The Newsroom star Dev Patel has opened up about his confidence issues and struggle with fame.
The actor explained to The Guardian that he often feels like an outsider in the entertainment industry.
He said: "I'm never happier and more alive than when I'm on set. I love it, it consumes me and I feel more confident. But I was never cool.
"I remember going to this one Burberry show, and it was exciting. Even though I had this preconceived notion – 'I'm not going to fit in with this crowd, it's going to be intimidating'."
He continued: "I was sitting there, and this fellow says, 'Are you the one dating Freida Pinto?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, I guess'. And then he says: 'Why? How? Why is she dating you? She's so beautiful'.
"And I say, 'Yeah. She is!' And then he says, 'But you're so, ugh, so normal-looking'."
The actor, who starred alongside ex-girlfriend Pinto in the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, revealed that he tries to avoid reading any press comments about himself, saying: "I made the mistake of reading the papers early on, when we did Slumdog.
"[Skins] was even crazier, because teenagers are brutal and the most shallow things are said by your peers at that age."
Patel added: "It doesn't matter what you do, it's all, 'Ugh, he's really ugly'. And it can really scar you, so I stay away from it."
Patel can next be seen in The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Chappie.
