Cara Delevingne announces her retirement from modeling: bratty or fine?

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I’m sort of at a loss as to how to approach Cara Delevingne these days. Some people really love her. Some people think she’s genuinely interesting. I think she’s a spoiled, unprofessional brat. But I’ll try to give her a break, maybe. Even though Cara’s big “make me a movie star!” attempt failed in Paper Towns, Cara is still trying to make this movie star thing happen. Cara gave an interview to The Times where she says outright that she’s not going to be a model anymore because “sexism,” and now she’s going to be an actress because “sexism.” Some highlights:

She’s not going to model anymore: She divulged that she is “not doing fashion work any more.” The reason? It made her “feel a bit hollow…It didn’t make me grow at all as a human being. And I kind of forgot how young I was. I felt so old.”

Modeling “wasn’t a good time.” “I was, like, fight and flight for months. Just constantly on edge. It is a mental thing as well because if you hate yourself and your body and the way you look, it just gets worse and worse.”

Her psoriasis breakout: “People would put on gloves and not want to touch me because they thought it was, like, leprosy or something.”

Doing sexual poses & campaigns when she was a teenager: “I am a bit of a feminist and it makes me feel sick. It’s horrible and it’s disgusting. [We’re talking about] young girls. You start when you are really young and you do, you get subjected to … not great stuff.”

She knows Hollywood is sexist but.. it’s “worse in modeling….I am very good at standing up for myself now, and for other people. If there is injustice I will flip out. If someone is crossing a line, they will know about it and so will everyone else.”

Rejection made her stronger: “I am a lot harder than I was and I feel like all of that modeling, life, rejection, everything, was preparation for this, and now that I am doing this I am the happiest person in the whole world.”

[From People]

I think this was always going to be her move, regardless if Paper Towns was a hit or not (and it’s not). You could already hear variations of this during her promotional trail. And that alone is fine – if she wants to give up a successful modeling career to become an actress, God bless and Godspeed. But what bugs me is that she’s taking a big dump on the fashion industry as a whole and burning a lot of bridges there for no real reason other than she’s just a big, unprofessional brat. So modeling wasn’t for her? Fine. She could just say “I got to a point where it wasn’t fun anymore” or something like that. Because complaining about sexism after becoming famous as the posh-Lolita-It-Girl of British models is a bit rich (rich like her family and the wealth of family connections she used to launch her modeling career).

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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74 Responses to “Cara Delevingne announces her retirement from modeling: bratty or fine?”

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  1. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    Bye.

    • Starrywonder says:

      Yup. She can’t act. So she can have fun being cast as the attractive girl and duke it out with Rosie whatsherface and Blake Lively for roles.

    • Snazzy says:

      Yup. Don’t let the door hit your a** on the way out

    • Nerdista says:

      Please! If she said “it just wasn’t fun anymore” you’d find something wrong/boring with that. At least she’s talking about something substantial.

      • jwoolman says:

        Yes, I don’t see anything remotely bratty about what she says or what she is doing. ???

      • Fran says:

        What if something nasty happened to her and she wants to speak out about it? Good for her, I think she has the right to say whatever she wants to say without people judging her for it.

  2. Loopy says:

    Meryl Streep must be quaking 🙂

  3. QQ says:

    Don’t let the Door Hit ya where the good Lord gave you that Ms. Piggy Nose Sis!

    Also who will undertake your coke supplier to the stars duties?

  4. bellenola says:

    I really tried but I guess I don’t care.

  5. Lynnie says:

    Is she a good actress though? Because modeling is the only thing I know her from and all the movies she’s slated to appear in aren’t career jumpstarters to say the least.

    • bns says:

      No she’s not. I like her, but she’s delusional if she thinks that her acting career will survive her ‘It’ girl phase. She’s only getting parts because she’s popular right now. Once people are over her she’s done.

  6. Solsolito says:

    As a feminist, I still can’t fathom the term “bit of a feminist”. What the hell does that even mean?

    • Kiddo says:

      That means she will speak up about injustices only after she has jumped ship and can no longer help those left behind?

    • Abbott says:

      You don’t quantify your feminism? I’d consider myself 100% feminist. Like Cara would be considered 100% a$$hole. It’s math.

    • Chinoiserie says:

      That she might agree some parts of the feminist ideology but not everything?

    • Kiddo says:

      I think it’s just ‘clever’ phrasing.

