would always tell me to look at the person on the inside.”
“You do not look at the inside of another person in class; you do not look at such matters.”
Subsequently, the actress stated, “Do you like that person’s heart more than their professional qualifications?” Furthermore, I must extend my sincere appreciation to my mother for that; it was incredibly beneficial.
Anya was born and reared in Argentina for the initial six years of her life, until her family, whom she once referred to as “truly nomadic, travelling gipsies,” relocated to London.
She spoke no English at the time, and in a prior interview she discussed her difficulty adjusting to her new country of residence.
She recalled, “Argentina is completely verdant, and I had horses and animals everywhere; all of a sudden, I was in a large city where I had no idea how to speak the language.”
“I felt as though I did not quite belong anywhere.” Being anything was beyond my capabilities; I was either too English to be Argentine or too Argentine to be English. I truly failed to communicate effectively with the children. I used to be unable to access my storage.
She stated that as a result, she spent a considerable amount of time in the restrooms of the school.
Her family was ‘terrified’ by her decision to transfer to New York at the age of 14, and two years later, she abandoned her education to pursue an acting career.
Almost immediately thereafter, upon her return to London, Anya received a fortunate break: Sarah Doukas, the esteemed Storm model agency’s founder and one of the individuals attributed with discovering Kate Moss, noticed her.
Anya recounted her childhood experience to Entertainment Tonight last year: “During my first two years in England, I learned to read and engaged in hand-clap games with plants; if you clap them hard enough, they will reciprocate your claps.”
“At that moment, I existed.” I avoided socialising with other children. Clearly, I was an exceptionally typical child.
She further explained to Elle that her decision to pursue acting was prompted by the peculiar nature of school: “I needed to have faith in an environment where I could be appreciated and valued, and where I could actually contribute something, as opposed to constantly wondering what was wrong with me and why I did not fit in.”
Anya made her directorial debut in Robert Eggers’ 2015 period horror film The Witch, for which she garnered multiple awards, at the tender age of seventeen.
Since then, she has maintained a consistent career, starring in recurring roles on BBC series Peaky Blinders and The Miniaturist. However, she achieved a certain level of widespread recognition when she landed the title role in the film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma. She recalled being drawn to the character due to her stubborn nature.
Additionally, she appeared in The Queen’s Gambit (2020), which established the benchmark for the highest-grossing scripted limited series to date.
She stated elsewhere in her conversation with Drew that Sarah Jessica Parker had an immediate impact on her.
Drew declared, “As a woman, I am completely infatuated with you at this moment.” You reportedly enjoy praise. Sexuality and the city appeal to you. You’re enjoyable and nice.
“Age surpasses Simply put, I would like to socialise with you and revive dance gatherings. Are you certain that you approached Sarah Jessica Parker and stated, “I am observing you and Big?”
Anya subsequently remarked, “Yeah, it was a terrible moment for me simply because I ran up to her when I saw her; I was going through a terrible breakup, and I was like, ‘Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve been admiring your relationship with Big, and it’s given me a lot of hope.'”
Taylor-Joy was romantically involved with Eoin Macken between 2016 and 2018.
“Oh, she’s saying you’re getting back together,” to which I replied, “No.” “That I may endure, that I may gain insight from this, and that everything will be alright.”Her response was “Okay.”
According to Page Six, Anya married Malcolm McRae in an intimate courthouse ceremony this summer.
Additionally, she stated that she led a healthful lifestyle while working in Berlin for The Queen’s Gambit.
“By virtue of waking up on Sundays, I genuinely believe I was in the best health of my life.” After having luncheon, I would proceed to the club. She stated, “I would dance for eight hours without speaking to anyone, then return home, eat a bowl of spaghetti, and wake up at four o’clock in the morning to go to work.”