In 2020, Dev Patel is regarded as one of the most established and successful actors of our time. In 2008, Patel starred in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire and more recently, he blew audiences away with his performance in Lion.
Before Patel became one of film’s biggest names, however, he appeared as Anwar in the UK edition of Skins. The show quickly became a cult classic, and looking back at the show, it’s hard to believe that the dorky, overexcited Anwar is the same Patel as the actor we are all too familiar with today.
Speaking with Digital Spy, Patel has reflected on his time in Skins and has shared an important lesson that he learned.
“Mainly I saw an opportunity missed,” he revealed. “I was so enthralled by seeing all these cool people, making new friends, I was still in school at the time, I didn’t really understand what the acting element was. I was really nervous and overdoing it. I went and did (Slumdog Millionaire) with Danny Boyle, and he told me the essence of stillness, I wish I could go back to that.”
Dev stars in The Personal History of David Copperfield which is in movie theaters now.
