Anya Taylor-Joy Explains What Life Was Like as the Youngest of Six

Anya-Taylor Joy is getting candid about her career, as well as her personal life.

The 25-year-old Queen’s Gambit actress is on the cover of InStyle‘s October 2021 issue.

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Here’s what she had to say…

On being the youngest of six: “I had so much energy, I would drive my siblings crazy. They would pick me up, turn me upside down, and just say, ‘Where is the off button? How do we power her down?’ I had to get very good at entertaining myself. I would create all of these different worlds and go off into the woods. I remember my sister once coming into my bedroom as I was putting up posters and playing six different characters at the same time, doing all the voices. I turned around and she said, ‘You are so strange,’ and I was like, ‘But you guys aren’t going to do it. I have to be all of the characters. Otherwise, no one’s going to play with me.’”

On her life being of interest to others: “I don’t think that I could be mentally stable and be walking around and thinking, yes, this all makes sense. I also have great friends who tease me mercilessly if I even hint at being overworked or stressed. They’re like, ‘Oh yeah, honey, it’s so sad that you have to go get on a plane and go do whatever.’ It’s all in good fun, but they’re right, I’m very lucky. I’m very privileged. It’s so much, but it’s still so bizarre.”

On Queen’s Gambit: “That show was made by some of my favorite people in the world, and it’s about chess. That gives me such deep joy. I’ve been approached by 87-year-old couples who tell me they’ve watched it three times, and they’ve watched it with their grandchildren. It’s so beautiful that it’s touched so many people. But I still don’t really think I get it. Every time I see my face on a billboard, I have a sharp intake of breath.”

For more from Anya, head to InStyle.com.