Bella Thorne Is the Workaholic Queen of Young Hollywood
Hollywood is teeming with hot young things grappling for our attention — it’s basically why movies were invented, after all.
But nowadays, it can be tough to sort who’s working from who’s just kind of there. You start to wonder if anyone who makes it to the Daily Mail sidebar actually has a single IMDB credit to her name.
Well, Bella Thorne has 54.
The 18-year-old actress who got her start on TV shows like Entourage and The OC moves seamlessly between movie sets and red carpet events. And despite her massive following, she doesn’t really care whose squad she’s in.
Keep reading to find out how Bella transitioned from Florida kid to megawatt LA babe plus our exclusive photo shoot with the cover star.
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Who are your favorite designers, and what are your favorite trends for summer?
I mean, Chanel. My mom always calls me a Chanel whore because I love Chanel presents. I think Chanel’s number one. I also really like… What do I shop daily? Missguided, and I don’t really shop at Urban that much anymore, but I used to. Designers though — I like Phillip Lim. I didn’t get to see anybody’s fashion shows this year because I was in Mexico, so I’m not sure whose best lines came out or what was coming in for spring because I didn’t really get to see the shows.
What were you doing in Mexico?
I was just vacationing. I can’t remember the last time I had an actual vacation where I was traveling somewhere that wasn’t for work. I really needed a break from everything, and I was like, “I wanna get out of this place and go somewhere pretty.” I went with my boyfriend.
What’s it like dating a British guy?
It’s funny. One time he told me, “So what are you gonna get me for my birthday? Winky face.” And I was like, “A dialect coach.” And he was like, “What’s a dialect coach? Why would you get me that?” And I was like, “Because you have a horrid accent.” He was so offended that he was like, “But, but, girls love my accent. They love that I’m British.” And I’m like, “Oh, here we go. Well, I guess I’m not basic then.” I do like his accent, because it’s very—I’m not a huge fan of accents in general. It’s not my main thing—but his is really nice, really soft, and he’s been here for so long [that] a lot of British people have no idea he’s British. He has to kind of ‘put on’ his accent, [make it] a little bit thicker, because he does an American accent on his show all the time, every day. It’s kind of seeped its way into his.
Do you ever accidentally pick his accent up, Madonna-style? Omg!
No way. No, because I think I sound really silly when I do it, so I just like really won’t go near the accent at all. But Bella P, my best friend, every time she’s around Gregg, she goes full-on British and it sounds so bad; and Gregg is like looking at her as she’s like having a conversation with him and trying to do his accent, and I’m like, “Bella, stop! Nobody wants to hear that. Stop!”
Was this your first time going on vacation with your boyfriend?
Uh huh. It was fun, and it was so beautiful. It sucked because I got cramps a lot of the trip. I get these odd chest cramps, and it kind of ruined the trip because I couldn’t get out of bed. Of course this happens to me…just my luck. But it was so beautiful, and it was fun. It was us two on an island with a bunch of people we don’t know. We made friends with this couple that was much older than us [while] sitting in the cabanas. They kept getting mad at me, but they were so cute. Because I kept feeding birds and fishes, the husband was like, “No, stop feeding the birds. Stop it!” And I loved the birds, so I fed them anyway.
New project?
I’m starting a new film but I can’t say yet because the announcement isn’t out. But it’s really, really cool and it’s a thriller, and I play a complete psycho-ass character—completely psycho character. It’s really different for me, and I love going out of my comfort zone; and I’m doing a film with Jessica Chastain and Xavier Dolan’s our director. It’ll be his first film in English. He’s great, super sweet. I didn’t even get to read the script because they wouldn’t give it to me because it’s so top secret, and he’s like, “OK. I want to meet with you.” And I’m like, “OMG! Amazing.” And then he canceled the meeting, and I was like, “Wow! That’s so not homey.” But then he watched an audition tape of mine where I’m freaking my shit in this audition, and he booked me—from a random audition tape for some other movie I tried out for. Then he told me a little about it. It’s going to be so freaking cool. I’m working with the best actors. I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. I’m going to be so awkward and weird. Kathy Bates, Kit Harington—I’m surrounded by beautiful people and amazing actors, and I’m just like, “I don’t know what I’m going to do.” All my scenes are with Jessica, and I love her. I think she’s so amazing and beautiful, and people say I look like her and it’s awesome.
