Zazie Beetz admits acting on set was 'devastating experience' at start of career

Zazie Beetz has admitted working on a set was a "painful and devastating experience" at the start of her career because she had so many insecurities.

The Joker star has opened up about how she has evolved as an actress between shooting the pilot of TV series Atlanta in 2015 to completing the fourth and final season this year.

Zazie, who plays Vanessa 'Van' Keefer in the show, admitted to W magazine that she was new to the industry in 2015 and was so insecure about her abilities that she felt "so fearful all the time being on set".

In the ensuing years, she has grown in confidence and now allows herself to have fun on a shoot.

"I love acting; I grew up doing it. But it was really hard to translate that into something that is a monetised hobby because there were additional pressures I wasn't used to," she explained. "It's not just about community - it's also about, are you worthwhile for this role? Are you going to make money? I was internalising a lot of that and putting a lot of pressure on myself. Being on set was such a painful and devastating experience because I was so caught up in my feelings. I thought I would never grow out of that. It's really beautiful for me, at least, to now feel like... okay, I'm here to have fun."

The 31-year-old no longer feels the pressure to be "the best actor the world's ever seen" or dwells upon her day's work. Instead, she allows herself to enjoy the experience.

"I'm going to prepare, I'm going to show up having done my homework, and I'm just gonna move on. Because what's the f**king point? Let me just enjoy myself and connect with people, because that's the whole point," Zazie stated.

The fourth and final season of Atlanta was released this week.