Brie Larson covers the June issue of Vanity Fair. As I’ve been saying over the past few months especially, I like Brie and I think she’s genuinely a cool girl. She’s very bright and down-to-earth and she’s a wonderful actress. She’s currently promoting The Glass Castle (based on Jeannette Walls’ memoir), which doesn’t come out until the fall. She also chats about her feature-film directing effort, Unicorn Store, and Captain Marvel. Mostly this VF cover story works as a primer on “the next big thing,” more than a year after she actually won the Best Actress Oscar for Room. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
She was a struggling child actress & adult actress: She bought secondhand school uniforms from local thrift stores. “It was easy because they were all the same color, and you spend less time making a decision, so you can spend that time on other aspects of your life.” Only a few years ago, Larson admits, she was “living off the food in the film-festival welcome gift bags.”
Her style is a work in progress: “I’m trying to understand what my sense of style is now. I still refuse to pay a lot for clothes.”
Her money situation: She bought her first car last year, donates as much as she can to charities, and recently paid $2,000 to fix her hot tub —“I felt really guilty because a hot tub’s a luxury item to me.”
Working on Kong: Skull Island: “I thought it was fun that I didn’t have to be this pristine creature. It would’ve been a big shock for me to go into my first big studio movie and there’s tons of conversations about my hair and eyeliner. It was so much more comfortable to be a character covered in dirt and grime. That felt right.”
Deciding to sign on to Captain Marvel: “It took me a really long time. I had to sit with myself, think about my life and what I want out of it. Ultimately, I couldn’t deny the fact that this movie is everything I care about, everything that’s progressive and important and meaningful, and a symbol I wished I would’ve had growing up. I really, really feel like it’s worth it if it can bring understanding and confidence to young women—I’ll do it. They’ve been very open to hearing my thoughts and my take on it, which has been great. I think that’s why they cast me: I have a lot of similarities to this character”—both are strong women in industries where sexism and gender stereotypes persist—“and they want me to bring that into the movie.”
Woody Harrelson introduced her to Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence: He thought they would all benefit from knowing one another. “It’s hard in this business, especially at that age, to experience celebrity and all the perks and all the temptations of celebrity,” Harrelson tells me. He says of the three actresses, “It’s incredible how they’ve navigated fame and stayed the people they are.”
Her female friendships with Stone, Amy Schumer, J-Law: “I felt lonely and bad sometimes. I was embarrassed to keep talking about myself… That [group of friends] saved my life. I was able to talk with them about everything that was going on in my life, and it was with people who had been through it before and are also hilarious. That support and acceptance was everything. I was home-schooled, so I didn’t have friends that had the same interests as me, and I found it to be absolutely incredible.” The Internet might break if fans ever discover a photo of these gatherings, which Harrelson, who plays Larson’s father in The Glass Castle, does his best to capture. “His phone is ancient,” Larson says with a laugh. “It doesn’t take very good pictures, and it has this huge flash on it. He’s always trying to just sneak a candid picture. He’s like such a dad to all of us.”
I had no idea that Woody Harrelson is the kind of guy who would do this. Like, he’s a girlfriend-matchmaker. He works with young, talented actresses and he “sets them up” on friendship-dates. That’s incredibly sweet, isn’t it? And it does feel like a dad thing to do! Oh, and wouldn’t you know… Woody has three daughters. That’s beautiful. I also think it’s great that Brie is talking about her finances and her discomfort with spending money after pinching pennies for so many years. Hopefully, Woody can set her up on a friendship-date with a really great financial planner.
Cover courtesy of Inez & Vinoodh/Vanity Fair.
Why? It’s her money. She worked for it. It’s ok to be rich.
My thoughts exactly. No reason to beat herself up over it.
I find it sweet and endearing that she feels guilty though. People out there are starving. 2k is alot of money for many people out there. Her guilt shows she is a good person.
When you grow up poor, you oftentimes never truly acclimate to your new, 180 degree change in lifestyle as an adult. My father was raised in the migrant coal fields and is a self made millionaire. He still coupon clips and has guilt about spending money on a new car. To replace his fifteen year old Camry. With 300k. miles on it. Lol.
