The father of The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood has broken his silence over her revelation that his addiction to drugs and alcohol had made her childhood hell.
In his first interview since Aimee became the standout star of the Netflix hit drama, Michael Wood addressed his failings as a father with astonishing frankness and confirmed that he had reconciled with his daughter after years of estrangement following the breakdown of his marriage to Aimee’s mother.
And he told for the first time how relieved he is that Aimee has acknowledged his addiction battle by letting him have a second chance at being her father, saying: ‘I’m grateful beyond words’
Michael’s binges and reckless behaviour were indirectly the cause of his daughter’s first steps in acting as Aimee got involved in drama classes as what she later called a ‘shield from bad things’ in her childhood.
And Michael freely admits that he would regularly embark on wild nights-out, often with footballers and minor celebrities on the notorious Manchester party scene of the 1990s.
So bad was his impulsive behaviour that he once told his family he was nipping to his local pub for a pint only to vanish for a whole month, flying to Japan to watch England in the 2002 World Cup while drunk.
This repeat ‘bad dad’ behaviour saw his wife Alison, mother to Amiee and her younger sister Emily, ask him to move out of the family home in Stockport, Manchester.
And this was the wake up call he needed to face up to the fact that he was spiraling out of control and that he needed professional help.
In his first interview since Aimee Lou Wood became the standout star of the Netflix hit drama, her father Michael revealed that he has reconciled with the actress after years of estrangement
So bad was his impulsive behaviour that Michael once told his family he was nipping to his local pub for a pint only to vanish for a whole month, flying to Japan to watch England in the 2002 World Cup while drunk. Pictured: Aimee as a youngster with Michael and her mum Alison
Michael’s binges and reckless behaviour were indirectly the cause of his daughter’s first steps in acting as Aimee became involved in drama classes as what she later called a ‘shield from bad things’ in her childhood
Michael said he was ‘so proud’ of actress daughter Aimee, who stars in The White Lotus
Michael told MailOnline of how he had failed Aimee and Emily as a parent: ‘I put them through hell and was a poor role model when they were young.
‘But I’ve been sober these last 21-years and I’m proud of that and the fact that it’s allowed me to forge a closer relationship with my family.
‘I’m grateful beyond words to be in her life because she and her sister Emily are the world to me.
‘I’m so proud of Aimee and what she’s doing. She’s an absolutely fantastic actress and has such a big heart.
‘The character she plays in The White Lotus is very much like her, so sweet-natured.
‘Aimee and Emily are amazing at what they do, they are both wonderful human beings and as their father that gives me a huge amount of pleasure.’
Michael still lives in Stockport, on a quiet private estate with his two sons from another relationship.
He keeps in regular contact with Aimee and Emily, who lives in London and is a make-up artist and influencer with 133,000 followers on Instagram.
Michael told how he now tries to help other addicts: ‘I strive to help others get sober, clean and off drugs and this is my primary purpose as a recovering alcoholic and addict.
‘This runs alongside trying to be the best dad I can be and the last thing I would ever want to do is upset my girls.
‘I’d like to think I’ve become a loving, honest and altruistic human being over the years.’
The sisters went to live with their mother after the divorce and it was Aimee’s stepfather who paid for her to attend a private secondary school, where she was able to explore her love of acting by studying drama.
Yet she felt out of place with her thick Stockport accent, admitting she was bullied by her ‘posh’ classmates and teased about her ‘Bugs Bunny’ teeth, something brought back into the spotlight recently by a cruel skit on US comedy series Saturday Night Live.
Her self-confidence took a hit and she did not believe she would land good roles because she was not ‘conventional-looking enough’.
She also battled eating disorders and body dysmorphia in childhood and it was only through therapy that she was able to reframe her issues with her body as well as unpack the childhood trauma she faced.
In an interview with The Guardian two years ago, Aimee said her hardships were responsible for pushing her into the industry, having previously confessed that ‘people like me get into acting because it helps them in some way. It helps you express yourself, or gives you a shield from ‘bad things’.’
In 2019, Aimee landed her big break when she was cast in Netflix’s racy comedy, Sex Education as the sweet and ditzy Aimee
She played the girlfriend of the headmaster’s son, Adam, with fans delighted when it emerged that she and the actor Connor Swindells were dating in real life
The relationship fizzled out after two years, with Aimee saying: ‘We’d had some time apart because of work, and then we realised that maybe the relationship wasn’t serving us both’
Recalling her turbulent relationship with her father she told the newspaper: ‘He would go out for a pint and not come back for days. He once went out and didn’t come back for weeks because he’d been to the World Cup in Korea.
‘He was a party animal on the scene in Manchester so he would hang out with celebrities and Manchester City football players; he had a massive ego, so that gave him validation.
‘Because of him, my mum had to carry a lot on her shoulders. She tried to protect us, and took responsibility for it, in a way.’
On working through her problems with her dad, she added: ‘It’s hard with addicts: you feel like you spend your whole life congratulating them for getting sober, but what about the people who get left behind?
‘I guess therapy has helped me to unpick a lot. I’m learning through therapy that some people have a really steady line in life and then… poof, trauma. While others are working through a constant flow of s***.’
In 2019, the Mancunian actress landed her big break when she was cast in Netflix’s racy comedy, Sex Education, as the sweet and ditzy Aimee Gibbs.
The following year she appeared in the play Uncle Vanya, starring alongside Richard Armitage and Toby Jones, and later joined the star-studded cast of The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy.
In 2022, she starred with acting legend Bill Nighy in the film Living, which follows a humorous bureaucrat as he takes time off work in 1950s London after receiving a grim diagnosis.
Aimee has previously spoken about her ‘turbulent’ upbringing, revealing her father battled drink and drug addiction. He is now sober and their relationship has improved
Aimee has rapidly become the standout star of the Netflix hit drama, The White Lotus
Michael says he is now in regular contact with his daughter after walking out on her as a toddler. Pictured: Aimee Lou Wood (second from right) with Michael (second from left)
Last year saw her take the lead in BBC comedy Daddy Issues, playing a pregnant party girl who is forced to move back in with her recently divorced father, played by David Morrissey.
Having gained a younger American fanbase with her work in Sex Education, Aimee now looks set to draw in a wider crowd with her work on The White Lotus.
The hugely popular series returned to screens earlier this month and sees Aimee take on the role of Chelsea, the young girlfriend of Rick – Walton Goggins – who takes her to Thailand for a couple’s retreat but has other motivations behind the trip.
She jetted off to Thailand last year to film the series but admitted she found her character ‘claustrophobic’ and revealed her ‘many f***ing mental illnesses’ made filming hard.
Filmed at the Four Seasons in Koh Samui, the cast stayed at the hotel for different periods of time with Aimee revealing she stayed an extra month.
Speaking to Elle UK, she said: ‘I am someone who has so many f***ing mental illnesses, and there’s nothing wrong with being mentally ill.
‘But that extra month, it really makes a difference. I was like, ‘Oh, another month, ok’ It did feel like The Truman Show, social experiment vibes, a lot of the time.’
As well as The White Lotus, Aimee has other major projects in the pipeline this year.
Later this month her Netflix show Toxic Town will be released, which sees her star alongside Jodie Whittaker in a retelling of the 2009 Corby toxic waste case.
She has also stepped behind the camera with Film Club, a BBC Three series that she stars in but also co-wrote.
This year will also see her star in crime-thriller film Sweet Dreams, which has been billed as ‘a British Fargo’.