What are your acting goals over the long term?
Yeah, I definitely want to win an Oscar. When I was watching the Oscars the other night, I was thinking the whole entire time, “Wow! One day that’s going to be me, and I know what I’m gonna say when I get up there: ‘HFS I just won an Oscar!’” I know you’re not supposed to curse on the stage at the Oscars, but I will do it because I will be the rule-breaker. How do you not produce a sentence of curses when you just won an Oscar? It’s so crazy, you have to. I have another film [coming out] I didn’t mention, which is “XO”. It’s about aliens, and it’s really cool. It’s with Jack Kilmer, Val Kilmer’s son, and he’s so interesting and Indie. It’s about aliens. It’s going to be dope. It’s an action alien type.
How has growing up not rich affected your career and outlook?
I definitely know what it’s like to work. I would say my work ethic is pretty strong, and it’s because I’ve had to do it my whole life, whereas other people have been given things. But I like it, and I don’t think I would change it ever, because it totally makes me how I am. When people meet me or when people work on a set with me, every time after, they either hire me for more films or they’re like, “I would work with you every day of the week,” because they can see who I am. That upbringing is a really big part of who I am and how I act. Like, everything about me—my aura, and my essence. I wouldn’t change it. I think it’s awesome. It’s so hard, and I’m still working there, buddy, but I wouldn’t trade it in for anything else.
You’ve worked more and been in more stuff than anyone else in your age group it seems.
Thank you. I’ve definitely been in some shit. People ask me, and they’re like, “What are you in? I know you’re in a bunch of shit.” And I’m like, “Um, you know, like, movies and stuff.” “But what?” and I’m like, “IIIIII don’t know, dude. Honestly, I have no idea which project you’ve pulled.”
Do you put a lot of thought into Instagram and stuff?
It depends. I don’t try to think about it too much, but obviously when you’re controlling it and looking at the numbers, it’s really hard not to. I kind of just post my life, and It’s legit my life. I work out every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. Yeah, I want to post gym pictures, because that’s a big part of who I am. I also like it because I think my fans genuinely like it. I’m actually building a website that’s going to be really cool, and it’s going to help girls a lot. [It’s] really awkward talking to parents about sexual stuff—terms you should know, stuff that many girls don’t know, and they don’t want to ask their parents and don’t want to look it up on Wikipedia or have a doctor tell them. I have that whole idea coming which I’m really excited about. It’ll be a totally different way to interact with my fans, not trolls commenting. I think social media’s good when you use it for good, but when you use it for bad, it’s just really, really bad and really scary. I think one of the good things about social media is like, you know, being able to comment on so and so’s photos [from] all the way in London, and you get to see what they’re doing at all times. Then the downside is like, you don’t text them…or call them on the phone. You’re just seeing [their Instagram] and you don’t really care about making that genuine connection. I think as social media gets bigger and bigger, everyone’s going to lose that more and more.
Since you do have such a packed schedule, how do you balance your social life?
To be honest, I really, really have a small group of people, which includes my sister, my best friends Alexa and Bella P, my boyfriend, and (my sister) Dani’s boyfriend, and that’s almost it. That’s like my whole group that I really hang out with all the time, so it’s pretty easy because it’s such a small group.
When people are in their squad and stuff, how much is PR and how much is people enjoying hanging out with each other?
I think they originally hang out because of PR and end up genuinely liking each other and they actually end up hanging out. At first, it’s more of a PR stunt, but you know, you never know when you’re like, “Wow, I actually like you. You’re actually a cool person.” So I’m sure all those girls figured that out when they started fake hanging out, and then they’re like, “Wow, you ARE cool.”
I can’t speak for anyone else. I have no idea. I don’t know that I’ve ever taken a photo with somebody famous to like, get people to talk about it. The only time that I ever do that is when I’m with Zendaya, because I’ll take a Snapchat because I know our fans love us together and they don’t get to see us together often anymore. We’re already hanging out anyway just because we’re chill with each other, but I’ll take a Snap to make them happy. Because it’s like, “Aw, they’re together again. It’s so cool,” and now we’re women, grown women.
