The Queen Gambit's star's Aussie 'son'

While she guards her love life, refusing to answer whether she has secretly married her musician boyfriend Malcolm McRae, she does reveal she is proud of her one Australian in her life.

While she guards her love life, refusing to answer whether she has secretly married her musician boyfriend Malcolm McRae, she does reveal she is proud of her one Australian in her life.

Anya Taylor-Joy likes swimming in Bronte and eating at Fred's and has, seamlessly and without too much fanfare, become a regular Sydneysider.

The superstar has also adopted an Aussie "son", but that's as much personal detail she is willing to divulge.

The actor - who is set to star in the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road prequel Furiosa - also likes to run on empty but is working on taking better care of herself. 

The 26-year-old is vegan for "animal rights reasons" but cracks every now and then and eats a four cheese pizza.

Her duality is what makes her one of the most captivating - and interesting - stars right now. 

After her break out role in the streaming smash hit, The Queen's Gambit, she became an overnight sensation. Now she's one of the most highly paid actors going.

Her salary for Furiosa - shot in NSW - landed her a ranking as one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood. 

She's also Dior’s global ambassador for women’s fashion and make-up, as well as an "ambassador" for Tiffany & Co.

Taylor-Joy, who has taken up residence in Sydney's eastern suburbs since moving here for the Mad Max project, has come a long way from being a high school drop out at 16 (she left after being bullied) and then scouted while walking her dog by the modelling agent who discovered Kate Moss.

With three movies now in the works - The Menu (by the creators of Succession), Amsterdam (alongside Margot Robbie) and Furiosa - she's a professional chameleon. One role she isn't too comfortable with is "famous person in Internet age".

Fame is weird, but Taylor-Joy is trying not to let it permeate her life. Her real life.

“I’m really bad,” she told Vogue Australia - for the October issue out today. “Because I don’t see myself that way and my friends don’t see me that way, I forget ... I’m just trying to live my life where I am, rather than on my phone, because the phone or computer can be a really scary place if you let it be that. Whereas if you focus on what you have directly in front of you or around you, that seems more manageable, and it feels like it’s actually more ‘you’  than whatever image of ‘you’ is out there that people interact with.”

Anja Joy-Taylor is the new Vogue Australia cover star.

While she guards her love life, refusing to answer whether she has secretly married her musician boyfriend Malcolm McRae, she is proud of her "son" - Kitsune - an ivory kitten she adopted when she moved to Australia.

“He is the love of my life ... and an Aussie!” she said.

How she rides the mental highs and lows is also something she is refreshingly candid about.

“I’ve never felt happier than when I am creating something with other people,” she said, adding she loves being in a position of being "tired" as it makes her feel alive and productive.

“I’ve been working a lot, especially these past two years, on quieting the pace of my brain ... And on a film set, [my thoughts are] just so clear, they’re really exact. I’m using all the parts of my brain that if they don’t get used, I just end up really anxious and agitated.”

This slow and crucial work of protecting her mental health is something of which she is most proud. “I’ve been able to roll with the punches. Not scratch free, but I don’t stay down when I fall down,” Taylor-Joy explained. “Because there definitely have been moments where I’m like, ‘I’m not getting up from this.’ And then I have. And I’m proud of that.” 

Vogue Australia's October issue starring Joy-Taylor is out Wednesday.