From Stockport to LA: How Aimee Lou Wood Captivated the World
The Bafta-winning actress Aimee Lou Wood has steadily become one of the most compelling talents on both stage and screen. Known for her unguarded honesty and precision, she continues to charm audiences worldwide.
"I have to take some time to myself or my mind will explode," she says. "I turn everything in on myself and get so spirally — a lot of that is repressed rage."
Wood’s openness mirrors the authenticity she brings to her performances. She first gained recognition as the tenderly naive Aimee in Sex Education, a role that earned her a Bafta in 2021. Her portrayal of Sonya in Uncle Vanya at the Harold Pinter Theatre in 2020 revealed her emotional depth, followed by her radiant Miss Harris opposite Bill Nighy in the 2022 film Living. A year later, she impressed audiences again as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on London’s West End.
"I was really lucky to have this fantastic teacher at Rada who would always say, 'Just tell the truth. All of the other stuff will come, but just tell the truth,'" she recalls. "I’m not sure I know any other way to act."
This commitment to truth shaped her latest role as the kind-hearted Chelsea in season three of The White Lotus, which earned her the award for Television Actress. Though other British actors have appeared on the show, she is the first to keep her natural accent. She initially auditioned using a California inflection, but creator Mike White was so impressed by her Manchester tones that he rewrote the character’s backstory to match.
Author’s Summary
Aimee Lou Wood rises from Stockport to Hollywood through fearless honesty and emotionally rich performances that resonate deeply with global audiences.