Advertisement

Anya Taylor-Joy was 'devastated' the first time she saw herself in 'The Witch'

Anya Taylor-Joy starred as Thomasin in The Witch. (Universal Pictures)
Anya Taylor-Joy starred as Thomasin in The Witch. (Universal Pictures)

Anya Taylor-Joy has said she was "devastated" the first time she saw herself act in The Witch.

The 25-year-old made her cinematic debut in Robert Eggers' 2015 film but she didn't think she'd be getting more work offers after seeing herself as Thomasin on the big screen.

"Rob showed us the film maybe two hours before the audience screening, and I was devastated," she told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview.

Watch: Anya Taylor-Joy felt 'exposed and vulnerable' during The Queen's Gambit

"I thought I’d never work again, I still get shivers thinking about it. It was just the worst feeling of, 'I have let down the people I love most in the world. I didn’t do it right.'

"And I’m quite verbose, I like to talk, I like to communicate. I did not talk, I just cried. I couldn’t handle seeing my face that large."

Anya Taylor-Joy didn't enjoy seeing herself on the big screen at first. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Anya Taylor-Joy didn't enjoy seeing herself on the big screen at first. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

The film was ultimately a critical and commercial success, with Eggers taking home the Directing Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and Taylor-Joy earning herself a Gotham Award and an Empire Award for her portrayal.

Her latest critically acclaimed role was Beth Harmon in the Netflix mini-series The Queen's Gambit.

She picked up Best Actress gongs at the Critic's Choice Television Awards, Golden Glove Awards and Outstanding Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

It broke viewing figure records for the streaming platform at the time, with Netflix stating 62 millions households tuned in over the first 28 days it became available.

Watch: Last Night in Soho teaser trailer