Aimee Lou Wood Shares Support from Angelina Jolie on Set
Aimee Lou Wood has opened up about a pivotal moment on the set of the upcoming film Anxious People, co-starring Angelina Jolie. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the acclaimed actress discussed her journey towards finding her voice, particularly after she addressed an impression of her on Saturday Night Live that she found “mean and unfunny.”
During the filming of Anxious People, directed by Marc Forster, Lou Wood faced a challenging situation while shooting an emotional scene. She felt overwhelmed by the chaos of multiple crew members shouting directions. Seeking clarity, she made a request for a single clear voice without hand gestures in her line of sight. She reflected, “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.”
In that moment of vulnerability, Lou Wood felt reassured by Jolie’s support. “When I spoke up, all I could see was Angelina giving me a thumbs up,” she said. “She’s possibly the most famous woman ever, but she’s so normal.” This encounter exemplified the kind of supportive atmosphere Lou Wood hopes to cultivate in her career.
Lou Wood also expressed a sense of catharsis after addressing the SNL sketch, which featured a parody of her character, Chelsea, in The White Lotus. The sketch, which aired in April 2023, included a portrayal by Sarah Sherman that played on Lou Wood’s own insecurities about her appearance. “It felt like breaking a pattern of not standing up to childhood bullies,” she noted.
Navigating Hollywood has not been without its challenges for Lou Wood. She described her experiences in Los Angeles as emotionally draining, saying, “I find LA emotionally bulimic, and I say that as an ex-bulimic. It is this super-sized adventure where everyone’s talking about you all the time and you have to talk about yourself all the time.” She added, “And then I leave, and I want to throw it all up.”
Lou Wood is set to portray Pattie Boyd in the upcoming project, Sam Mendes’ The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event. As her career progresses, she continues to seek environments that nurture her creativity and well-being.
The synopsis for Anxious People describes a chaotic Christmas Eve when investment banker Zara, played by Jolie, finds herself among strangers at an open house. A reluctant bank robber, played by Lou Wood, inadvertently takes the group hostage, leading to a comedic unraveling of secrets and unexpected revelations.
This film promises to showcase a blend of humor and humanity, with a star-studded cast that includes both Lou Wood and Jolie. As the release date approaches, audiences can look forward to Lou Wood’s continued evolution as an actress and advocate for self-advocacy in the entertainment industry.
