Kaya Scodelario discusses UK acting barriers, Hollywood success, and industry representation

Actress Kaya Scodelario has opened up about the class-based challenges she faced within the UK acting industry. Best known for her iconic role as Effy Stonem in Skins, Scodelario shared her personal experiences with The Guardian, offering insights into her journey after the show ended. Growing up in a council flat in Islington with her Brazilian mother, the 32-year-old star admitted to struggling with self-confidence following the end of Skins. At one point, she even walked out of an audition for the BBC’s Emma, feeling out of place among what she described as “posh, gorgeous” actresses.

Despite these early setbacks, Scodelario’s career took off internationally, with major roles in blockbuster franchises such as The Maze Runner and Pirates of the Caribbean. She noted that, in contrast to the UK, she encountered fewer barriers in Hollywood, where her background didn’t limit her casting opportunities. However, Scodelario also confessed that, in the UK, she was often cast in roles like that of a maid in period dramas due to her working-class roots.

Looking to the future, Scodelario expressed optimism about the industry’s evolution, stating that it is slowly shedding its outdated ideas about what a British actor should look or sound like. This sentiment aligns with recent reports showing a decline in working-class representation in the UK’s creative industries. In 2024, just 8% of industry professionals identified as working-class, while middle and upper-class individuals made up over 60%.

Reflecting on her time on Skins, Scodelario also discussed the lack of proper safeguarding on set, especially when she filmed explicit scenes at a young age. She emphasized the importance of choreographed sex scenes in today’s productions, noting that such scenes are now treated with the care and professionalism they deserve.