Aaron Taylor-Johnson Says He Was Forced To Act Naked At A Young Age
Aaron Taylor-Johnson began acting at a very young age. The star of films like Kick-Ass and Sony’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter recently opened up about his experiences acting in his youth in an interview with Esquire. As covered by The Hollywood Reporter, Taylor-Johnson recalled his time in Macbeth on the West End when he was told at the age of 8 to appear on stage naked in a bathtub.
“I think I smelt the bulls***, you felt like you were being sold. I went, ‘This ain’t for me. This is smoke up my a**. I would say I was probably not ready to be in that position anyway — it was too early. But yeah, I also slightly didn’t give a f*ck.”
Aaron Taylor-Johnson on appearing nude
“We’re not talking wearing swimming trunks — I was fully naked,” Aaron Taylor-Johnson explained. The actor said that his early career included several moments that would make anyone uncomfortable. He declined to elaborate beyond this, distinguishing the interview from therapy; Aaron Taylor-Johnson assures that he has already worked through the issue in the latter.
As he grew up, Aaron Taylor-Johnson resisted the culture of Hollywood. He recalled telling his parents that he did not want to be the person that people in Los Angeles were pushing him to be. His resolve was strong, and he turned down offers that came off as disingenuous.
“I think I smelt the bulls***,” he said. “You felt like you were being sold. I went, ‘This ain’t for me. This is smoke up my a**. I would say I was probably not ready to be in that position anyway — it was too early. But yeah, I also slightly didn’t give a fuck.”
That has been the attitude Aaron Taylor-Johnson has carried throughout his career and personal life. When he was only 19, he became romantically involved with the director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who was 41 with two children from a previous marriage. The couple is now married and have an additional two children together.
“We’re not talking wearing swimming trunks — I was fully naked.”
Aaron Taylor-Johnson on appering in Macbeth
The couple’s relationship has, of course, been met with criticism and controversy. Despite what people may have to say about it, the Taylor-Johnsons seem to have one of the more functional relationships in Hollywood.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson met his wife on set for Sam Taylor-Johnson’s film Nowhere Boy, which recounted the early years of John Lennon’s life. Though their relationship began in a creative context, it has evolved far beyond.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson said that the creative collaborations between him and his wife were not the reason he fell in love with her. Instead, he claims something about the relationship just felt right. The actor has also always dreamt of having a big family, and thanks to Sam, he does.
The details ran out there. Aaron Taylor-Johnson refused to divulge things he called “truly precious” to him. Though the actor has had his fair share of difficult experiences in the entertainment industry, he has come through them all to be a prolific star and a genuine person.
What’s Next For Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Aaron Taylor-Johnson was last seen in director David Leitch’s Bullet Train, and will team up again with the filmmaker for the action film The Fall Guy. His turn as the Spider-Man villain Kraven the Hunter was recently pushed from this October to August of 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA actors strike.
He is also set to appear alongside Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe in director Robert Eggers’ reimagining of the vampire classic Nosferatu.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has made a name for himself over the years as a blockbuster actor, with credits like Godzilla (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron to his name, but his work has ranged to independent dramas, thrillers, and even work on the stage.
Though his life may not be the typical picture for a Hollywood movie star, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is living it to the fullest. The actor has overcome childhood trauma to raise a family, build a career, and live as rebel of authenticity in a culture plagued by celebrity.
