Actor and activist Jameela Jamil has revealed she identifies as “sapiosexual” and says she has never experienced instant attraction based purely on physical appearance.
The term sapiosexual is used to describe someone who finds intelligence the most attractive quality in a partner, with connection typically forming through conversation, humour or personality rather than looks alone.
Jamil, who recenetly turned 40, spoke about the way attraction manifests for her during an appearance on journalist Anna Wolfe’s podcast How to Get Wet When You’re Dry.
“I’m sapiosexual, so I’m attracted to anyone I find very funny and compelling and have a hormonal, like a pheromonal reaction to,” she said.
The London-born star explained that because of this she does not have a particular “type”, adding that interest develops only after she connects with someone as a person.
“I don’t really have a type or a gender or anything that I am especially attracted to,” she said. “It really is just the person. And then from there I become physically interested.”
Jamil, who rose to international fame playing Tahani Al-Jamil in the NBC comedy The Good Place, said she has never related to the idea of being instantly captivated by someone’s appearance.
“I’ve never ever seen anyone ever and been like, wow. Ever,” she said.
“I literally don’t even know what that is. And I would love to know what that’s like. I would love to know what it’s like to see someone and be like, ‘f***ing yeah’.”
Instead, she explained that her interest emerges through intellectual or emotional connection rather than a visual first impression.
“It has to be psychological or intellectual or something,” the Star Trek: Prodigy star added.
When asked whether she has any aesthetic preferences at all, Jamil joked that her expectations are fairly simple.
“I like a beard. Facial hair,” she said, adding that she prefers someone who “looks like a grown adult man” and who is “clean and doesn’t smell”.
Jamil has been in a long-term relationship with British singer-songwriter James Blake since 2015.
How To Get Wet When You’re Dry is available wherever you get your podcasts.
