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Dickinson Has Hailee Steinfeld Thinking a Lot About Fame

On a per-minute basis, Apple TV+’s Dickinson is probably the densest show on TV, in terms of a combination of literary references, a contemporary soundtrack, and scenes that can suddenly shift from hard comedy to poignancy. Balancing it all at the show’s center, there’s Hailee Steinfeld as the legendary Emily Dickinson herself, playing a brash young version of the great poet who alternately sulky and cutting and enthusiastic about throwing ragers. Dickinson is Steinfeld’s first TV show, after a movie career of attention-grabbing performances from her breakout in True Grit through The Edge of Seventeen and Bumblebee. In making the show, she relished the chance to dig deeper into a single character, as Steinfeld told Vulture over the phone. Along the way, she also found herself thinking about her own career, her fame, and even her approach to the music she makes.

I feel like Emily Dickinson, known late-in-life shut-in, would handle quarantine pretty well. Has playing her helped you get through all this?
In the beginning, it did. At this point? Not so sure. But I’ve had conversations with castmates and [Dickinson creator] Alena [Smith] about how Emily would’ve had no problem with this whatsoever.

Have you done any bread-baking? The bread Emily makes on the show looks so good.
I have not, but you’ve given me something to do now.

In the first season, the scenes that really stood out are those fights between Emily and her father, with you and Toby Huss facing off, especially the one where he slaps her and she disassociates and “goes to the circus.” What was it like to film that?
That relationship was one of my favorites to figure out. Having all 10 scripts at the beginning, I loved that I was able to see this clear arc, but the discoveries as we filmed kept happening. Toby and I had so many conversations that were fun to have and uncomfortable to have about that relationship, which is very loving and protective. It’s complicated and tricky.

Was there a moment where the relationship clicked for you?

I had a few, and luckily the first one came in the first episode, with the scene where the whole family is sitting around the table and Emily decides to announce that her poem is being published and all hell breaks loose. That was a moment I had on set with Toby where I feel like we really locked. The scene was rewritten a few times, and Alena was very particular with every word, and once we nailed it, that was definitely a moment.

Emily’s other defining relationship is with Sue Gilbert, played by Ella Hunt. They don’t even necessarily have the words to describe the love they feel for each other. How was it figuring out how to play that?
I don’t know how to describe how the dynamic was different to me than making a film, but because each episode felt like making a film, it felt like we had dug so deep. Ella and I were able to have the time to have these conversations, and I don’t know if I’ve had conversations with actors as I’ve had with this project. Ones where you set aside the time and sit down and discuss. Sue was somebody that saw Emily for who she was. A lot of people had all these opinions and preconceived notions about this person, and Sue saw through that. It’s a really beautiful relationship that happens to be between two women who just see each other. Continue reading “Dickinson Has Hailee Steinfeld Thinking a Lot About Fame”

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Hailee Steinfeld Reflects on Making ‘True Grit’ and Why No Oscar Talk on Set Was Key

Hailee Steinfeld, star of ‘Dickinson’ on AppleTV+, reflects on making the Coen Brothers’ 2010 western ‘True Grit’ with Jeff Bridges and Josh Brolin. She also explains why the lack of conversation on set about potential box office or Oscar glory was key:

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5 Beauty Products Hailee Steinfeld Swears By

Is there anything Hailee Steinfeld can’t do? The 23-year-old actress (Oscar-nominated, mind you) and singer (she recently released her EP Half-Written Story) has won millions over with her wide range of talents. After one phone call with her, however, I found myself even more impressed by how passionate she is speaking about building up self-confidence.

“I learn the importance of self-love more and more as each day goes by. The power that comes with it can change your life, but it takes time—at least, it did for me,” Hailee says. “Society’s standards constantly change and are confusing. We see this feed of altered images and think, Oh, this is what people like. If this is what people are attracted to, is that what you have to be?”

She confronted insecurity at a young age, while doing photo shoots. “I would see the photos and the beauty marks on my face would get taken out of the image. I would see myself without them and think. Oh god, they’re not beautiful. They’re ugly,” she recalled. “Now, I’ve learned to love these marks even if someone else classifies them as imperfections or not beautiful.”

As for how she reminds herself to stay positive she shared, “I tell myself that I am happy, to stand tall, and to smile. This makes me feel like I’m bringing out my best. You constantly have to remind yourself of how unique, beautiful, and special you are.”

Other self-care practices she’s been leaning on–especially while most of the world was still in lockdown–include “going for walks, getting fresh air–there’s nothing more refreshing than just waking up and filling your lungs with fresh air,” she said. She’s also been having sit-down dinners at home with her family every night. “I can’t tell you the last time that’s been something we were able to do,” she shared. “We’re taking time to reflect on who we are, what makes us happy, and what really matters in our lives. This is something that I’ll never take for granted again.”

On top of having her inner beauty practices down pat, she was also eager to share all of the beauty products she’s been loving (lucky us!). Keep on reading for her top five picks.

Kora Organics Noni Glow Sleeping Mask
“I feel like my skin is psychotically sensitive–so my beauty routine consists of very few products and products with natural ingredients. This is a super lightweight gel mask that leaves skin super glowy and smooth. When I saw this mask was a ‘sleeping mask,’ I was like no way, because if I put something on my skin for just four minutes it’s game over. I tried this and it’s actually my favorite thing in the world. I was literally receiving compliments on my skin over FaceTime–that’s when you know this stuff is working.” Continue reading “5 Beauty Products Hailee Steinfeld Swears By”