What do you think of #askhermore, the campaign to ask women about their work instead of their dresses on the red carpet?
I really like to know what people are wearing. Ask more, for sure. Ask about the roles and what you have coming up but totally, I do want to know what they’re wearing. When I watch The Oscars, my boyfriend and I have an Oscar party, and they’re like, “Okay, we need to record the first part since everyone won’t be here till later.” And he’s like, “Why do you need to see the carpet? You do that all the time.” And I’m like, “OMG bitch, I’m not on the Oscars carpet!” And I felt so weird and like a crazy, young girl-fan who really just wanted to [see the] actors and see every little piece of jewelry they’re wearing. I watched it and I enjoyed it. I guess ask more. Of course everybody wants to hear about [the clothes].
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to know right?
I really don’t think so. First of all, anyone who’s doing the carpet is wearing a huge designer. So everybody has a job, just like paparazzi have a job, and everyone has bills to pay. What can you blame them for? Nothing. When you’re on the carpet and a designer gives you a huge dress to wear on The Oscars, of course you’re going to mention it on the carpet because you’ve worked your entire life to be there and say who it is. Of course you are. But the girl from “Ex Machina,” Alicia Vikander, she had a story. She came to LA and she didn’t speak English, and she’s like, “I’m going to speak English and I’m going to win an Oscar.” So, she did. She worked to get there. She was a random girl on the street who became an amazing actress so she deserves to say who she wore.
I think people do that because anybody wants to say [it was] a publicity stunt. Anything you say nowadays it’s like, “oh, it’s this, oh it’s that, she meant that.” It’s not always like that. So, for me, I’m just like, “oh, be quiet. Oh, shut up about this controversial shit.” It really doesn’t mean anything because it’s not controversial at all — like asking someone what they’re wearing on the red carpet.
Also no one watches the guys’ interviews!
Nobody’s even watching that interview, that’s funny.
Why is it sexist? Because they don’t ask the guys about their manicures?
Probably because the guys aren’t wearing polish. Literally, every single thing someone does is a publicity stunt. Everything Kylie Jenner does is a big deal but, it’s not. She’s an 18-year-old living her life and the tabloids get into it.
You’re in a new series. Tell us about it!
I have “Famous in Love” coming out which will be great. I haven’t started the series yet, but I’m sure it’ll be really fun. All my cast members are really cool, and you know, obviously you have a lot of drama when you have a bunch of cast members on a long set working together all day long. You’re going to get a bunch of drama. When my show runner, Marlene, who runs Pretty Little Liars, talked to me, she was like, “Don’t worry. We can have therapy sessions.” And I was like, “Marlene, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t have problems with people. I just don’t care. I can’t have a problem with people if I legit don’t care—no fucks are given.” She was like, “Yeah, but it happens.” And I’m like, “No, trust me. I really doubt it’s going to happen.” I really don’t care, you know? I will not be starting shit with anybody on set. If anything, I’ll have a problem with one of the guys because they’re being douchey and not talking about a woman right. For women, I just really don’t have problems.
It seems like your work ethic keeps you from worrying about that stuff.
Bitch, I have other shit to worry about.
Does it bother you when people say that girls are bitchy?
I don’t get offended because girls are really mean. I will say—no matter where you go in life, it’s high school everywhere. I’m sure in the work office, for you, there’s high school [drama], and there’s one girl who’s bitchier than everybody. Girls are just mean and so competitive—it’s so crazy. I grew up hanging out with guys because I’m a tomboy. My boyfriend all the time is like, “I swear to God you were born a boy.” I’m very chill in that way, and other girls sometimes get really, really like, competitive and catty and who likes who? You like him? Too bad. I like him. We’re going to have a problem now. And for me, especially since I’m in a relationship, I’m like, “It’s really not that big of a deal.” But I randomly meet girls, [like] Samara. I met her on “The Babysitter,” which will be coming out this year too, and she’s such a homey. As soon as I met her, I was like, “Oh, you’re mine. You will be mine.” We’re still friends. And Mae Whitman and stuff, that just don’t care; Liana Labrada—she’s just so chill and cool. Those are the girls I hang out with. Chloe Moretz—she’s chill too, and really tomboyish like me. Those are the only girls I really hang out with in the business for that exact reason. I just chill with them and don’t have to go to a party or club or fancy dinner at The Chateau. I’m just chilling at my place ordering California Pita.
