Hollywood actress Hailee Steinfeld — who was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the 2010 film True Grit — is now in the Philippines. She is set to hold a series of mall shows to promote her album, Haiz.

Her shows are set on Apr 8 at the Eastwood Mall in Quezon City, next is at the Uptown Mall in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig on Apr 9, and then at the Venice Grand Canal at McKinley Hill, BGC (April 10).

Steinfeld has also starred in numerous other Hollywood films, such as Ender’s Game and Pitch Perfect 2.

Steinfeld, by the way, has a Filipino grandmother.

Humility and Hollywood have never really mixed. Much like oil and water, the two may often come into contact, but they merely glide past one another, rarely if ever truly mingling. The majority of actors and music artists are narcissists—many self-admitted and proud—and can you really blame them? After all, when a star shines bright, all it can really see is its own luminous glow. So when a star emerges who possesses that certain introspection, earnestness, and levity that is necessary for appreciating the circumstances and various players involved in one’s success—not merely one’s own talents and fortitude—it’s refreshing. Such humility, as rare as it is, it purely magnetic, which is probably why I feel so immediately drawn to Hailee Steinfeld.

We’ve all heard of those super down-to-Earth celebrities, right? The ones who go on and on about how much they love bingeing on pizza, and how they totally walk their own dogs as if it merits a gold star? As relatable as Steinfeld comes off during our hour-long chat on the phone, it’s not her openness or girl-next-door appeal that strikes me—it’s the fact that she keeps acknowledging her collaborators and influences. When I ask about making the transition from acting to music, she’s quick to thank those who helped her through the shift.

“Something people don’t know is that I started making music around the same time that I was getting into acting, but acting took off and music became more of a side project over the years,” she shares. “Now it’s my full focus. When I signed with Republic Records and was put in the studio with the most incredible writers and producers, I had a hard time trying to verbally translate what I wanted. Because I was with the best of the best, they were able to help put that into words and song for me. I owe a lot to the people that I made the EP with—Mattman and Robin, Max Martin, Julia Michaels, and Justin Tranter.”

When I comment on how an earnest shout-out is a bit unusual for certain celebrities, she puts it in perspective for me: “I’ve been involved in film since I was thirteen. I’ve been studying acting since I was eight. One thing I learned—the easy and the hard way—is that you’re nothing without an amazing writer, director, cast, and an amazing set of producers. You’re nothing without the people that surround you! Launching into music knowing nothing and being paired with some of the best writers and producers out there, I’ve learned so much from them in such a short amount of time. I feel like I owe a lot to them for that.” Continue reading “Interview for LADYGUNN Magazine”

Singer Joe Jonas is feeling a “little nervous” that Hailee Steinfeld will seek revenge for his April Fools’ Day prank.

The former boyband star phoned into an Australian radio station last week (29Mar16) and pretended to be a super fan of Hailee’s – asking her a series of awkward questions. While attending the iHeart Radio Music Awards on Sunday (03Apr16), Joe admitted he was worried about how the singer-and-actress plans to retaliate.

“I called in and pretended to be a fan, but she figured it out straight away,” he told Access Hollywood. “She’s smart, she knows. She says she has something planned for me which I’m starting to get a little nervous about.”

During Hailee’s appearance on a Sydney radio station, Joe, 26, decided to play an early April Fools’ Day prank by phoning in and posing as a fan. Claiming his name was ‘Harry’ and speaking in a squeaky voice, Joe begged Hailee to send him some toenail clippings – much to her disgust.

However, Hailee, 19, quickly realised it was a joke when ‘Harry’ quizzed her on what it was like to work with Joe and his pop-rock band DNCE for the new single Rock Bottom.

“I think they took a lot away from it actually,” Hailee quipped. “Joe sings the whole second verse which means I’m not singing it, so that kind of sucks.”

Although Hailee worked out she was being set up by Joe, the former Jonas Brothers musician has no plans to stop playing jokes on her.

“I need to start pranking her on other odd days,” he added to Access Hollywood.

The friends are no strangers to getting involved in the traditions of April Fools’ Day. Last year (15), Joe posted a photograph of an ultrasound scan on Twitter and claimed the pair were having a baby together.

However, the star has now revealed that prank also backfired when he failed to set the story straight.

“Yes, I have done these pranks with her a few times,” he said at the awards show. “Last year we pretended, like, we were having a kid together and I forgot to tell people that it was an April Fools’ joke, so she was mad at me.”