Anya Taylor-Joy Says Women ‘Don’t Method Act’ Because ‘We Can’t Completely Lose Our Minds’
Actress Anya Taylor-Joy discusses her approach to acting, stating that she avoids method acting because it is incompatible with the responsibilities of daily life. She describes acting as a form of 'controlled psychosis' that requires balance.
Why it matters
The interview provides insight into the psychological demands of professional acting and gendered perspectives on artistic process.
Anya Taylor-Joy arrives at the premiere of Apple TV's 'Lucky' on July 13, 2026 Credit: Maya Dehlin/WireImage NEED TO KNOW Anya Taylor-Joy says she avoids method acting, calling acting a "controlled psychosis" requiring balance and collaboration
She is best known for her roles in The Witch and The Queen's Gambit and continues to pursue ambitious projects
Taylor-Joy will next star in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and Dune: Part Three
Anya Taylor-Joy has built a career playing characters who live on the edge.
From a Puritan girl haunted by supernatural forces to a chess prodigy battling addiction and a post-apocalyptic warrior fighting for survival, the actress, 30, has earned a reputation for disappearing into some of film and television's most memorable roles. But despite the emotional intensity she brings to the screen, Taylor-Joy says there's one acting technique she has never adopted: method acting.
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