Shailene Woodley on social media: ‘You have millions of people feeding your ego’

"Allegiant" New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals
These are photos of Shailene Woodley, Naomi Watts and Zoe Kravitz at the Allegiant premiere last night. Shailene is in a black Elie Saab embellished pantsuit which is kind of badass from the waist up but looks very 70s as a whole. The last time we saw her she had blonde hair and now it’s black. She looks so different! (I’m not sure but this hair is possibly from her role in Snowden, which just finished filming.)

It feels like Shailene hasn’t been around much at all, but maybe these movies make so much bank she doesn’t really need to promote them. Divergent made $288 million and Insurgent made $297 million, so there’s a built in fan base from both the books and the films that will see the third one. (I may see it in the theater but I found the second film overwrought. It’s more of a rental for me.)

Anyway I like that Woodley isn’t your typical starlet. She’s said some dumb things about feminism, sure, and she’s kind of a hippie who gathers her own water and makes her own medicine, but it’s rare that a young movie star will have those kind of interests. Usually they’re all about posting selfies and promoting themselves, but not Shailene. She’s very aware of the type of ego she could get if she got wrapped up in stardom or social media and that’s why she’s avoided it so far. Here are some quotes from her from recent interviews:

On what she would tell her younger self about fame
Don’t worry, in three years people still won’t know who you are. Literally, I’m so lucky. I can go anywhere and do anything. My life hasn’t changed at all.

On if people recognize her
Maybe a little bit but they’re pretty cool and chill and I just say hi and cruise by. My life’s totally the same.

If she takes pictures with people
I actually never take photos with people. It’s just a boundary.

Question: How do you stay grounded?
I don’t know how I couldn’t. I’m fortunate to have a beautiful family and solid friends. It’s easy to say the word “celebrity” and say the word “famous” and use the words “movie star.” And for some reason, it’s much harder to call an actor an artist. If you strip all those fabrications away you’re left with someone who just likes to create. And that’s what I like to do.

Question: Why aren’t you more active on social media?
I feel like in a lot of ways — and I’m speaking for myself — it would breed a narcissistic nature within myself of [needing] validation. It’s interesting what social media has done to this industry. Because all of a sudden you hear actors talking about “I need this many followers” or “I got this many likes, and that’s going to help me get a job.” Is it going to help you get a job? Or is what you do in the room in an audition in front of a director help you get a job? And that’s another question to be asking, are directors, are studios paying attention to how many people follow you or like you based on the popularity of your persona? Instead of based on the artistry of your craft and what you create and how talented you are in your field?

You asked how you stay grounded. How can you stay grounded when you have millions of people feeding your ego every day? And you’re allowing it and asking for it. You’re participating in that. I think there’s a way to use it and a way to abuse it. And when you abuse it, it’s a feeding-the-ego thing.

[From Fox 2 News and The LA Times]

You can watch her interview with Fox2News here. It was taken during her press junket so maybe she’s a little burnt out from talking to so many outlets but she seems high to me. There’s also much more in her interview with the LA Times. She’s trying to learn about the world and about thing she’s interested in, some of it a little esoteric for my tastes (she says she’s into something called morphogenetics, which she describes as “examining genetics through your quantum field,”) but still there’s something admirable about the fact that she’s searching. She’s also no longer saying that she’s not feminist. She went to India for three months and it sounds like she’s come a long way in understanding why it’s not a dirty word.

Everyone defines feminism differently. One thing that’s been beautiful to witness over the last few years is that feminism seems more all-encompassing. It’s embracing the fact that we must come together. I only hope we continue to come together, not only for those of us in this country but for those around the world. Women are getting acid thrown on them in other countries for being a woman. Women have no rights.

I can’t help it, I like her. She’s not trying to convince us she’s someone she’s not and she’s learned and grown the past few years. Plus she told the LA Times why she’s voting for Bernie Sanders and I have a lot of the same reasons for backing him. I voted for him in the primaries and I can’t even talk to my family about why I prefer him over Hillary, our conversations get too heated. I would gladly vote for Hillary in the general election though.

"Allegiant" New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals

Zoe Kravitz wore a fishing net over a tube top basically.
"Allegiant" New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals

And Naomi Watts is just too much sparkle.
"Allegiant" New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals

"Allegiant" New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals

photos credit: FameFlynet

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35 Responses to “Shailene Woodley on social media: ‘You have millions of people feeding your ego’”

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  1. Magnoliarose says:

    Agree CB I like her too. I don’t like her pant tailoring situation with the jumpsuit but her personality as it comes across is likable.

  2. Jayna says:

    So true about social media and narcissism. I think so many on facebook spend time posting stuff to feed their ego and make people impressed, envy, etc. I just ran ten miles, I just did this, that. I’m not on facebook. But my sister and sister-in-law are and tell me horror stories about the height of narcissism regarding certain “friends” on there.

    • tegteg says:

      Very, very true about trying to impress people. I think it gives people a chance to create the life they want, or want people to see, as opposed to the one they have. On social media, you can portray your life however you want, which means: perfect marriage, perfect body, and endless friends. I think social media is really a sort of fiction… some skewed fairy-tale wannabe autobiography.

  3. Alex says:

    She came across likable here which is great cause her feminism comments turned me off at one point.