Good for your Dad! Just because someone has become abundantly wealthy doesn’t mean they should embrace wasteful living, not that they should feel guilt either. But with wealth does come a responsibility, in my opinion, to be a good steward of your blessings. Especially when so many in this world have so little.
I grew up very poor.
Now I am a professional with a good salary and a house in a decent neighborhood. I feel guilty about spending money too. It’s just a product of a childhood struggle. That sense of not knowing whether this will all go away tomorrow.
Man, me too. My husband will want a new $30k bulldozer (we already have 6-7) and I’ll get so upset and he says “it’s just money, we have plenty of it” and I’m like; dude, don’t act so non-Chilant about it, that is more than some families bring home in a year”
Or if I get a gift, I feel guilty. Or if we go to the casino and win, I ALWAYS end up giving it to someone in need. It weighs so heavy on my conscious.
When I worked, my salary was “play money” and I can proudly say I never spent a penny’s on myself. I bought tires for strangers, a car for someone, no telling how many christmasas for people I mean this went on for years. I felt like I had everything needed and it made me feel better to give it away.
Honestly that is the only reason I miss working. I can’t give our family money as freely now and it eats me up because I could get by on the bare basics, but what’s left could change someone’s life.
She’s actually promoting Free Fire which is flopping hard at the theaters…
All Ben Wheatley movies flop in wide release. They are an acquired taste, to say the least.
In fact, only a small bunch of adult-oriented movies recoup their budget theses days and they usually need awards buzz to make it… Nothing against Ben Wheatley, I just found it weird that Kaiser said she’s promoting a movie slated for a fall premiere when she has another movie in theaters now, even two if we count Kong.
Of course, you are right. It is feast or famine. I also follow the box office. I too have nothing against Wheatley. My daughter and I watched HIGH RISE for Mother’s Day last year. LOL
I’m not a fan of his work at all. I’ve seen all his films except for A Field in England. I haven’t enjoyed any of them, but I always check them out in case his work improves. Free Fire had a lot of humour, but the story was just crap. How he still manages to get funds and big names for his projects is beyond me.
It was a fun movie.
Did they do some weird photoshop in the last photo? Her left arm looks odd to me.
I really love the image of her, Emma, and JLaw sitting around and strategizing their careers-talking through scripts, discussing what they’re going to go for, etc. I have a couple of professional female friends who are on the same level, and that is my favorite thing, when we’re working through strategies for tough situations over wine and dinner. Not men, not clothes and nails, although those things are fun and important and often part of the conversation too, but mapping battle strategy, and then coming back and reviewing how it worked and how we’re going to tweak it for the future…
I can’t get over how much weight she’s lost over the last year and some change since she won her oscar. She looks like a freakin’ lollipop (big head, super skinny body) when she’s on the red carpet–and here in these magazine photos, too. It’s kinda disturbing. If I hadn’t seen her on t.v. doing the red carpet for awards shows, I would’ve thought it was some crazy photo-shop for these magazine photos.
The group chat between her, Amy Schumer, Jlaw, Emma Stone and Lena Dunham sounds like the group chat from h-e-l-l.
This! JLaw, Emma Stone I can handle it, but Schumer AND Dunham. No!!!
I love Emma Stone. And Brie. The rest of them, horror.
Does anyone remeber the article years ago with Brie and Shailene? They sounded insuferable. I like them separately. But together? Good god.
Emma Stone seems wonderful. The others…no. I would rather stay home and clean my bird’s cage.
Someone on LSA called them the “I won an Oscar cause I’m a young ingenue, even though there were better performances” squad.😃 I just find Brie’s comments odd here, cause she appeared rather tight with Sairose Ronan but doesn’t name check her here, then again Ronan is not an Oscar winner with a profile to match , so😶…..
I would agree on Jlaw and Stone (add Natalie Portman to that list too) but not Brie – she’s the only one of that lot who deserved her Oscar.
