Aimee Lou Wood Opens Up About Finding Her Voice — and How Angelina Jolie Had Her Back on Set

Sex Education and The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood has opened up about a pivotal moment on the set of Marc Forster’s upcoming film Anxious People — one that revealed both her growing confidence and the quiet strength of her co-star Angelina Jolie.

In a candid interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Wood recalled a moment of panic while filming a highly emotional scene. Surrounded by multiple crew members shouting directions, she felt overwhelmed and unable to focus. Gathering her courage, she spoke up and asked for a single voice to direct her — a boundary she says she’d previously been too afraid to set.

“I’ve spent years feeling unable to say anything like that for fear of seeming argumentative,” Wood said. “But now I feel like I can take ownership of what I need to thrive.”

Her words were met with silent encouragement from Angelina Jolie, who, Aimee Lou Wood revealed, gave her a reassuring thumbs-up from across the set. “She’s possibly the most famous woman ever,” Wood added, “but she’s so normal.”

Jolie’s Quiet Support and Wood’s Personal Growth

The moment marked a milestone in Aimee Lou Wood’s evolution as both an artist and a person. Coming off the heels of her public criticism of Saturday Night Live’s “mean and unfunny” impression of her White Lotus character, Wood described speaking up as “breaking a pattern” rooted in childhood experiences with bullying.

On Anxious People, Angelina Jolie’s subtle but powerful gesture helped validate that newfound strength. The film, adapted from Fredrik Backman’s novel, stars Jolie as investment banker Zara and Wood as Grace, a reluctant bank robber who takes strangers hostage on Christmas Eve — setting off a cascade of confessions, chaos, and humanity.

Hollywood and Mental Health: “Emotionally Bulimic”

Beyond the set, Wood spoke candidly about the toll Hollywood has taken on her mental health. “I find LA emotionally bulimic,” she said. “It’s this super-sized adventure where everyone’s talking about you all the time, and you have to talk about yourself all the time. Then I leave, and I want to throw it all up.”

It’s a raw admission from an actor known for her vulnerability and wit — one that further cements her reputation as a voice for authenticity in an industry that often rewards perfection over honesty.

Next, Aimee Lou Wood is set to portray Pattie Boyd, the legendary muse of George Harrison and Eric Clapton, in Sam Mendes’ ambitious The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event.

With Anxious People slated for release soon, Wood’s newfound assertiveness — and Jolie’s quiet solidarity — signal not just a shift in her career, but a broader conversation about respect, boundaries, and empathy in filmmaking.

As Wood herself put it: “I’m learning that speaking up isn’t defiance — it’s survival.”