The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood’s father is opening up about repairing their fractured relationship.
In an interview with the Daily Mail published on Sunday, April 27, Michael Wood, who shares Aimee, 31, and her younger sister Emily with his ex-wife Alison, detailed how his addiction to alcohol and drugs led to the downfall of his marriage and effectively ended his relationship with his daughters.
“I put them through hell and was a poor role model when they were young,” Michael admitted.
At one point, Michael said he was going to a local pub for a drink, but flew to Japan to watch the 2002 soccer World Cup and vanished for several weeks.
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Now, Michael told the outlet, he is over two decades sober. He sought help after Alison asked him to leave the family home in Stockport, England.
“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,” he said. “I’m grateful beyond words to be in her life because she and her sister Emily are the world to me.”
Aimee recently starred on The White Lotus season 3 as the ill-fated Chelsea, bringing her to the attention of millions of new fans. Before that, she was best known for playing Aimee Gibbs on Netflix’s Sex Education.
“I’m so proud of Aimee and what she’s doing. She’s an absolutely fantastic actress and has such a big heart,” Michael said. “The character she plays in The White Lotus is very much like her, so sweet-natured.”
Aimee spoke about her upbringing in an interview with the U.K.’s Stylist magazine in 2020.
“My [mom] was a constant, consistent presence, but otherwise it was very turbulent,” she said. “My dad was a drug and alcohol addict and he was always coming and going. He would go out for a pint and not come back for days. He once went out and didn’t come back for 10 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,” she added.
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At the time, Aimee told the outlet that she now had a healthier relationship with her father.
“Our relationship’s gotten better and better as I’ve gotten older,” the actress said. “I’ve realised I can’t take it personally. … I guess therapy has helped me to unpick a lot.”