Also she was a complete unknown at the time unlike the other three, so it’s not even as if this was some bs ‘IT’S TIME’ Oscar like theirs.
Eh Room was amazing she deserved her Oscar. Jen I’m not mad at either she should’ve won for WB. Emma should not have won nor been nominated. LLL was mediocre
@Nicole – I definitely agree that Jlaw would have been a deserving winner for Winter’s Bone, too bad she wasn’t famous at the time and stood no chance against the Portman ‘I Became A Ballerina and Starved, Give Me An Oscar!’ train.
But SLP was really not the performance that should have won.
I am biased. I can’t warm up towards her and Jessica Chastain. So it may sound snarky but if she feels guilty spending her own money, then why doesn’t she donate 99% of it and live with the rest carefree?
I don’t understand her appeal either. Something about her just rubs me the wrong way.
This is the same woman who said that because everything was going well with her career wise and she was getting attention from the Met Gala, that she went to markets and asked for things she knew they didn’t have, just so they would say no to her and she would feel rejection.
LOL I just read that.
“Lately, I’ve been getting too much attention with the Met Gala and work going so well that I try to find rejection in my day. I’ll seek out someone on the street or at the farmers’ market and ask for something where I know they’ll say no. No one likes rejection, but it’s real. And I don’t want to lose that feeling.”
Seriously? I admit I’ve missed the interview but I find it a bit rich. She’s been on the radar (mine) only after Room – about 2 years…and already so plagued by her fame…I’m always tempted to advise a cashier job where one hears a lot more than just no…
lol, seriously?
oh man. actors are something else aren’t they.
@QueenB- I’ve just seen your post. Brie Larson has sust reminded me of Adele, who has said that….” she lives in a rented flat and what not so that her feelings are real and true and that transpires in her songs.” Or smth. in that line…. Erm… some 5 years later I read (Lainey) that only one woman in the world is allowed to shape her eyebrows…
Celebrities’ “I’m SO like you” is always worth a laugh…
Oh, wow. Celebrities are so extra. Lol.
So wait. Someone who realizes how unhealthy it is to be surrounded with people who tell them “yes” all the time? And that’s bad why?
I like Brie. She’s talented and kind and smart. You think she’s ridiculous for needing a little rejection in her life when things are soaring? I think she’s amazing for being the person to hug each and every one of those sexual assault survivors that were on the Oscars stage.
@Bridget I actually like Brie Larson. I’m a fan of hers and I’m not afraid to admit it. But what does what she said about going to markets to feel rejected have to do with being surrounded by Yes people all the time? Like I understand the need for rejection but let’s be real….going to markets and asking for things you know they don’t have just to feel some rejection is extremely ridiculous. In fact, it sounds like something Goop would say. It just seems extra and unecessary.
Bridget: Nothing wrong with introspection. But the way she does is hilarious. Also not “real” rejection. Being turned down personally for your talent or looks is way harsher than goign to a hardware store and asking for Spaghetti.
Is it silly? Yes. Is it a character flaw like you’re presenting it? No.
@Bridget: I get your point but still stay by my comment- this “rejection” she mentions is not exactly a “real” one. It’ll be more relatable to me if she mentioned role she’s lost to another or whatever which she actually fought for.
Such ups and downs are normal. But to go to the market (as a client!) and ask for smth. she knows in advance she’ll not get is playing it safe.
That’s not “grounding” for me.
I try not to be biased because it’s not entirely her fault how she’s been portrayed, but it does rub me wrong that she was originally promoted as the “anti-JLaw” to the general public. In the first, I dislike it because two women should have to be compared or conflated in order to be successful. And second, because of all the idea that JLaw is a detested “cool girl” and we need this pretty, white brunette to remind us of what a grounded celeb is like when she’s likely just as EXTRA to get as far as she has.
I respect her willingness to stand by her beliefs – she certainly didn’t stand down when asked about Casey Affleck – but she got to where she was due to privilege and ambition. She didn’t stumble upon her fame by accident. Which is FINE, but I’m tired of this artistic narrative that renders women incapable of having a career drive that require some level of artificiality in an industry that is all artificial.