    • Dee says:

      She’s just being English when she says it like that. It doesn’t mean anything and she’d be surprised that point is even being discussed. It’s a bit of self-deprecation.

    • Petunia says:

      The feminsts, by their own definition, who pick apart another’s effort and ideal of positive thinking and striving to get behind the idea, are ridiculous! You people embody the angry feminist stigma. Nothing is good enough and your elitist,” I own the island of Feminist” and you don’t get it, is sad. So is being awful and judgemental a sign of what it’s truly about? Also, did someone send you the Ling James version of the Feminist Bible that few have seenaking you the guage regarding what applies in the world if feminist? You jerks give it a bad name. Get a hobby and better yourself. Find joy in your life instead of preaching feminism on blogs by deminishing another woman’s attempt to support it.

  7. Nikki says:

    Still like her. I like what she has to say. Unprofessional? Sure, but maybe it’s time to reevaluate the modelling industry and its standards.

    • Neah23 says:

      She dumping on the fashion industry not because she sees a problem, but because she sees her better then that now. Cara going to be an actress which is so fulfilling and Hollywood is not shallow business at all. 😄

      If acting doesn’t work out she will dump on that too.

  8. Pri says:

    It is fine, she is rich, comes from a privileged past, and despite no acting education/training/extensive experience, it is raining roles.

    I hate that there will be a ton of other high-class British girls to fill the modelling void. It annoys me that there is always a couple of aristocratic/rich party girls in each Burberry campaign who have their last names to make money off of.

    • Dee says:

      I will say this for Cara – she’s not Georgia May Jagger. That is pure nepotism right there. I think Cara was a designer favourite so consistently because she has a unique look, she earned her place. Rosie’s body is keeping her in work and got her the M&S lingerie range, so that’s something she brought on her own. Have you seen her original nose though? Really wide, and she was brunette. Her lips are the real deal though.

  9. mia girl says:

    Oh good. Now I can announce my retirement from wondering how this person is a top fashion model.

    • Abbott says:

      Your long-term commitment to this important cause has not gone unnoticed. Fair winds and following seas, mia girl! 🙂

    • Liberty says:

      🙂

    • mia girl says:

      Thank you Abbott, but your well wishes are apparently premature.

      I’ve just returned from Human Resources where I was informed that my retirement request was not approved. They pointed out, and rightly so, that despite the fact I no longer wonder about the modeling bit, my job description entails that I now need to wonder how this person is getting acting gigs. Alas, I’m stuck in my Cara-cubi for a few more years. 😂

      *throws my bikini and husband’s jorts into the wastebasket”

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Lol, sorry it didn’t work out for you. I was getting my mood board for your retirement/Bon voyage party all set up and everything…

  10. Bee says:

    The dislike of her is a little irrational….

    • vauvert says:

      Why? Because some of us don’t like a spoiled rich girl who was never supermodel material now complaining about how horrible being a supermodel was? And how she will be so much more fulfilled as an actress, even though she lacks the talent and training to act as a potted plant? OK, glad to be irrational…

      • Lily says:

        So, because she was born to a rich family, she can’t speak up about the sexism in modeling? My good friend growing up was a top model until her early twenties, and she was constantly offered sex, drugs, and told to pose in ways that were crazy and unnecessary.
        I know this site need to get clicks, but let’s at least be consistent. I used to feel like the writing here was smart, but it’s gotten pretty skewed in the last six months or a year.

  11. greenmonster says:

    “I am a bit of a feminist”?

    • jwoolman says:

      “A bit of a X” is just a filler phrase, when you don’t want to claim being totally an expert in X or subscribing to some particular agenda concerning X or totally being an X (such as “I’m a bit of a control freak”). “Feminist” is such a loaded word these days, even though it is now rivaling the word “God” for meaning so many different things to different people. The simple definition of just believing in equal rights and opportunities has been overwhelmed by much broader definitions and assumptions that can be confusing. If someone is asked “Are you a feminist?” In an interview, they are stepping in a mine field that is likely to explode in their face no matter what they say. I can see why she hesitates to just say it outright, somebody is bound to take offense or decide she hasn’t gone far enough or has gone too far because everybody has different assumptions about what the heck the word means. I don’t like such labels myself, they’re too slippery. Better to just be specific about what you believe in specific issues and leave the labels to cans of soup.

  12. Eleonor says:

    Bye Felicia !

