We've Got A File On You: Hailee Steinfeld
We talked to @HaileeSteinfeld about her new Anderson .Paak collab, interpolating Annie Lennox, getting into the headspace of her Smiths-loving 'Bumblebee' character, appearing in Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" video, and more.
Our new We've Got A File On You: https://t.co/VJIid5qnl0
- Stereogum (@stereogum) October 5, 2022
Hailee Steinfeld's career is so chaotic and varied, which is perfect for Stereogum to ask a lot of random questions about her decade long career, including her underrated summer bop Coast ft. Anderson.Paak, being Kevin Feige's first choice, whether she recorded a demo for The Middle, look back at Bad Blood era, and more... Starting from True Grit that made her an Academy Award nominee to whatever weird conglomerate career she has going on as: Actor, Singer, Songwriter, Voice Actor, Producer, Director, Model, etc.
Some Tidbits and Highlights:
- Why Anderson was perfect collab for Coast: "Anderson has brought something to the song that truly no one else could have. Other than him being a legend, I have to acknowledge that as well, he has this unbelievable energy - this infectious energy, this passion. He’s got this crazy rhythm and cadence that he brings that he found on this song that wasn’t a very obvious sort of song for a feature, if that makes sense."
- Reflecting on one of the best coming of age films: Edge of Seventeen. "I feel like if there’s one that sort of stands out in its truest form of what it feels like to be coming of age, it’s in the Edge Of Seventeen. I feel like that movie was so incredibly well done. Kelly Freeman Craig, who wrote and directed - working with her is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Making that film was a real turning point I felt for me as an actor and as someone who found a certain level of confidence within that role. I think playing that role allowed me to come of age and lose my mind and have that teen angst and sort of let it off in ways I never had been able to before or maybe even knew how to before.
- On being everyone's first choice: "I feel lucky that I am considered by some of the greatest filmmakers to bring their story and their babies to life. I mean, it’s an incredible honor to have even been called back for True Grit, let alone having gotten the job. To be in Kevin Feige’s mind, like that’s absolutely insane. It just is an honor and I’m so grateful to each and every role that I played up until this point because they’ve all held such a key to the success that I’ve had."
- On whether she was one of dozen or so artist that recording a demo but passed on Zedd's The Middle. "Oh, man, no, it didn’t. But let me tell you, that song is just like laced with something so good. But no, it didn’t. I know that there were quite a few artists that I feel like people later found out about. I always feel like, I mean, maybe it was a timing thing, but I always feel like it ain’t broke, you know?"
- Thoughts about being in Bad Blood MV half a decade later and that Taylor squad time. "I was so grateful and so honored to be just in Taylor’s world - aren’t we all, by the way, to exist at a time alongside her genius? And to be in that “Bad Blood” video was like, quite possibly one of the coolest days. Just being a part of her world and her vision, and she has such a strong one for almost every single thing she does. I find that she is an artist that I reference often when it comes to so many aspects in my music career. What an honor to be a part of all that, how much fun, too. And looking back on it, it’s wild. It is crazy. That was a big thing. I mean, to be a part of that era was pretty special."
- From Emily Dickinson to songwriter: "I remember going into the studio, I had cut out this time for myself to write after season one not having anything to do with the show. I just knew that I was going to have some time and I wanted to be making music and I realized that I was completely moved and influenced by having spent so much time in the mind of this writer. When it came to writing my own music, I just felt this whole new level of fearlessness and an ambition to just put it all out there in a way that I hadn’t before. And I’m so so so grateful for that."
- From tour bus to recording voice acting and back again for Spiderverse: "I remember, my recording sessions would take place when I was on tour. I would pull up to random studios in random cities in the tour bus. And I’d pop in for a few hours here, a few hours there and those sort of things are sort of crazy."
- Spiderverse two being better than the first: "I cannot wait for people to see. If you thought the first one was any good, you are in for a super treat this time around."
- Taking director reigns after the first I Love Yous video sucked: "I don’t know if anybody knows this, but there was a video that we made for this that didn’t turn out so well. So when it came time to get it right, I was like, alright, I’ve got to step in a little bit more this time. And I was very happy and honored to share that co-directing title"
- True Grit costars advice: "I do remember Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin, all on separate accounts, telling me to have fun and not take life too seriously. And when I was 13, I was probably giggling as they were telling me and it may have gone in one ear and out the other. Obviously it stayed with me, but in that moment, I think it was like any other thing they could have said to me."
- What's a 25 yo turning 26 yo view on it now: "What I do, everything I do, I care so much about and I do take it seriously and I care a lot about what I do and I want everything to be a certain way. But it’s so important to remember that if you’re not having fun, if you’re not happy, if it’s causing you a certain amount of stress to the point which you are becoming unhealthy - it’s not worth it. But my god, have fun because if you’re not having fun then what is any of it for? It’s a pretty wild thought and it feels so simple, in a sense, but it is, and they told me that when I was 13 years old. I’ll be 26 in a few months and I really do feel like if I could tell my younger self at certain points in my life to just breathe and have a good time and relax and understand that, okay, this feels like everything in this moment, but you’re gonna wake up tomorrow and it’s gonna be something else."
Source
ONTD, how many careers would you have if you could?
sorry mods for got the tags