Often, people who grow up without money can feel guilty when spending it and that feeling can creep in just by buying some regular shoes, not even fancy stuff. It’s the whole idea that “I don’t deserve this” mindset it that can stay with you even when you self esteem seems to be on an ok level.
Yeah, I thought the money guilt thing was relatable. I was raised by a single widowed mother and money was pretty tight. I was the first/only person in my family to get a degree and I’m doing fine now, but I constantly feel guilty for having money or spending it. I think it’s a growing up poor thing.
I like her, she stands up for what she believes in and puts her money where her mouth is. Plus I think she deserved her Oscar. I don’t think emma did though. Sorry emma, still love you.
I actually don’t find Larson very genuine at all. She is a good actress and introspective but she’s definitely playing a game. She smartly stays under the radar for the most part, popping into the limelight every now and then to share some wisdom, say something progressive or be a bit silly. She limits promotional appearances so she doesn’t feel as overwhelming as many people find Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Stone.
But the whole story about how she was robbing food and struggling as an actress up until Room is pure baloney. Larson has been in Disney movies since about 11 years old. She was a regular on United States of Tara for three seasons. She had a go at being a teen popstar. She has appeared in supporting roles in a number of popular films like 21 Jump Street, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Don Jon. She’s worked fairly consistently since 2004.
Now, she wasn’t a major star and probably wasn’t rolling in cash but she more than likely had a reasonably steady income. More than most people her age. So I’m not buying the whole “starving artist” spiel. She acted this way many times while promoting Room, implying that Short Term 12 was her first real role when it wasn’t the case. She also mentioned that she was rejected from United States of Tara and didn’t know what to do with her life (failing to mention that she was eventually cast in the role).
It’s a shame really because I had a major crush in her in Tara and Scott Pilgrim but her interview while promoting Room put me right off her.
I think I love Woody Harrelson more after this interview.
I’m happy those ladies have found each other, friendship is so important and often undervalued compared to romantic relationships.
I agree, I love Woody even more now. My parents used to occasionally let me stay up late to watch “Cheers” when I was little and it was such a treat for me, good memories and I always thought he was funny. Friends are such an important part of life, that was a sweet thing to do.
I think it really shows his character, more than words.
He’s willing to go out of his way to help his hollywood ‘daughters’, and that’s very sweet and generous.
I heard he’s their dealer.
You mean Woody Harrelson who’s given up pot for the last couple of years?
Just think of it as hot tub guy/gal paid another small chunk of their mortgage. It’s trickle down economics!
Do you wear a school uniform to be home schooled? Huh?
Yeah, that raised an eyebrow for me. I am kind of tired of her hippy dippy act.
Lol. I think she meant more that she bought uniforms because they’re easy enough to wear daily without putting a lot of thought into it, not because they were a requirement of her (home) school.
She may be talking about a home school co-op group. There are a few where I live, one quite large. And yeah, they make the kids wear a basic uniform.
Just once, once, I’ll be happy if someone flat out said they signed up with Marvel/Disney/Fox e.t.c for the money and the boost to their profile rather than for some selfless, profound, enlightenment journey.
But that’s just me.
I read somewhere that Larson wrote an opus on her Instagram about the deep meaning of her role in Kong Skull Island. But the highest rated comment on her page was like “Sis it’s Kong vs Godzilla Mk 2, it’s not that serious”. That was kinda funny.
.
Nah, I’m with you on this.
She “loved” being grimy but got a boob job for the role. OK.
Not a fan. Something about her doesn’t resonate authentic with me. And it’s not just her tits.
I keep forgetting Brie had breast implants.
Nowt wrong with it, Not at at all! Good for her.
But yeah u see, she could own she wants the fame/attention she has been plugging hard for years; rather then all this altruism, selfless talk-talk she feeds on for every minutiae.
But that’s jmo.
