Aimee Lou Wood isn’t your typical Hollywood starlet. She’s raw, real, and unapologetically herself—crooked teeth and all. The 31-year-old actress, best known for her breakout role in Sex Education, has carved out a niche for herself as a talent who thrives on authenticity. Now, with The White Lotus and Toxic Town under her belt, she’s proving she’s more than just the quirky girl next door.
Sex Scenes? No Sweat. Bikinis? Terrifying.
Aimee’s spent plenty of time on screen in intimate situations, but nothing made her more nervous than a simple red bikini. Filming in Thailand for The White Lotus, she found herself more anxious poolside than in the bedroom.
“I was more nervous about bikinis than sex scenes,” she told news.com.au. “In an intimate scene, it’s about the connection, the moment. But in a bikini? That’s when you’re hyper-aware of how you look. That was way scarier to me.”
It’s a striking confession from someone who’s been baring her soul (and sometimes more) on screen since Sex Education first launched in 2018. Back then, she played the awkward but lovable Aimee Gibbs, a role that won her a BAFTA for Best Female Comedy Performance. Now, she’s taking on something far more risqué: a free-spirited party girl in The White Lotus who enjoys steamy scenes with her significantly older boyfriend, played by Walton Goggins.
A Wild Road to Stardom
Aimee’s journey to success wasn’t straight out of a fairy tale. Born in Stockport, she grew up in a turbulent household with a father battling addiction.
“He’d go out for a pint and not come back for days. Once, he disappeared for ten weeks—turns out he was at the World Cup in South Korea,” she recalled.
Her mother’s new partner eventually paid for her to attend a private school, where she discovered a love for acting. That passion led her to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, setting the stage for her meteoric rise.
The Hollywood Machine and Those British Teeth
In a world obsessed with cookie-cutter beauty, Aimee stands out—and she knows it.
“It’s the teeth! No Americans have my teeth,” she laughed. “I once played an American in a play in Chicago, and this guy came up to me after and said, ‘Your accent was great, but I knew you weren’t American. You just don’t look American.’”
Her Northern charm was exactly what The White Lotus creator Mike White wanted. “I can do an American accent, but Mike just wanted my Manchester one. So I did one tape in American and one in my own accent. He said, ‘Let’s do Manchester.’”
The Truman Show, But Make It HBO
Shooting The White Lotus wasn’t just acting—it was a social experiment.
“We were all living in the same hotels we were filming in. It was like Big Brother, full-on,” she said. “No separation between set and home. I don’t think I’ll ever have an experience like that again. It was The Truman Show. I felt like Jim Carrey the entire time.”
For Aimee, landing the role was a dream come true. “I was obsessed with the first two seasons. When I found out I got the part, I was out with my friends. I checked my phone in the loo and saw, ‘Mike can’t wait to work with you.’ I just screamed, ‘Oh my god!’”
The Future Looks Bright
With The White Lotus under her belt and Daddy Issues returning for another season, Aimee Lou Wood is riding high. She might not have the perfect Hollywood smile, but she’s got something better—talent, charm, and a career that’s only just heating up.
Last modified: March 19, 2025
