Aimee Lou Wood says speaking up on film sets remains a challenge despite her growing career. The Sex Education star said she was encouraged to “quieten her voice” when she first started out and said she still faces pressure to hold back her opinions.
Aimee Lou Wood blames fragile male egos for pressure to make herself less outspoken on set
Wood made the remarks while attending the premiere of The Idiot(s) at the BFI London Film Festival on October 14. She discussed the issue in an interview with Screen International at the event. The 32-year-old said, “[You’re] having to hide how clever you are and how much you can see things and how you’re clocking absolutely everything.”
She continued, “But you have to dilute that to make people feel comfortable because men have very fragile egos a lot of the time.” Adding, “In this industry, there’s a lot of trying to be right and not be the one who got it wrong. Instead of working together and collaborating as us versus the problem, it becomes very hierarchical, and I just don’t get it.”
Wood recalled being told she “should be afraid” to voice her opinions on set or speak directly to producers. She said she had always viewed everyone on a film set as equals. Wood said she had to tone down her voice and speak less assertively early in her career. She added that she no longer feels the need to do so.
Wood grew up in Stockport, a town in Greater Manchester, England. She developed her acting skills by taking part in several productions at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her big break came when she auditioned for Sex Education. She hoped to play Lily Iglehart, but Tanya Reynolds landed the role. The casting team chose Wood to play Aimee Gibbs instead.
The hit show marked a major turning point in Wood’s career. Her performance received critical acclaim. In 2021, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Female Comedy Performance for her role. Wood also starred as Chelsea in the third season of HBO’s anthology series The White Lotus in 2025. In The Idiot(s), she will portray Anna Dostoevskaya, a 19th-century Russian memoirist. Anna was the wife of renowned author Fyodor Dostoevsky. The film’s makers have not yet announced an official theatrical release date.