Haaa! I agree with you, man. “Everything that’s progressive and meaningful and important” is also a load of hokey because the superheroic success of an attractive, young blonde woman with special powers doesn’t feel particularly earth-shattering to me from a storytelling perspective.
I don’t dislike this woman, but I always roll my eyes a bit at the preachiness of this cadre of acclaimed white actresses.
You make a good point. It’s not as if the MCU has not attracted a ton of “serious” actors. I love seeing Shakespearean actors as over the top heroes and villains. I don’t think the “Sirs” McKellan and Stewart feel they have to explain.
She’s not promoting High Castle, she’s promoting Free Fire with Armie Hammer and Cillian Murphy. I like Brie but I didn’t enjoyed This interview, I’m always wary about celebrity friendship, it does feel like a whole chunk of this interview is just about namedroping. Oh look out and pay attention to her, she’s friend with JLaw, I’m really over this whole squad thing in general. Anyway she’s a great actress and a good role model, I’m eager to see her next project.
*clapping for this one cause I Love this girl after I realized She’s F*ck deficient* she looks soooo Glam, but COME ON STYLISTS come give my Girl Her PROPER glow Up!
11 comments in, finally someone honks for brie.
If not me then Who, if not now that she looks like a F*ckless Goddess then when?
i tip my hat to you.
I really like her too and I thought that was how the majority of people felt about her. Where and when did all this hate come from? Did I miss something?
I like her.
i like her too, although some of her quotes are hilariously eye rolly, if that one about rejection is true.
Well to me she is anti Jlaw and I love that. I am a Brie fan. And I love her Instagram Account. At least she owns her words. Hollywood needs more women like her. Btw she earned that Oscar way more than Stone as she and Jacob were awesome.
Thank you. I like her a lot.
hear hear, QQ. HONK for Brie!
I love how various iterations of ‘I don’t find her relatable’ has become the new go-to insult to throw at actresses who haven’t said or done a thing wrong otherwise. And before that it was ‘ugh she’s the ‘cool girl'” (JLaw).
And then people complain about stars trying too hard to be relatable.
Money spent is better than money sitting in a bank. You can have a working hot tub, Brie. It’s ok.
Best comment!
This isn’t surprising since Woody was spotted out with Brie and Jen when they filmed in Montreal. Jen obviously knows him from THG and Emma is friends with Jen. Heck Emma and Jen went to the Adele concert with Woody and we all know they are friends too. Natural that they would all become friends and I’m liking this friendship group. Jen, Emma and Brie…here for it. Drop Amy though…she’s a no for me.
So when Taylor does the A-list girl squad thing she’s annoying but when it’s Brie she’s a cool girl
To be fair (ish), Taylor’s friends seem generally more vapid than Brie’s. But I actually think it’s pretty annoying on both counts.
Because Taylor “collected” friends for her “feminist” message. She is not a feminist nor is she friends with most of the girls from her “squad”. It was an image. Brie is literally just saying she has friends. She is a feminist just from the things she posts and practices and has been for a while. That’s the difference. Everything about taylor is manufactured
Taylor’s squad seem to be accessories for pap strolls and photo ops. They’re always posing and preening together and making their friendships appear to be somehow aspirational just because they’re all so pretty. It got old for me. Any sense that those friendships were anything more than a giant ego boost and circle jerk went out the door for me a long time ago.
Brie is not attractive so she isn’t threatening to the average straight female fan the way the Taylor squad was.
It’s the same Aniston vs Angelina thing, one is the non-threatening girl next door you can project yourself onto vs the other is competition.
Not attractive?!?
I think she’s very pretty.
Who says that medusa is attractive? I am shocked. She just looks evil to me. That damn grin and those voldemord eyes are scaring me.
She’s alright looking but sheh isn’t hot. With non existent charisma, same with Swift.
