Aimee Lou Wood Shares Support from Angelina Jolie on ‘Anxious People’ Set
Aimee Lou Wood has spoken about how she found the confidence to speak up during a challenging moment on the set of Anxious People, a film directed by Marc Forster and co-starring Angelina Jolie.
On-Set Experience with Vocal Support
Wood described an emotional scene where she began to panic because multiple crew members were shouting conflicting directions. She requested a single direction, one voice, and no hand movements obstructing her line of sight to help her perform:
“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.”
After making this request, Wood noticed Angelina Jolie's reassuring thumbs up, which she found grounding considering Jolie’s 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.”
Reflecting on Past Challenges and Growth
Wood linked this experience to a previous moment of empowerment when she publicly criticized a “mean and unfunny” Saturday Night Live parody of her character from The White Lotus.
During an April SNL sketch, the cast mocked Wood’s character Chelsea from The White Lotus Season 3 by exaggerating her teeth, performed by Sarah Sherman. Wood expressed exhaustion at frequently discussing her teeth, and her reaction to the impersonation was described as “breaking a pattern” of not standing up to childhood bullies.
Summary
Aimee Lou Wood’s experience on set and her response to media portrayals highlight her growing confidence to assert her needs and defend herself, supported by notable figures like Angelina Jolie.
Author’s summary: Aimee Lou Wood’s journey to finding her voice is marked by moments of self-advocacy on set and in public, supported and normalized by Angelina Jolie’s encouragement.