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Dev Patel says being called the "ugliest" Skins character affected his self-esteem

30 July 2021, 15:01

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By Jazmin Duribe

"No one liked Anwar. It really took a toll on me personally."

Dev Patel has revealed how constant criticism about his appearance on Skins battered his self-esteem.

The Oscar-nominated actor is known for his blockbuster roles in Slumdog Millionaire and Lion, but before that, he starred in British series Skins. Skins was HUGE in the '00s, launching the careers of now-Hollywood actors Dev, Daniel Kaluuya and Nicholas Hoult. Dev played Anwar Kharral, a Muslim teen who doesn't take his religion seriously and engages in drinking, taking drugs and sex.

Despite the success of the show and Dev's personal accolades, Dev has now revealed how the criticism of his appearance affected him in a new interview with The New York Times.

Dev Patel says being called the "ugliest" Skins character affected his self-esteem. Picture: Alamy, Channel 4

"I was a young kid going on these chat rooms and it was quite brutal. 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," Dev explained.

He added: "No one liked Anwar. It really took a toll on me personally."

The Best Of Anwar - Skins

Skins was actually Dev's first acting role and he auditioned after being nudged by his mother. Although he had his family's support, he felt judged from the community for taking part in the show.

He continued: "It felt like suicide in the community to put your kid into a TV show and let him drop out of school at 16. 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."