    And CB if you found the second movie to be overwrought I would skip the third. I was at this premiere and I felt the same way

  4. Div says:

    She’s right about social media. I’ve always found it weird how people get so over defensive about their use of social media though, I remember when Kirsten Dunst was dragged on here for saying something similar. People can sparingly use social media and still acknowledge it has a lot of problems. Like 10% of social media is great and can be used to organize things for BLM and other activists, but 90% is awful and full of bigots and stuff like ISIS posting gruesome photos of their terrorism. Also, it’s not like activism didn’t exist and flourish before social media too.

    Anyway, I like Shailene and I think it’s good she didn’t become the next JLaw like a lot of the press predicted…she seems like the type who would be happier being low key.

  5. Ninks says:

    The Hunger Games films made a lot more money and JLaw & Co literally travelled the whole way around the world to promote them. Allegiant is being panned by critics and will be buried by BvS so it would appear they’re not even bothering to promote it.

    • mom2two says:

      I am just surprised The Divergent movies have done as well as they did, when they’ve been panned by critics as a whole and people seem “meh” on them (or at least the folks I talk to).

      I really think Shailene is one of the few who is into it for the work and not the fame, you don’t hear much about her outside of her work and I can’t say I disagree with her comments on social media.

      • Loris says:

        The Divergent movie hadn’t done well

      • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

        Saw them with my kids, and I must say they were awful. I also think she is a mediocre actress, at best.

        Also, I think she is a dolt, with a perennially irritating facial expression.

        I think someone peed in my corn flakes this morning. Ahh, the joys of peri-menopause.

    • Jen43 says:

      I like the Divergent series better than Hunger Games. HG are so disturbing and feel miscast to me. I havent read any of the reviews and will see the movie anyhow.

  6. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    The interview was fine. That outfit looks like something Elvis would wear.

  7. Alessio says:

    i saw allegiant last week and was really impressed for how they managed to make that book interesting. even just for this reason it pisses me off its being panned and ended up hated more than insurgent. this film is thousands times better than the second one, its a shame they just didnt bother to promote it at all

  8. Anna says:

    Insurgent made the same numbers of Divergent but with 3D. It was a flop and this third movie will be a huge flop. There is no buzz for this and the reviews are awful

  9. Grace says:

    Do you remember when media say that she will be the next JLaw? LMAO

  10. Matt says:

    The reviews said that Allegiant has the drippiest couple in popular culture since the Care Bears LOL

  11. lila fowler says:

    The production budgets for the first two movies were 85 and 110 mil, respectively. I don’t think they made that much money, especially after the promotion budgets.

    • Alessio says:

      the production company only spends 15 millions+marketing (they sell the international rights) so even if it breaks even in theatre when the total budget is brought up, it’s still worth it for summit and lionsgate. not to mention it does well in home video (50 million for divergent and 30 for insurgent) and they’re already airing on premium cables. it’s not the smash hit they were hoping like twilight and hunger games, but apart from these two big franchises, the divergent series is still their biggest success to date, so it’s not a surprise they will finish it no matter what

      • Lara says:

        This franchise wasn’t a big success and this third movie will be a flop. Naomi Watts was so said talking about the movie on a TV show

      • Alessio says:

        and even if allegiant flops (like it will) it will STILL be worth it to take it to the finish line cause the studio’s exposure on the budget is low/manageable enough to carry it on

  12. INeedANap says:

    I like that she’s kooky. She’s a total whackadoo and I hope she doesn’t have kids (she seems like the kind of person who would try to cure their illnesses by feeding them random plants), but she’s always interesting.

  13. Ashley says:

    Snowden finished filming over year ago. That hair is for Big Little Lies.

  14. Bella says:

    I agree with her about social media. Some actors use it as a way to get a job. With poor acting skills Those artists teasing their fanbase to ask a sequence to the producers or to voting in some stupid pool.

  15. Lara says:

    Woodley has a twitter account

  16. nina says:

    So does she just say no when someone asks for a pic with her? How do you do that without sounding rude? I’m just curious how she goes about it since so many people are sensitive these days and would probably go on social media and tell everyone how up herself she is.

    • Alessio says:

      she hugs them, or so she says. if its enough for her fans, i dont have any idea to be honest

  17. Lucy says:

    *angelic choir* oh Shai, darling, all is forgiven. Thank you for actually educating yourself and coming around. I know it’s silly, but it just makes me so happy!

  18. OTHER RENEE says:

    Of all the young actresses out there, I like her the best. She seems to be trying to lead an honest, non shallow life. Good for her.

  19. Abby_J says:

    I just recently ventured into the world of Twitter, thanks to my love of all things Marvel and DC. I don’t really tweet so much as I read what other people are saying, and I have determined that I don’t blame ANY celebrity that stays off of it.

    The responses that some of the celebrities I follow get vary from perfectly sane to mostly crazy and needy. It creeps me out for them.

    I can see where something like Twitter would be a good way for a non-A-List person to get their name out there and build a fan base, but sometimes I wonder if the trade off is worth it. Yikes.

    • Egla says:

      I forgot my twitter password a year ago. I just used it twice. I didn’t know how to navigate that thing. God i would make a terrible celebritty. Does facebook count??? There i can manage some

  20. Angelica says:

    I don’t care if no one agrees with me, but Zoe looks bomb. She looks like she’s ready to take someone out, and not to the movies. I can’t help it, I was gonna comment on Shailene, but I couldn’t because of Zoe…

  21. word says:

    Bernie all the way !

    She is right about social media. Teens get depressed when their pics don’t get enough “likes”. It’s so stupid but it’s all these teens know. They want to be more accepted on the internet than in real life…they can’t tell the difference.