What do those girls have in common?
They’re all just such homeys. When somebody has a lower vocal range, it’s great because then I’m not the only one that sounds like a man. It’s the girls that are tomboys that I’m so down, any time of day, because I like to get my hands dirty. Germs don’t freak me out, and so I’m really just down to chill, you know, and watch movies. Anybody that can do that, any girls who can do that, you’d be surprised that like, everybody just wants to chill. But it’s not all the time. Girls ask me, “Let’s go out? Let’s go to this party? My friend’s famous and we should totally go there.” And I’m always just like, “No! I’m tired, dude. I’m so tired. I just want to go home, watch a movie, sit on Netflix, and eat Top Ramen or order food.”
You’re always working out on Instagram. What’s your workout routine?
I mean, it depends on what you want to do. I only really work out my core, abs, and legs; and butt is included in that. I don’t really work out my chest or shoulders all that often because I personally don’t love that look. [I love] using weights and doing reps while I’m doing abs so it [works your] core but also ton[es] your arms. I never build muscle on top of that. It hurts my shoulders, and I get this weird twitch in my shoulder. But what’s really good is jumping squats—really good. When you squeeze your butt in when you’re doing anything, anything you’re doing for your ass, you’re going to want to squeeze your butt in after every rep. It’ll help [your] butt. [And] have a straight back, always. I’ll put on my videos and stuff #badform, because it’ll be my first time doing that workout, and you have to be so careful because you could really be hurting your body. Or you’re doing all this stuff and not seeing any results. You’re like literally, “Where is my butt? I work out every day to [work] my butt, and I don’t see it.” It’s probably because your back is hunched.
But you don’t do a ton of arm workouts?
No! Yeah, like, I’m not a football player. I don’t want to work out my arms or shoulders. I work out my back a tad bit because it’s really nice if you’re wearing a backless dress and it looks like your spine is really deep. The muscle around the spine, it makes your spine look deeper, but that’s the only thing I work out [on my] upper body. But yeah, arms is like, no. Ugh. It takes so long to do waist workouts, and that’s what I really focus on. A big part of my workout is anything oblique because the waist will make everything look how you want it to look. If your waist is really small, your butt looks really big.
Do you feel some people on Instagram are pretending to work out, but it’s really plastic surgery giving them their bodies?
Oh yeah, it’s not from working out. You can tell somebody’s [body is] not from working out if their thighs aren’t big and their butt is big. It’s not humanly possible…because every time you do a squat, or every time you do a lunge—any time you do a workout for your butt—your legs are getting the [muscles]. That’s how you can tell. Any gym goer you see, they have big legs because they don’t skip leg day.
I like [posting on Instagram about the gym] because I like my fans to see what I’m doing all day long, but I’m also just doing it just to do it—just to try and be healthy. I didn’t work out for seven months last year, and I feel bad. I’m really inflexible, so I have to work on that, and getting my body back to where it should be. I eat whatever I want all day long, and I get nasty looks from everyone about my eating habits. [My boyfriend] orders a salad, and they always give it to me, and I’m ordering the big fat cheeseburger with bacon and avocado on top.
So you’re no into cutting out gluten, dairy, meat, whatever?
No, no. No [diets]. My skin doctor told me, “You need to cut out this, this, this, this.” I’m like, “Shut up! No, I don’t. You just want to make me miserable and dependent on you, and I’m not going to because I’ll eat whatever I want.” I went to the doctor about my chest cramp, and they asked me about eating, and I said, “I eat anything spicy, greasy, fried, with carbs, literally, everything.” And the doctor’s like, “Well, maybe you might have to stop that to stop getting these terrible chest cramps you claim to be having.” I’m like, “I’m just going to deal with the chest cramps to be completely honest, because I won’t cut out my eating habits for anything.”
Now onto the beachy questions since it’s summer. Do you tan easily?
