Interview Alexandra Weiss

For a lot of actresses who got their start like Bella Thorne – on Defnitely, and especially when I used to be on – peo- the ’s Shake It Up – the transition from pre-teen ple didn’t understand that I wasn’t CeCe. But that’s gotten a lot sweetheart to twenty-something starlet can be bumpy. But not for less common as I have gotten older because I really put who I am Bella, whose always been unapologetically herself. Just look at out there, especially on social media – it’s kind of in your face. her social media profles – each show the sometimes pink-haired Even the other day at the premiere, someone came over to me 21-year-old on red carpets, or playing guitar in her living room and was like, ‘It’s so weird, you don’t look like Katie, or act like her with sister Dani and musician boyfriend, Mod Sun, always giving at all!’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I know – because I’m not. I have bright no fucks. It’s that kind of contagious honesty and non-stop energy pink fucking hair and a septum piercing, I’m Bella – I’m my own that sums up Bella Thorne. And with her latest movie, Midnight person.’ Sun, now in theaters, it doesn’t look like she has any plans to stop. Thank god. Has that been the driving force behind your openness on social media? Tell me about your new movie, Midnight Sun No. What pushes me to do that, is the fact that I spent so long It’s about a girl who’s trapped away her whole life in a tower, al- being CeCe and playing that role, even of camera, in interviews, most like a fairytale, or Rapunzel. But she’s locked up because she I would speak a certain way and not say certain things. But I was has this really, really rare disease called XP [Xeroderma Pigmen- also a lot younger. Now, I’m much more confdent in who I am, tosum] that causes such a sensitivity to the sunlight, that even the and that’s myself, always. I’m very honest, and if I don’t want to smallest bit can be deadly. So, in the movie, she’s just locked away say something, I just won’t say it. But if you ask me a question, in her room, watching the whole world live this life she wants to I’m going to answer it the exact same way I would if it were my live, in love with the boy next door. best friend. Some people might think that my personality is kind of crazy or in your face, but is it really? I don’t think it’s crazy to be What was it like playing your character, Katie? The fact that she yourself, even if I am a little bit of a weirdo. can’t go outside is in such stark contrast to your real life, where you’re outside and around people all the time. Does all of that – the pressure to always be posting on social me- When I met the director, Scott Spear, we both were really insist- dia, as well as the fact that people stop you in public – make you ent on the fact that we didn’t want to make a movie about a girl feel like you have to be ‘on’ all the time? with a disease – we wanted to make a movie about a girl, who hap- I don’t think so. But what are you supposed to do? Am I supposed pens to have a disease. But I feel like I was able to relate to Katie to walk around defending myself saying, ‘No! I’m not that crazy!’? in the feeling of being trapped. Everybody feels trapped some- I guess if you think I’m a total psycho because I wear my giant times, whether by social media or by your body, like your ribs are fuzzy slippers to the grocery store, then I am. I just don’t think an actual cage. So, I just really tried to tap into that throughout the people stop for even a second to put themselves in my position process. But with Katie, as she says in the movie, she wants to be and realize that I’m basically always in front of an audience. If we looked at as more than her disease, and that was a big thing for us. followed anyone around all day and took pictures of them, I’m sure someone, somewhere would think something they did was What’s the hardest part about playing a role who is so diferent weird. It’s just part of this weird culture now with social media, from you? where we’re always looking for people to fuck up. Talk about a I don’t know, I feel like I’m lucky in the sense that people always dog eat dog world, man. like to say, ‘You never know what Bella you’re going to get’ every time you see me. It’s like I have all these diferent personalities, Does that ever make you consider sharing less? including the characters that I play, that are just embedded inside No. I mean, I never want to say something that’s going to hurt or of me. When you’re reading a script, you start to fnd all these little ofend someone by accident. But I think most of the time, people things that connect you with your character. But when I’m done, I know what they’re going to get when they meet me, because I almost have to remind myself, ‘This isn’t you.’ put myself out there all of the time. I’m not hiding. I’m never going to change my whole attitude because someone famous person or What’s your favorite part, then? some journalist is talking to me. There are so many amazing things about this industry, but the best part are things like last night. I was at the premiere [for Mid- What do you think is the biggest misconception people have night Sun] and had this girl come up to me with her mother and about you? ask for a photo. As we were taking it, her mom blurted out that That I’m mean. A lot of people think I’m mean, or crazy, and I don’t her daughter has an illness – not XP – and they both just started know why people just assume that. I can’t even tell you the amount crying so hard about how beautiful the movie was and how much of people who come up to me to take a photo or something and they loved Katie. Those are the kind of things that make what I say, ‘I’m really sorry, I totally misjudged you. You’re not like how I do totally worth it. You know, all of this stuf that’s great about thought you were at all.’ It’s such a weird feeling because it’s like, Jacket Polo Ralph Lauren playing characters or all the cool perks of being in the industry, ‘Well how did you think I was?’ do you think of that on your deathbed? I don’t think so. I think you Set Design Shelley Burgon at The Magnet Agency remember moments like that. What do you want people to take away from what you do? Hair Aviva Perea at Starworks Group Here’s the thing – I don’t feel like I’m saying, ‘Please, please, please Make-up Tonya Brewer at Dew Beauty. Manicurist Betina Goldstein at Lowe & Co A lot of times, when you’re playing roles that do make such an im- understand me,’ you know? I’m an open book and if you’re not get- Photography Assistants Ross Martin and Chris Moore pact on people, they often have a hard time separating you from ting me or my art, then that’s okay. I do my art for me. Of course, Digital Assistant Dominic Escalante. Producer Stephanie Porto that character. Do you fnd that people have a hard time difer- I want to make people happy and I want them to enjoy what I do. Production Assistant Jake Caminero entiating between who you are IRL and who you are on screen? But acting, music – I do it all for myself, for my sanity.

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