For an actress who came to the spotlight at the age of 13-years-old, following her critically-acclaimed performance in the Coen brothers’ film True Grit, Steinfeld has gone onto to carve out a stellar acting resumé – from roles in female-heavy comedy franchise Pitch Perfect to a lovesick teen in Romeo and Juliet opposite Douglas Booth – as well as a promising singing career with her recent US top 30 single, Starving.
But success at such a young age has meant finding her own voice hasn’t exactly been an overnight success for Steinfeld.
‘When you’re young and naïve, you listen to a lot of people around you suggesting different things. I’ve recently learnt to stick up for myself and figure out what I want. It’s important to say when it’s too much,’ she admits.
Something Hailee is proud to stand up against is the unrealistic expectation on women to act and look a certain way.
Following the release of her 2015 EP Love Myself, the star received criticism over the song’s lyrics that included lines such as ‘I’m gonna touch the pain away/ I know how to scream my own name’ along with a music video that saw Steinfeld wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ‘Self Service’, leading many to believe she was promoting masturbation.
At the time, Hailee came out in defence of the song admitting it was a song about female empowerment, both physically and mentally.
Looking back, Hailee admits: ‘The song was an anthem that makes you feel like you can walk out the door and conquer the world. That song been a constant reminder for self-love and confidence for me over the last year.’ Continue reading “Hailee Steinfeld Talks Taylor Swift’s Squad: ‘Women Banding Together Is Incredible’”
