Kaya Scodelario thinks she’s been “very fortunate” in her career.
Kaya Scodelario has reflected on her career journey
The 33-year-old actress came to prominence in Skins, the British teen drama, back in 2007, and Kaya was able to make a seamless transition to Hollywood, because American casting directors took a liking to her accent.
The film star told The Independent: “I was very fortunate that in the States my accent didn’t sound common.”
The British-Brazilian actress believes that the nuances of Britain’s class system were lost on casting agents in Hollywood.
Kaya said: “I just sounded like a British person. And they embraced my being Brazilian in a way that the UK never did – people wanted me to be the English rose because that’s easier than having to say all the vowels in my surname correctly.”
Kaya found fame as a teenager and she actually “felt more like an adult” than she does now.
The actress – who has two children with her ex-husband Benjamin Walker – explained: “I was put into quite a weird industry and surrounded by grown-ups all the time so had to learn very quickly how to present like a grown-up in order to be taken seriously.
“But since I’ve hit 30 I’m really enjoying not being the grown-up everyone wants me to be. I still have responsibilities and I like a lot of adulthood – saying no to things, and having my own voice – but I also want to do karaoke in a dodgy bar at three in the morning with some mates I’ve just met.”
Meanwhile, Kaya recently revealed that she’s found “real peace” since turning 30.
The film star has embraced adulthood since her milestone birthday in 2022.
Speaking to Stylist magazine, Kaya said: “Since turning 30, I’ve really enjoyed being an adult.
“It’s such a cliche but I’ve become OK with saying no to things, not needing to go out all the time, but prioritising what I want to do, feeling confident in my choices, in what I’m wearing or how I like my hair.
“I’ve found real peace, which I never felt before, because I was on show from the age of 14. I don’t feel the need to compare myself to anyone else.”
Kaya explained that financial security for her family is one of her top priorities amid the uncertainty of the acting industry.
She said: “Growing up with an immigrant parent (her mother is Brazilian), I always thought of success as making sure that, financially, everything’s all right and we can get by to the next week. So I’ve always had that work ethic of making sure that I’m safe so that I can make my family safe and make my kids safe.
“To be successful creatively is difficult in an industry where we’re not in charge of what projects we do and still need to pay the mortgage so I feel very grateful that in the last few years all the work I’ve put in means I can find success in little moments.”