Aimee Lou Wood Reveals How Angelina Jolie Backed Her When She “Spoke Up” On ‘Anxious People’ Set

Aimee Lou Wood Shares Support from Angelina Jolie on 'Anxious People' Set

Aimee Lou Wood has spoken about gaining confidence after addressing what she described as a “mean and unfunny” Saturday Night Live impression of her. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actress, known for The White Lotus and Sex Education, recounted an incident during the filming of Anxious People, directed by Marc Forster and co-starring Angelina Jolie.

On-Set Experience and Finding Her Voice

Wood explained she started to feel overwhelmed during an emotional scene due to multiple crew members shouting directions. Seeking calm, she requested “one direction, one voice, and no hand movements in her line of sight.”

“I’ve spent years feeling unable to say anything like that for fear of seeming argumentative – but now I feel like I can take ownership of what I need to thrive, and tell people what won’t work for me,”

she said.

Angelina Jolie’s Encouragement

When Wood voiced her needs, she noticed Angelina Jolie showing support by giving her a thumbs up. Wood reflected on Jolie’s grounded nature despite her fame:

“When I spoke up, all I could see was Angelina giving me a thumbs up. She’s possibly the most famous woman ever, but she’s so normal.”

Impact of Speaking Up

Wood also connected this moment to her previous experience when she confronted the SNL sketch that parodied her character from The White Lotus. She described the intervention as “breaking a pattern” of avoiding confrontation, similar to standing up against childhood bullies.

The April SNL sketch joked about White Lotus Season 3, set in Thailand, and caricatured Wood’s character Chelsea, with Sarah Sherman sporting buck teeth, following Wood’s comments on her exhaustion with discussions about her own teeth.

Summary

Aimee Lou Wood revealed how asserting her needs on set and confronting unfair portrayals helped her gain confidence, empowered by Angelina Jolie’s supportive presence.

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