Translated by Bethszabee Garner

In January 2024, during Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris, the excitement was palpable in front of the Rodin Museum. A crowd of enthusiastic fans gathered, chanting a name with fervor: Anya. When an elegant car pulled up, the murmurs turned to cheers. The door opened and Anya Taylor-Joy appeared, her blonde hair floating gracefully in the Parisian breeze. Dressed in a sumptuous red dress, perfectly matched to her crimson lips and complemented by a pair of flat biker boots, all designed by Dior, for whom she is an ambassador, she makes a very noticeable entrance.

Smiling, Anya plays along with the photographers and journalists who hold out microphones and cameras, answering questions in an impressive linguistic ballet, switching effortlessly between Spanish, her mother tongue, and English, which she learned at the age of 8 by reading the Harry Potter adventures.

Born in Miami and raised in Argentina until the age of six, Anya grew up in a peaceful environment with five siblings. The family's move to London, caused by the political situation in Argentina, was a shock for her. Determined to return home, the young girl refused to learn English in the hope of returning to the country she loved. “I wanted to go home and, with my 6-7-year-old mindset, I thought my parents would have to take me back if I didn't speak the language,” she recalls. Unsurprisingly, her attempt failed. She consoled herself by discovering the lives of the wizard apprentices at Hogwarts. “My language skills were quite advanced when I was young because I learned from those books. I knew the spells from a very young age.”

As a child, Anya Taylor-Joy attended Queen's Gate School in Kensington. Like many little girls, she took ballet classes and dreamed of becoming a prima ballerina.

However, her transition to middle school in London proved more complicated. "I didn't really feel like I belonged anywhere. I was too English to be Argentinean, too Argentinean to be English, too American to be anything." It was then that she replaced her passion for dance with theater. She won her first acting awards and earned excellent grades in history, English, theater, and classics.

Spotted on the street

But despite her academic success, Anya still didn't feel at home within the walls of her school. Her classmates made fun of her “too big” eyes, making her feel isolated. She also suffered harassment on social media. “Kids are mean. And if they don't understand something, they're even meaner,” she says.

Refusing to accept the teasing, Anya decided at the age of 14 to take control of her destiny. Determined and courageous, she left London for New York to study film and pursue her dream.

Back in London, shortly before her 16th birthday, Anya had an encounter that would change her life. Sarah Doukas, founder of the Storm modeling agency, crossed her path and recounts: "I was driving through Knightsbridge with my assistant when I noticed a very elegant girl walking her dog. She immediately caught my attention because I found her interesting and beautiful. Like I usually do, I decided to approach her right away. So as not to miss her, I asked Terrance to get out and talk to her while I parked. We scared her, because she picked up her dog and started running. So I drove around and rolled down my window to introduce myself properly. I said, “Hi, I'm Sarah Doukas, and I'm Storm's owner. I'd love to talk to you and your parents about the possibility of joining our agency to discuss modeling with us,” Sarah told us.

The next day, Anya and her parents were in Sarah's office to sign the contract. "We explained how we work, that we are a small, dynamic team, an independent modeling agency though operating on a global scale. At that time, Anya was very young and still in school full-time. That's a priority, and we encourage children to make it their main goal. But over the years, it became clear that Anya was more interested in film and a career as an actress." Shortly afterwards, the young girl became the face of Viktor and Rolf's Flowerbomb perfume.

Two years later, her parents' worst fears came true. In a long letter, Anya explained why she wanted to give up her studies to devote herself entirely to film. Touched by her vocation, they accepted her choice. “I think it's the biggest risk I've ever taken in my life. I'm lucky it worked out, because the story would have been very different if I had failed,” the actress told our colleagues.

For their part, the Storm team does everything it can to support its talent. “We always support those who have aspirations beyond fashion, as well as those who want to pursue an acting career,” says Sarah Doukas. Lou Gima, one of our agents, supported Anya in her early days, particularly with castings."