  13. Sophie says:

    I can’t help it, I love her. At least as a model. I find that I can’t stop looking at her and she comes across in photos as so cool and so intense at the same time.

  14. Hannah says:

    I dont dislike her I just dislike nepotism. I have friends at Rada and the royal central school of speech and drama, my friends often find themselves struggling to make the fees for their 3 year acting course. Genuinely talented actors who are willing to learn their craft.I doubt they will get the kind of breaks Cara got. I just think people should do the work first.

    • lucy2 says:

      Completely agree. Anytime someone gets a big break when they haven’t worked their way up, I always feel bad for all the actors out there struggling and training and doing their best but without all the advantages of built-in fame.

  15. Tiffany27 says:

    I want to hang with her, but like once a month. She could easily grate on my nerves.

  16. Oh, you’re leaving? M’kay, bye…*continues to shovel mint and dill three bean rocket salad into mouth without so much as an upward glance.*

  17. Alexa says:

    I guess I don’t know enough about her because I really LIKE that she’s making a public statement that she cannot tolerate the fashion model industry because of its rampant misogyny. She could have said nothing about it – but how would that help bring awareness to the problem. It’s way past time for things to start changing, and I’m glad she said something . . . regardless.

    • ummm says:

      She brought awareness to a VERY 1st world problem that EVERYBODY already knows about to justify her reasons for quitting the only job she’s qualified to do.

      How brave.

      • Emily C. says:

        The “first world problem” actually impacts the way the whole world sees women. If women are only represented as beautiful if they’re very thin and fit a certain rubric in other ways, that hurts the way all women see themselves. And if even the richest and most powerful are called “brats” for calling out sexism… well, that highlights just how bad things are.

        And frankly, I don’t think the sexual harassment, assault, and demeaning of ANYONE should be dismissed as a “first world problem.” And that is all rife within the fashion industry. Saying it doesn’t matter because they’re rich (which btw most models are not) is rather sickening. Wealth does not erase sexism. It’s not okay to treat rich women in a misogynistic, violent, objectifying way any more than it is poor women.

    • yellow says:

      Me too!

    • Marny says:

      i agree. why would it be more favorable for her to quit and keep secret all the problems with the modelling industry when she could quit and do her part to get the word out there? Nothing she said hasn’t already been said but i don’t think it would be more respectable or commendable for her to have kept silent. The more that gets said about it the better the chances are that changes might be made to benefit the models who don’t have family money to fall back on. Also, the images that appear in magazines affect all of us. This isn’t a top 1% problem.

      • ummm says:

        1st world does not equal 1%
        oh god… i can’t. reading comprehension. arg.

      • Shiba says:

        Agree completely.

        It’s a horrible business in many ways.
        Just because Cara didn’t ‘earn’ her success doesn’t mean she isn’t speaking the truth, in this instance.
        Look beyond the messenger.
        A VERY successful model is saying the fashion industry treats young girls badly.
        IT DOES.
        That’s what’s important – not the snark about CD.

  18. MonicaQ says:

    I just see that angry baby from the Simpsons every time I look at her.

  19. EEV says:

    She doesn’t bother me that much. I’m unsure why she shouldn’t call out blatant sexism if that’s what she experienced. Maybe she tried to power through the discomfort, or didn’t grasp the full implications of it when she was younger. I think it’s kind of unfair to say that she can’t call out sexism in the industry that made her famous – regardless of how she broke into said industry.

    • Neah23 says:

      I the reason why Kaiser and others are saying that is because she wants to be an actress. Hollywood just as sexist if not more so then fashion industry so she going from one sexist industry to another, but is making excuses for her choice.

  20. Yabby says:

    Cara really needs to be careful of what she says. She’s biting the hand that fed her. At 23, it’s more than normal to change your life direction, but don’t sh*t on the journey that brought you to where you are now.

  21. lucy2 says:

    I don’t get why some celebs need to announce stuff like that. Just focus on acting if that’s what you want to do, and if someone asks, then say that’s what you’re doing.
    I don’t have a problem with her discussing the sexism in both industries though.

    Paper Towns got mediocre reviews, but has made back more than 5xs its budget.

    • cici says:

      Fox spent tens of millions on advertising though and studios only get around 50% of box office money worldwide so it’s hardly a success.

  22. Mimz says:

    I think she is wrong to burn bridges while leaving the industry, when she might just have to get back at it soon enough. .. I haven’t seen her in movies but she’s hardly the cookie cutter girly Hollywood new starlet that everyone loves in Hollywood, so I don’t know… Girlfriend might need to get a side gig.

