Anya Taylor-Joy on Growing Up: 'I Always Felt Like I Didn't Fit in With My Own Age Group'

Anya Taylor-Joy might be super successful in Hollywood these days – she’s up for the Rising Star Award at this Sunday’s BAFTAs – but she didn’t start off that way.

The Thoroughbred actress is spilling on her experience growing up in Argentina and England (her mom is English and Spanish, and her dad is Argentinian and Scottish).

“I always felt like I didn’t fit in with my own age group,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. “I had a really hard time in school. I didn’t really have many friends that were my age – still now, all my friends are at least 10 years older than me.”

“Growing up in so many different places, I just never belonged,” she added. “I belonged everywhere but I didn’t belong anywhere. In Argentina, I was the English girl. In England I was ‘so exotic’ because I came from Argentina. In America, I’m the English-Argentine girl. I didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere and I was desperate to find a place where I belonged.”

To hear what she had to say about her BAFTA nomination and dream projects, head to

Pictured: Anya wearing Elie Saab while attending the BAFTA 2017 film gala dinner on Thursday (February 9) in London, England.