But it was thanks to a shoot with the Downton Abbey team that Anya landed her first role in The Witch. During a conversation with actor Allen Leech, with whom she had struck up a friendship, Anya confided in him about her desire to become an actress. Allen Leech then put the young woman in touch with his agent, who suggested she audition for The Witch.

From The Witch to Furiosa

In 2015, Anya Taylor-Joy made a sensational debut in the world of cinema with the psychological horror film The Witch, directed by Robert Eggers. This film genre, far removed from the image one might have of her, transcends her. “I love horror films because they allow you to explore human emotions in an extreme and authentic way,” she says. In The Witch, she plays Thomasin, a teenager in 17th-century puritanical New England who is confronted with occult forces. Her performance, combining innocence and intensity, was praised by critics and audiences alike, earning her several awards, including the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Breakthrough Performer.

In 2016, Anya continued to showcase her immense talent in M. Night Shyamalan's Split. She plays Casey Cooke, a teenager kidnapped by a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder. Her subtle and powerful performance contributed to the commercial success of the film, which grossed $278.5 million. “I loved playing Casey because she represents a quiet strength in the face of terror,” says Anya. She reprised the role in 2019 in Glass, where she explored the nuances of her tormented character in even greater depth.

While Anya cemented her status as an actress with these films, it was her role in The Queen's Gambit, a Netflix miniseries, that took her career to new heights. The story of Beth Harmon quickly became a global phenomenon. Anya describes this role as one of the most demanding and rewarding of her career. Once again, her performance was unanimously praised by critics and audiences alike. She received numerous awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries. To portray a chess prodigy navigating between sudden success and personal struggles with addiction and loneliness, Anya worked closely with Garry Kasparov to better understand the psychology and techniques of the game. “I learned the matches five minutes before, I saw it as finger choreography,” she explains.

Since then, Anya Taylor-Joy has gone from one successful role to another in Hollywood, cementing her status as a rising star. She starred in Emma (2020), an adaptation of Jane Austen's novel, as well as in the psychological thriller Last Night in Soho (2021) directed by Edgar Wright and in Dune 2 alongside Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet. But it was at the Cannes Film Festival 2024 that the actress presented, alongside Chris Hemsworth, one of the most eagerly awaited films of the fortnight, playing Furiosa, the main character in the prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road.

At the event, she wore a long beige corset dress by Dior, her hair tied back in a bun and enhanced by a sumptuous Tiffany & Co. jewelry set. More elegant than ever, Anya Taylor-Joy, who received the Chopard Trophy a few years ago, is now one of the most eagerly awaited celebrities at the festival.

New icon of the fashion world

Alongside her flourishing film career, Anya Taylor-Joy is gradually rising to the rank of fashion icon. Crowned by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), she lights up the red carpet with looks that are as daring as they are elegant. Initially advised by renowned stylist Law Roach, she now works under the expert eye of Paul Burgo, confirming her meteoric rise in the fashion world.

As a Dior ambassador, Anya charms with her ability to combine sophistication, elegance, and modernity. During the promotion of the film Dune: Part Two, she captivated attention in a stunning Dior dress, alongside Zendaya in a Mugler jumpsuit. Her presence on the Croisette for the 2024 Cannes Film Festival was equally noteworthy, in a sheer Jacquemus outfit and a vintage Jil Sander ensemble, accessorized with a 1970s headpiece.

Each of the actress's appearances is a lesson in style. In Sydney, for the premiere of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, she chose a vintage Paco Rabanne dress from the Spring/Summer 1996 collection. Then, in New York, for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Anya dared to wear a red leather Mugler dress, paired with velvet pumps and a silver Elsa Peretti cuff for Tiffany & Co. The back of the dress, revealing her skin between black straps, was the highlight of this daring outfit.

Whether for her look or her roles, Anya Taylor-Joy continues to fascinate and inspire. She will soon be filming a movie with French director Romain Gavras, a highly anticipated project that promises to reveal even more facets of her genius.

Article written by Eve Sabbah to be found in issue n°8 of OniriQ Magazine.