Aimee Lou Wood candidly discussed her mental health struggles in an interview with Radio Times on September 29.
Throughout her teen years, Wood battled body dysmorphia, bulimia, and social anxiety, yet she still pursued her passion for acting by attending RADA.
Despite her dedication to becoming a serious actress, the 31-year-old often found herself labeled as “funny” and “quirky,” and admits that this felt “a little bit hurtful” at the time.
After graduating, Wood landed her first major role on the hit Netflix series Sex Education. While the show was a massive success, earning her a BAFTA for Best Female Comedy Performance, Wood felt her work wasn’t always taken seriously.
“Everyone was talking about how strange and offbeat I was in Sex Ed,” Wood said. “But I didn’t think I was playing the character in that way. I was just reading the lines. To me, it was just how she would express herself, but everyone was slapping their thighs and finding it really funny. When you’ve only lived with yourself, that’s normal.”
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From there, she booked White Lotus that earned her an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series. But once again, Wood was labeled as “quirky” and “funny”.
“I did a run across the beach and the camera guy was like, ‘That choice was so genius, that is exactly how Chelsea would run,’ and I was like, ‘That wasn’t a choice, that’s my run,” she told the publication.
After receiving an ADHD diagnosis, Wood says she is finally able to embrace her quirks.
“At drama school, there was such a value placed on being a very serious actor, and I didn’t like people finding me funny,” she admits. “Now, I realise it’s a great thing because tragedy and comedy are so close together. That’s life, isn’t it?”
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Wood also discovered fans who connected with her character in Sex Ed, which gave her more confidence on bad days. “It gives me confidence on the days where sometimes that little demon comes back up,” she told the outlet. “I get it so bad after social situations: obsessive, repetitive thoughts of, ‘Did I really say that? That was weird. Why did you say that?’ but then I think of those people who thank me for being weird because it means they can embrace their weirdness.”
“I still have moments when I’m really overwhelmed and stressed and I feel it coming back up, like, ‘I could just take back control by not eating…’ Then I go, ‘No, I have to [eat]’ and I catch that and try not to get burnt out,” she explained.
“Growing up, I felt a deep need to be ‘normal,’ but then I realised all my favourite people, all the people I admired, were weird — even my favourite characters, like Jane Eyre,” Wood continued.
The star also spoke about beauty standards in Hollywood. “Acting has shifted how I feel about myself. I used to hate how my face was so expressive but going into my 30s, I don’t want to miss out on life because I’m worried about how I’m being perceived. Beauty is internal and I’m my own human-shaped self, and that’s OK. I don’t need to fit into any box.”
