**Jameela Jamil Says She Returned to the UK Because Actors in the US “Aren’t Aging,” and the Internet Has Thoughts**
British actor, activist, and podcaster Jameela Jamil recently appeared on the *What’s My Age Again?* podcast with comedian Katherine Ryan. The podcast explores themes of aging, beauty, and how societal standards impact the careers and lives of its guests. Each guest undergoes a biological age test that reveals their body’s “actual” age rather than their chronological one.
During the interview, Jameela opened up about her decision to move back to the UK from the US. She shared that one of the main reasons was her discomfort with the way actors in America appear not to age naturally.
> “One of the reasons I moved back from America was partially because no one’s aging there, and it’s freaking me out,” Jameela said.
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> “The way everyone looks, and my opinion is their faces don’t move, and acting there is getting rubbish. And I know that I’m not exactly Laurence Olivier, but everyone looks like they’re shitting when they’re trying to cry.”
Jameela went on to explain how the overwhelming emphasis on beauty standards in the US began to affect her self-perception.
> “I felt a bit depressed by how much the beauty standard is more important than ability, and it was starting to warp the way I was seeing myself. I was like, ‘Is there something wrong with my face?’”
This realization prompted her to make a change.
> “Whoa, if that’s managed to penetrate my brain, I have to get out of here,” she recalled telling herself.
Although Jameela still lives and works in the US, she emphasized that her return to the UK was motivated by a desire to be in an environment where “actors look like actors.” She noted that the UK’s strong tradition of filming period pieces contributes to this natural approach — actors don’t typically undergo extensive cosmetic procedures to alter their appearances.
After a clip of Jameela’s comments from *What’s My Age Again?* went viral, the internet quickly weighed in, sparking a lively debate.
One social media user wrote, “She’s right. One of my biggest pet peeves in biopics is when they choose much more conventionally beautiful actors and actresses with less distinct faces for the role.”
Another commented, “I watch a lot of UK and Euro-based shows, and one of the most striking differences is how much actors over there look like regular people. Someone playing a middle-aged depressed detective is actually middle-aged, with 20 extra pounds, visible lines on their face, and no veneers!”
Others praised the emotional expressiveness of British actors.
> “I was watching a Keira Knightley movie today and she was doing a scene with this other actress, and I thought, wow, you can definitely tell which one is British because they gesticulate and express emotions through their faces,” one fan remarked.
Another defended Jameela’s perspective despite criticism she sometimes faces:
> “People love to shit on Jameela, but she often makes valid points. I agree about British TV and film — generally speaking, actors tend to look like people, real human beings, which is a very good thing.”
Finally, some expressed frustration with Hollywood’s approach:
> “Hollywood actors and TV people don’t even look human these days. I find it distracting, and it almost makes me viscerally angry when I see a picture of one of them. I think most Americans don’t even realize it. They think it’s normal for the weather woman or a middle-aged detective to look like Barbie.”
**What do you think of Jameela Jamil’s comments regarding UK versus US actors and their appearances?** Share your thoughts in the comments below!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mychalthompson/jameela-jamil-said-she-returned-to-the-uk-because-actors-in
