“I was quite badly bullied”— When Vanessa Kirby opened up about how she became "self-conscious"

Vanessa Kirby is a British actor known for her performances across both historical dramas and big-budget blockbusters. She rose to critical acclaim as Princess Margaret in The Crown, calling the role a “gift" that was given to her and later took home a BAFTA for her work.

In a July 22, 2018 interview with The Guardian, Kirby opened up about how her childhood bullying made her deeply self-conscious. She stated,

“I was quite badly bullied for a few years and I became self-conscious about everything I did in relation to the bullies. But drama was the place where I didn’t.”

Despite those early challenges, Kirby explained that acting became her escape and that her drama was the one place where she could fully express herself.

She also spoke candidly about her personal connection to Princess Margaret, noting how she tried to capture the vulnerability and inner torment of the younger royal. She admitted that the role helped her grow both professionally and personally.

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Vanessa Kirby had to adjust to navigating Hollywood and working with high-profile actors after being cast in Mission: Impossible 6 with Tom Cruise

In her interview with The Guardian, Vanessa Kirby reflected on how her early school experiences shaped her emotional world. She recalled being bullied for years, which made her increasingly aware of how she behaved and was perceived. A teacher even acknowledged her struggle on her final school day when they told her mother that Kirby survived it.

Though Kirby described her upbringing as generally happy and privileged, those emotional scars from school found their way into the nuanced vulnerability she brought to her roles. In The Crown, she intentionally chose not to play Princess Margaret as the hardened figure the public often remembers.

Instead, she aimed to portray the younger, more emotionally raw version of one still wrestling with self-worth and identity. Kirby also shared how her entry into mainstream Hollywood with Mission: Impossible 6 brought a new set of adjustments. Working alongside Tom Cruise, Vanessa Kirby described the actor as highly disciplined and driven, with intense expectations for performance.

“Such a pro. Absolutely disciplined; super enthusiastic. Always wants everything executed at a super-high level, so you have to train really hard,” she said.

She further praised her Mission Impossible 6 co-star, saying,

“I learned a lot about work ethic from him. I never thought that stunts and action would be my genre, but I’m understanding now that you can transcend genre, as long as you try and find the real woman behind the part.”

Vanessa Kirby revealed that she had become more intentional about how she navigates the industry, particularly regarding the way women are portrayed on screen. She shared that she now insists on avoiding overly sexualized portrayals in her roles. She stated,

“My only little area of change is to be in a big movie and say no, I’m not wearing a short skirt, I’m not showing any skin, I don’t want slapped-on make-up.”

The actress further added,

"I don’t want an arse shot – well, not that they’d want one of my arse. But I don’t want to be shot through a lens of sexualisation. That’s not me. That’s the distorted feminine and the distorted masculine that is creating so much of the toxic energy in our society.”

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Vanessa Kirby is set to portray Susan Storm, also known as the Invisible Woman, in Marvel's upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release on May 1, 2026. This role follows her debut as the character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, slated for July 25, 2025