  23. Franca says:

    She shouldn’t have burned her bridges, but even if the acting doesn’t work out, she’ll be fine. She’s a pretty rich girl. People like her always get million chances.

  24. Mintessence (the original Minty) says:

    Honey, it’s too early to quit your dayjob.

  25. Liberty says:

    Why does she keep making me think of Joaquín “fka Leaf” Phoenix? Not re acting skills obviously, but the….loop de loop.

  26. Jen says:

    Way way back in the day (the 80’s!!) Jami Gertz pulled this crap. She said that she hated modeling, it was so boring, etc. Then she was in some movies until the 90’s hit and it’s been small bits in TV (mostly) ever since.

    • Mintessence (the original Minty) says:

      Except Jami lucked out. She’s married to (and has 3 children with) a billionaire.

  27. Jen says:

    Way way back in the day (the 80’s!!) Jami Gertz pulled this crap. She said that she hated modeling, it was so boring, etc. Then she was in some movies until the 90’s hit and it’s been small bits in TV (mostly) ever since.

  28. sx55 says:

    Why exactly?

    Even if she becomes a full-time actress, she will still model like the rest of them. Perfume commercials, make-up commercials, jewelry ads, the occasional seasonal campaign… so dumb. Angelina, Julia, Charlize, Cate, Kate, Nicole, Jennifer, Jennifer, Jennifer, Jessica, Jessica… they all do it.

    Besides, she is like 12 and naturally lean and athletic. She is an It-girl and never suffered in the industry. She made her entrance and swiftly became Karl’s favorite.

    Whether people like it or not, this girl is model material from birth!

    • teacakes says:

      Exactly. Her modelling campaigns from her fashion model days would have to continue anyway, if she was an actress – they ALL want endorsements, and they want the high fashion/makeup ones so they don’t look too desperate and keep some air of exclusivity.

      I’m not really into her, but I agree that her look was distinctive and she made a memorable kind of model, even with taking nepotism into account (her sisters were never able to break into the high fashion ranks like her). Too bad she is burning her bridges now.

  29. OTHER RENEE says:

    It’s a bit tiresome when nepotism rears it’s head. Girls like this and Cressida Bonas will always land in their feet and be given opportunities regular folks can only dream of, no matter how talented they may be.

    • teacakes says:

      Those two, that Sookie Stackhouse girl and assorted daughters of/girlfriends of…….can Britain not do better for It Girls? Not that the US is doing much better since those Kardashian teenagers get all the press and column inches.

      To be fair to Cara, she is at least distinctive-looking and has a personality even if it’s an abrasive one. Let’s see if she keeps her bolshie attitude once she’s looking for full-time acting jobs.

  30. Tessd says:

    I did modeling and I left mostly because it’s kind of like that – you are being judged. Even if you don’t think of yourself as a person when you work it still gets to you after a while.
    Another thing – you have to kiss everyone’s ass. Believe it or not not the best models get most of work but the sweetest (read those who will do whatever and be nice about it too)

  31. Betsy says:

    Beyond the fact that her eyebrows won’t stare at me from seemingly every magazine, beauty counter, bus, and metro stop, I don’t care.

  32. taxi says:

    Her absence will be no loss to the industry.

  33. Emily C. says:

    The fact that you keep calling her a “brat” because she refuses to be treated like a doormat is rather worrisome. Especially from a site that regularly talks about how amusing men are when they’re total douchebags.

    That she is wealthy and privileged in a lot of ways does not make her immune to the effects of sexism. And Hollywood and the fashion industries are HUGELY sexist. These are the tastemakers of our culture. What they say about women, our culture internalizes. Calling them out isn’t being a “brat”. And “brat” is a word that is regularly used to silence young women who refuse to smile and take whatever is dished out at them.

  34. Nicole says:

    Ha ha, that is the WORST picture of her

  35. Fiona says:

    When I watch her attempt to “act”, I feel like I’m watching someone try to act. You can see her thought process as she tries to remember the script. She’s utterly crap at acting. Yet her fan base will just eat it right up. She’s so oblivious to her privilege of working as a high end model it hurts. Yes, it’s a crap industry but can you imagine her whinging about – god forbid – working in some middle class job? She’s so fortunate, her lack of gratitude infuriates me.