No method to Anya’s joy

Hollywood star reveals why women approach acting differently

Actress Anya Taylor-Joy has shared her thoughts on method acting, saying she has never adopted the technique despite playing some of film and television’s most emotionally demanding characters, People reported. 

In an interview, Taylor-Joy said she believes women often approach acting differently from many of their male counterparts.

“If you’ll notice, women don't method act because we have things to take care of, so we can't completely lose our minds,” she said.

The actress, known for performances in The Witch, The Queen’s Gambit, Last Night in Soho, The Menu and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, described acting as “a controlled psychosis” rather than a process of completely becoming a character.

“I see acting as a controlled psychosis in a way. You’re pretending to be somebody else and having their thoughts 16 hours a day and moving like them, in their house, in their clothes. It’s like having a sister or a roommate check in up (in my mind) for a little bit,” she said.

Taylor-Joy said she values maintaining a healthy balance between her work and personal life, adding that those close to her understand when she becomes deeply immersed in a role. Currently, she is the lead and executive producer of the crime series Lucky. She will next appear as Seren in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which is currently filming ahead of its planned 2027 release. 

She has also completed work on Dune: Part Three, reprising her role as Alia Atreides following her appearance in Dune: Part Two. Dune: Part Three is scheduled to hit the silver screens on December 18 this year.