Anya Taylor-Joy believes acting "saved [her] life.
The ‘Split’ actress moved out of her parents’ home when she was just 16 years old but doesn’t want to explain how she ended up in such a "difficult place" at a young age until she’s sure her story can help other people.
She said: "I grew up really fast because I had to. You couldn’t pay me to go back to being 16.
"I moved out [of my parents’ house in London] and started living alone.
"There’s definitely a story to be told there, but I want to make sure that when I do tell it I’ve got all my ducks in a row, so it can make an impact for the greater good. I was in a really difficult place, and I’m not kidding when I say [acting] saved my life."
The 22-year-old star is the youngest of six children and claims she has a "unique" relationship with her parents because they’ve always trusted her to make the right choices after watching how her siblings behaved.
She told Britain’s Marie Claire magazine: "There’s a large age gap between myself and my siblings, so I grew up like, ‘I’m going to this party, people will be drinking and smoking, but I’m not going to do any of it and I’ll probably come back around this time.’
"They never got angry with me because I always told the truth. My parents and I have a unique relationship; they’ve always trusted my judgement."
Anya admitted she has constantly fought to try and be "normal" – but it’s only when she stopped worrying about her "weird" behaviour that she’s curbed her more impulsive tendencies.
She said: "I’m quite ‘extra’ as a person. I spent so much of my childhood trying to be normal and dampen down all [my] craziness.
"Then, last year, I just thought, ‘I’m done. I’m gonna be myself and do weird things with my hands and sing at inappropriate moments.’
"The other day my sister said, ‘You do realise that since you’ve stopped trying to be normal, you’ve actually become normal, because you’re not behaving in the way you think you should behave.’ "
Anya Taylor-Joy saved by acting