So, I hardly (if ever) comment because lurking’s just my thing. I feel compelled to comment on Brie and her guilt at spending money: so like Brie, I worked from a very young age, not because my parents abused me, but my mom, sister and I were basically trafficked to the US by my uncle. Once we got to the US on a tourist visa (He set all of this up, btw, as he had trafficked many people into the US), he seized our passports, kept my sister (who was 16) out of school to make her work and pay him back for all of the visa fees, etc. Same thing with my mom. I was 13 so I got “lucky” and had to work on the weekends for 12 hours a day while going to school, and also had to work on a couple school nights.
My point is: when you start working from a young age, and you are still pinching pennies because that’s how you survive, it’s a mindset that is near impossible to break. I’m 32 now, have my green card after we escaped and got the FBI involved. I have a great job with good benefits and a decent pay. I still feel guilty when I buy myself anything with MY OWN MONEY, because I spent so many of my formative years working my ass off and not getting to keep any money I made. It changes something inside you. Poverty is a hard mindset to break out of, even when you’ve worked your way out of it. You feel guilty about how you broke out, how “fortunate” you are, how grateful you should be to have what you do, and to never indulge because you could just as easily lose it all. Food for thought, that’s all.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. I have not had those experiences of course and would not make a comparison but I was raised poor and I completely understand. I hope you have and will have a wonderful life. x
Thank you! Honestly, while what I lived through was a nightmare I am still grappling with, there are many kids in the US and around the world who are born in abject poverty and begin working at too young an age to help support their family. It’s so difficult to break the cycle of poverty, and the guilt and fear that you can once again become poor makes it hard to move forward and upward. Good luck to you, wishing you happiness.
My best to you. Please comment more.
I’m really sorry but glad you are ok now. I tried to convey what you expressed in your comment about the mindset that sets in. It’s incredibly hard to feel that your are worthy of spending anything on yourself, and it’s even harder if it is something not utilitarian or superficial. Many people don’t get that, but if that means they never had to deal with those feeling maybe that’s a good thing.
You learn to take care of others around you, and ignore your own needs at times, which sucks but honestly, there’s worse ways to be. I’m very grateful of where I am now in my life, and glad that I have been able to find contentment in simple things.
It is true, all you wrote:)
First off, I am so glad you’re safe now.
Second, you hear a lot of stories like this about people that grew up during the Great Depression – they have a compulsion to save and pinch pennies. You’re right, being poor in your formative years can drastically change your lifelong relationship with money.
” Only a few years ago, Larson admits, she was “living off the food in the film-festival welcome gift bags.”
I’m sorry but this just…I feel bad for laughing but this with the other quotes and there being food in gift bags.
I feel for her though cause I grew up poor too.
The idea that Brie is the anti-JLaw has always seemed odd to me. They’re both very talented, successful and a bit precious in a way that seems to rub a few people the wrong way. But I like them both, and Emma: They’re all really good at their job, and have coped well with huge pressure.
PLEASE! Someone tell me why this boring chick is a “thing”! She is one of the least dynamic actresses in Hollywood. AND and Oscar Winner??? WTF! She is always going on about how poor she was growing up…I know where you grew up, you were doing just fine! Go away, back to the Sacramento suburb you came from.
I thought that both Room and Larsen were overrated, and she sounds so Poor Little Rich Girl insufferable here.
A progressive, meaningful, symbolic Marvel movie. Bitch please. You signed for the molah.
Does she feel guilty about spending $5000 to get her new tits? Is that a luxury or a feminist statement?
Probably a career necessity, sadly.
And I know people are contemptuous of Marvel but they’re possibly the most influential Hollywood studio around right now – so yes, it is a huge deal that they’re finally giving us movies with black and female titular leads. And I don’t see anyone questioning Chadwick Boseman & Co’s motives for signing on to BP.
I could be totally wrong but it seems that some Hiddleston fans have a new found hostility directed toward Brie. I Wonder if this has anything to do with the blind item which could be about them during King Kong promotion. Whatever, she can have new tits if she wants it doesn’t make her less authentic.
Its her body… its her money she can do whatever she wants 🙂
I don’t really like the Schumer-JLaw combo, especially not with the lovely Brie and Emma. Nope.