Anya Taylor-Joy Opens Up About Fame, Privacy and Pressure of ‘Dune: Part Three’

Anya Taylor-Joy has opened up about the personal cost of fame, saying it took her time to adjust to living under constant public attention.

In a recent interview with Miley Cyrus for V Magazine, Taylor-Joy discussed her approach to fame, her career and her upcoming role in Dune: Part Three. Asked how she protects herself from life in the public eye, the actress said she may have protected herself “too much.”

“It took me a minute to not feel hunted, to not want to hide,” Taylor-Joy said. She added that she has learned to focus on opinions that matter to her rather than those based on limited information.

Taylor-Joy has also experienced the dangers that can come with celebrity. In 2023, an armed robber broke into a luxury London home where she was staying with her husband, musician Malcolm McRae. According to the Associated Press, the intruder attempted to force his way into Taylor-Joy’s bedroom with a crowbar before fleeing after McRae claimed he had a gun. The robber was later sentenced to three years in prison.

The actress rose to prominence with films including The Witch and Thoroughbreds, before starring in Split and gaining wider recognition for Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.

Taylor-Joy will next appear in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, playing a pivotal role as the sister of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. Despite the scale of the franchise, she said she does not feel pressured by expectations from fans.

“I’ve never let that be a concern,” she said, adding that she approaches each project with “complete commitment to the present, an open heart and wild curiosity.”

Taylor-Joy said the greatest pressure comes from herself. She described having “absurdly high standards” and said she remains focused on giving each project her best.

“Growing up has meant I’ve learned that sometimes perfection is in letting go,” she said.