Anya Taylor Joy rose to fame as the little girl portraying the titular character in The Queen’s Gambit. But she has done so much more in television and movies. That role helped win a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress. Today, however, we will talk about a different aspect of her life. How much do you know about Anya Taylor-Joy’s weight loss story?
Do you know why and how she had to lose weight for particular roles? Her physical transformation has been a topic of discussion far too often. Today, we will try to address all the rumors, all while picking up some lessons from her journey.
Anya Joy has been fit all her life, but for some roles, she has had to shed some pounds.
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Get To Know Anya
Born Anya Josephine Marie Taylor-Joy in April 1996, she is an American actress. In the past several years, she has won accolades like a Golden Globes Award, Primetime Emmy Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and many more.
She was born in Miami but spent most of her childhood in Buenos Aires and London. At the age of 16, Anya left school to pursue her acting career.
In the beginning, she got small television roles, but things went better after starring in the horror film The Witch in 2015. She would then appear in movies like Split, Glass, and Thoroughbreds. During this period, she was known as a horror actress, appearing in several horror movies.
Fun fact: her birth in Miami was a fluke. Her parents had been holidaying in the city at the time. She holds American citizenship due to the “jus soli nationality law”. Her father is of Argentinian, English, and Scottish descent. Her mother was born in Zambia to an English diplomat father, and a Spanish mother.
She spent her childhood in Buenos Aires until the age of 6 when the family relocated to the Victoria area of London. Because of her traveling, Anya is fluent in both Spanish and English.
As a young child, she had trouble fitting in. In one interview, she said, “I didn’t really feel like I fit in anywhere. I was too English to be Argentine, too Argentine to be English, too American to be anything. The kids didn’t understand me in any shape or form. I used to get locked in lockers”.
Before pursuing an acting career, she trained in dance and studied ballet. Her career began when she was walking her dog outside Harrods department store in London. There, Sarah Doukas, founder of Storm Management scouted her. Anya signed with the agency on the condition that acting was her passion and pursuit.
It took a while for Anya to get into acting, but once she got there, the young actress crushed it.
Her first big break came when she appeared in the horror film The Witch. The movie, directed by Robert Eggers, tells the story of a Puritan family encountering evil in the woods.
Critics said that “Anya was remarkable in the role, her wide-eyed innocence entwined with a thread of cunning, proof either of her quick wits, scarcely unusual in a clever and curious girl, or of some fell purpose.”
In 2020, the American actress portrayed Emma Woodhouse in the movie Emma, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. Critics praised her again, calling Anya incandescent.
Yet, most fans remember her for portraying Beth Harmon, an orphaned chess prodigy in the Netflix miniseries The Queen’s Gambit. That made her an international star, with Netflix stating it was seen in 62 million households in the first month of release.
Critics called her performance “darkly fascinating” and “so magnetic that when she stares down the camera lens, her flinty glare threatens to cut right through it”.
Her latest performance is in the television series Peaky Blinders. She appeared in the fifth and sixth seasons of the crime drama.
Why Did She Lose Weight?
Anya Taylor-Joy’s weight loss journey has been smooth and healthy. The young actress has said that it made her feel more energetic and strong.
But why did she do it? Well, producers and people in Hollywood advised her to lose weight to portray Beth Harmon. Her physical transformation made fans curious about her daily activities and what was her weight loss strategy.
Fans were astonished by the body transformation in The Queens Gambit. Known as a talented actress, Anya has always been attractive. But her recent makeover elevated her beauty to new levels.
How Did She Lose Weight?
The first thing fans want to know is the why. Then, they continue on the how. So, how exactly did Anya shed some pounds?
The Queens Gambit star worked with a personal trainer to come up with a fitness regimen that adheres to her daily habits. For starters, she practiced ballet frequently. Being that she initially studied ballet dancing, it came naturally to her.
Anya’s dance routine helps her maintain the physique she has. At the same time, the American actress has said that working every day and getting up early makes her entire day feel like a workout.
Anya Taylor-Joy Weight Loss Diet
The young actress also worked with a nutrition expert to get the shape she wanted. It played a huge role in her weight loss journey.
She opted for a vegan diet, which helped her live a healthier life. Nowadays, she eats more organic foods.
Taylor Joy turned vegetarian when she was only eight years old. But she has continued to follow a plant-based diet for many years.
Anya says that type of diet helps her feel fitter and healthier. Breakfast is of utmost importance to her, because for lunch she might eat out.
Fun fact: she admits to keeping apple cider vinegar in her fridge for some quick snacks and drinks. At the same time, she drinks a lot of water throughout the day.
Does She Have Anorexia?
When she first appeared in The Queens Gambit, there were photos of Anya that scared fans. At that point, she weighed between 110 and 115 lbs. And people were curious whether the young actress has anorexia.
She had to contend with photos of herself being used to promote eating disorders on Twitter. But this is something that happens to many celebrities.
The actress has talked about her mental health and how it helps her fight off any struggles, rumors, and challenges.
Anya Taylor Joy Health Update
On one occasion, the actress mentioned she was suffering from burnout while filming The Queens Gambit. During that period, she had to film insane scenes. And that made her have panic attacks.
In one interview, Taylor Joy said, “I put a lot of pressure on myself, and I had a panic attack on set one day just because the hours are intense and I am in every single scene, and I was trying to learn all of these different skills while also filming”.
But everyone was kind to her, and she was out only for half an hour.
Dancing Her Way To A Healthy Body
As we said before, dancing is a big part of Anya Taylor-Joy’s weight loss story. She has had a relationship with dancing since a young girl.
While she is not a regular dancer, she tries to practice as much as she can. Ballet is something she loves. This type of dancing improves coordination and toning of the body. All while instilling confidence by improving mental health.
Besides ballet dancing, Anya also goes to hip-hop dance classes. She is quite diligent with her classes and says they help her focus on one thing at a time.
Usually, her day starts with silly crazy dancing to keep her mentally sharp for the day ahead.
How Dancing Helps Weight Loss
If you like to lose a couple of pounds in a healthy way like Anya Taylor, dancing is definitely a good option. Here are some ways how dancing can help with weight loss.
- Burns calories, since the aerobic exercise can burn between 200 and 300 calories during a 30-minute session
- Improves cardiovascular health by increasing your heart rate and blood flow
- Builds muscle mass, mainly in the legs and core
- Increases metabolism, helping your body burn even more calories
- It is a great way to reduce stress and improve your mood
Generally speaking, it is an enjoyable and effective way to shed some pounds. And you can do it in different ways.
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