The trajectory for Disney Channel alumni is at a turning point. Where previously the channel’s offspring would streamline film, music and television with little more than a nod to their religious inclinations, today’s stars are adding political activism to the bill: what began with Miley Cyrus — long clued up on the LGBT+ cause — in 2017 has garnered a strong line up, and a female cast is dominating.
Amongst those initiating the change is Wonderland cover star (suited and booted above in the finest Tommy Hilfiger wares), Bella Thorne. You might have seen Thorne as Taylor Townsend junior in The OC circa 2007. Or as the bitch to Mae Whitman’s DUFF in 2015’s The Duff. Or perhaps most famously, as Cece Jones, Zendaya’s BFF in Disney’s seriously popular “buddy comedy” Shake It Up. Three years after the show wrapped the IRL friendship remains intact, with the pair joining forces at January’s Women’s March on Washington and cementing the moment with an Instagram embrace (194k likes and counting).
Reshaping the language of protest aside, the actor has been busy in the day job, with six films currently in post-production — including Midnight Sun, a romantic drama in which Thorne’s Katie Price, a 17 year old with a life-threatening sensitivity to sunlight, falls for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son Patrick while seeking solace in her guitar after dark.
Elsewhere, it’s the dramatisation of Rebecca Serle’s Famous in Love that’s keeping Twitter feeds occupied. Cast as Paige, your regular college student until a Hollywood audition leads to her Big Break™, the series explores Paige’s new life under the It Girl guise and the respective stresses such a label brings: co-star chemistry, jealous best friends and figuring out what a healthy work/life balance actually is.
Let us know when you find the winning combo, Bella. Until then, we get deep and meaningful with the 19 year old through the Proust Questionnaire.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Honestly, my perfect happiness is getting to lie in my bed all day, not having to leave the house while watching Netflix and eating Jalapeño poppers.
What is your greatest fear?
I really don’t like spiders. Snakes, I’m getting better with but not eels— still can’t do those. The Little Mermaid did not help their case.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My fear of loneliness.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Why we getting all negative here?! But people do tend to judge a book by its cover.
Which living person do you most admire?
My sister Dani, she’s like my mom. She always helps me to make the right choices and be the most positive person I can be.
What is your greatest extravagance?
The most luxurious thing I can do is sleep, spoiling myself is allowing my body to rest.
What is your current state of mind?
My state of mind changes on a day to day basis. My mind is honestly in a thousand places all the time. There isn’t just one state, it’s like countries in here.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Wow, this is really mind fucking me right now.
On what occasion do you lie?
Almost never. I lied for so long, lying about myself and who I really was and now I have just made it a thing to be honest all the time. Maybe too honest, brutally honest. It gets me into trouble sometimes
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
It’s obvious, I talk about it all the time. I don’t like the acne.