I’m Cuban, so yes! I do get tan if I’m in the sun, but I try not to go in the sun because of that hair color; but now that I’m brunette, I have to be tan. I’m not going in the sun because it’s really bad for your face, and I already don’t put moisturizer on. I don’t want to risk the wrinkles, so I have a spray tan. I’m so lazy, you don’t understand. It takes me forever to put moisturizer on. I’ve got to moisturize my boobs, my arms, and my psoriasis, and it’s like, “Ugh, no!” The only thing I will try to moisturize is my face, and that’s because I’m so lazy. Trust me though, I really have worked a lot on my skin.
You have no idea what I’ve been through. I’m like, “Oh, I’ve got to go through this now?” I worked on Amityville Horror, coming out April 1st, and I got dermatitis from it, which is terrible. I had to go on Accutane and I had to get all this shit done to my face, like micro-needling. I’ve had a lot of shit for my acne, and I struggled with it for so long. It was such a terrible experience. I went to sleep every night crying. It made me feel bad, and it made me feel gross. People look at you funny when you have acne. All anyone was looking at was my acne, and it’s like they think you’re a gross person or dirty or something because you have acne, but you’re not. You can’t control it. If they only knew what I was doing to my face to get it to look OK, they would be shocked. They think I’m a gross person because I have acne. It was really bad for me. It was depressing.
Has it gotten better?
Um, I mean, only recently. Like, I would say [the past] three or four months is when my skin’s finally been good. I still struggle with it, and I’m still watching my face like a hawk everyday. I was on Accutane for a year and a half, and it does terrible things to your body. Anyway, now when I see the smallest pimple, I freak my shit because I’m thinking I’m about to get this war zone of acne. Gregg is like, “Baby, that is nothing. Look in the mirror. It’s nothing. Go get a facial.” But I will seriously freak out if I get a pimple.
You never know what it causing them either.
You really can’t, because you can try anything and nothing will work. You try being miserable—not eating this, this, this, and gluten. I have a friend that’s an actress, and she doesn’t eat anything because she’s afraid her skin will break out. She doesn’t eat anything because everything’s terrible for her skin. It’s awful.
Are you still on Accutane?
No, I’m not on Accutane anymore, but let me tell you—only the past two months have I been going out with literally nothing on my face. Not one drop of anything, and it feels good to not wear makeup. When people think you’re beautiful, they don’t think you’re beautiful because you’re wearing makeup and you look pretty. They just see inside you [when] they look at your natural face. That’s one of the best feelings, when my boyfriend tells me I’m beautiful when I don’t have makeup on
You grew up in Miami and now line in Southern California. Are you a total beach girl?
Oh shit. I love the beach and I belong in the water. Yeah, I grew up in Miami right by the beach. So, it’s just now, you know…people don’t take care of the beaches here [in Southern California]—they don’t take pride in it.
What’s in your beach bag?
Definitely SPF, moisturizer, Evian spray—spray it on your face—rosewater you can wear over makeup. It hydrates your face, smells good, and I think there’s small vitamins in rose petals. Under my makeup, over my makeup, I’ll spray it when I’m feeling like my face is a little dry or anything.
What’s your ideal beach playlist when heading to the beach with friends?
I really like the new Selena [Gomez] album. I think it’s the first full album I’ve ever bought of Selena’s, and it’s dope. I like it a lot. I like anything hip-hop. I mean, me and my friends, whenever we’re in the car, we love the same music. There’s a song called “Yadadamean” by Ashley All Day, and it’s so ratchet and we know every single word. My friends learned the song because of my Snapchat.
Favorite beach to go to?
Miami is definitely my favorite. Any beach in Miami is going to be pretty beautiful. The water’s warm, the beach is so clean and so sunny. Even when it rains, it’s so hot out, you’re just like swimming in warm rain.
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FOR LOVE AND LEMONS Swimsuit, SYDNEY EVAN Earrings, PARED Sunglasses, CHARLES ALBERT Bangle, CARTIER Bracelets, JEFFREY CAMPBELL Shoes
Photography: Max Montgomery
Makeup: Tonya Brewer
Hair: Castillo
Styling: Donna Lisa
