Anya Taylor-Joy breaks silence on school bullying that shaped her early life

Anya Taylor-Joy has reflected on the painful early years of her childhood, revealing that she was bullied at school over her appearance after moving to Britain, a period she says shaped her resilience before her rise to global fame.

Speaking in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the 30-year-old actress opened up about her difficult transition from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to London at the age of six, describing a sudden sense of isolation after starting school in the UK.

Taylor-Joy said she struggled to fit in almost immediately and was subjected to harsh comments from classmates, including being told she was “not beautiful.”

She recalled that a seemingly small incident—kissing a classmate on the cheek—led to further alienation and exclusion from her peers.

She attended Queen’s Gate School in South Kensington, where she has previously said she found it difficult to adapt socially after relocating from South America.

The actress has spoken in recent years about feeling “alienated” during her childhood due to frequent moves between countries.

Despite those early challenges, Taylor-Joy has gone on to build a major international career spanning film and television.

She is best known for her breakout roles in The Witch and Split, before achieving worldwide recognition as Beth Harmon in Netflix’s hit series The Queen’s Gambit.

Her film credits also include major titles such as Dune: Part Two and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, in which she portrayed a younger version of the iconic character first played by Charlize Theron.

She is also preparing for upcoming projects, including the Apple TV+ series Lucky.

Reflecting on her journey into entertainment, Taylor-Joy told The Hollywood Reporter that her path began unexpectedly when she was approached by a modelling scout outside Harrods as a teenager.

Although she initially had no interest in modelling, she later saw it as a stepping stone toward acting, which she already felt determined to pursue.

Her acting breakthrough came with critically acclaimed performances in horror films before her career accelerated rapidly, culminating in global stardom.

More recently, she has spoken about her experience working on Furiosa, describing the role as a long-held ambition.

She said she had “advocated and advocated and advocated” for the character’s portrayal, calling it a “hard won” achievement.

Looking back on her early life, Taylor-Joy has increasingly framed her nomadic upbringing in a more positive light.

In a separate interview with L’Officiel, she said she now views her childhood moves as formative, saying they prepared her for a life that remains naturally transient.

Today, she continues to split her time between London and Los Angeles, embracing what she describes as a “nomadic” lifestyle while remaining one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars.