Dev Patel Said Harsh Criticisms Of His Appearance On "Skins" Really "Took A Toll" On His Self-Esteem
Today, Dev Patel is an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actor known for his leading roles in multiple critically acclaimed films and television series.
Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, and Modern Love are just a few of them, and his newest film, The Green Knight, has already received glowing reviews.
Those of us who were fans of edgy, mid-2000s teen dramas might also remember Dev from the first two seasons of Skins, the provocative British dramedy where Daniel Kaluuya and Nicholas Hoult also began their respective acting careers.
Dev played Anwar, a mostly lighthearted character who engaged in his fair share of sex and substance use alongside his adolescent friends.
Dev looked back on the role in a recent interview with The New York Times, and recalled how criticism of his appearance and onscreen storylines affected him.
"I was a young kid going on these chat rooms and it was quite brutal," he said. "There were all these lists of who's the favorite character on the show or who was the best-looking character, and I was always the ugliest, the least attractive."
"No one liked Anwar," Dev continued. "It really took a toll on me personally."
He also remembered feeling judged by peers for his decision to join the Skins cast.
"It felt like suicide in the community to put your kid into a TV show and let him drop out of school at 16," Dev explained. "While everyone else's kid is off becoming a doctor or a dentist, I'm here on this TV show...simulating sex and taking drugs."
