Anya Taylor-Joy was bullied at school over her looks.
Despite later becoming one of Hollywood's most sought-after stars and a favourite of the fashion world, the 30-year-old actress says she was repeatedly told by fellow pupils she was not beautiful after moving to Britain as a child.
Florida-born Taylor-Joy opened up about her early experiences in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, reflecting on the challenges she faced after relocating from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to London aged six.
Taylor-Joy said she found herself ostracised almost immediately after starting school in London.
The Hollywood Reporter reported that after kissing a classmate on the cheek, she was alienated by fellow pupils and repeatedly told she was not beautiful.
Taylor-Joy made the comments while posing for a fashion shoot accompanying the interview, wearing designs by Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Rabanne, Datt Official and Lanvin.
She attended the fee-paying Queen's Gate School in South Kensington, where she said she struggled to fit in after arriving from South America.
The actress has spoken frequently in recent years about feeling isolated during her childhood, and earlier this month told L'Officiel constantly moving between countries left her feeling "alienated" from her peers.
Today, Taylor-Joy is best known for projects including Netflix's The Queen's Gambit, The Witch, Split, Dune: Part Two and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, while she is also preparing for the release of Apple TV+ series Lucky.
Despite the criticism she faced growing up, Taylor-Joy's path towards the entertainment industry began unexpectedly while she was still a teenager.
Her acting career accelerated following acclaimed performances in horror films including The Witch and Split, before she achieved global fame starring as chess prodigy Beth Harmon in Netflix phenomenon The Queen's Gambit.
More recently, Taylor-Joy led George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, portraying the younger version of the warrior first played by Charlize Theron.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails