Hailee Steinfeld on Swift’s squad: ‘people think we spend more time together’

Seventeen - September '16 - Newsstand_edited-1

Hailee Seinfeld is the cover model for the September issue of Seventeen, which hits stands on Tuesday. The 19-year-old actress talked to the magazine about her upcoming movie, Edge of Seventeen, which will be released on September 30. In the coming of age comedy/drama, Hailee plays a slightly awkward high school junior dealing with the budding relationship between her best friend and her brother and dealing with the perils of young love. The cast includes Glee alum Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick and Woody Harrelson. If the trailer is any indication, it looks like a pretty promising flick.

Apparently, Hailee was able to inject a lot of herself into the character. She told Seventeen that her high school years weren’t necessarily the best years of her life either. She’s obviously moved on to bigger and better things, including movies, music and being a part of Taylor Swift’s “squad.” Here are some highlights from the interview:

On how she relates to her character in The Edge of Seventeen: “This girl goes through experiences I totally went through, where it felt like it was the absolute end of the world. Just having so many moments where you question who you are and what it is that you’re good at and what you feel good in. I was homeschooled for a reason, and that was because of social issues.” 
 
On when she was bullied in the past: “There was a period of time where every morning at 7:02, I’d get a prank phone call at my house. That’s how I’d start every day, with a threat saying, “Come to school now. We’re going to kick your butt.” So I went to school early and went in the back way. And there would be times when I’d come back to my desk and have hand sanitizer all over my books and in my water bottle. People would come by and slam my locker shut when I was still putting my books in it. It was just the most absurd things that you are supposed to see only in the movies, you know?”
 
On whether she ever compares herself to other girls: “I have definitely had moments where I’m scrolling through Instagram and see these drop-dead gorgeous models, who we tend to forget are genetically a certain way, and think, Why can’t I or don’t I look like that? It’s so easy to forget that we are all so beautiful because we’re unique.”
 
On the biggest misconception of being part of Taylor Swift’s squad: “I think people think we spend a lot more time together than we actually do! She’s amazing, though.”
 
On her goals: “I have so many short-term and long-term goals with both movies and music. I’d really love to have an experience like True Grit again. And with the music, I want to make the best first album I can possibly make. And I want to get to a level where I can headline my own arena tour. I know that I can make it happen. It’s just the beginning. I see the future being really big.”

[From Seventeen]

In addition, Hailee, who is currently opening for Meghan Trainor while touring behind her debut EP, Haiz, is focused on taking the music world by storm, just like her famous friend Taylor. She told the magazine, “I want to make the best first album I can possibly make. And I want to get to a level where I can headline my own arena tour. I know that I can make it happen. It’s just the beginning. I see the future being really big.”

I didn’t know much at all about Hailee, except for the fact that she sings my new daily affirmation song, “Love Myself”, but she seems really down to earth and relatable. She overcame the same high school baloney many of us endured and came out a seemingly well-adjusted girl. How refreshing.

But let’s talk about this whole “squad” thing for a second. At this point it’s more like which young, female celebrity isn’t or hasn’t been part of Taylor’s squad, right? How do you assemble a squad, anyway? Is it hard to pin everyone down for a get-together? If they all meet at a restaurant, can a partial squad be seated if they’re all not on time? These are the things that keep me up at night.

SEV090116_112

SEV090116_109

Photo credit: Jason Kim/Seventeen, WENN.com, Getty Images

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

16 Responses to “Hailee Steinfeld on Swift’s squad: ‘people think we spend more time together’”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Kate says:

    I think the squad is for photographic purposes mostly.

  2. Aussie girl says:

    Are the good old crank calls or stuff on your locker. Bullying has change so much over the years with social media. I don’t know how I would have coped now and feel for the teens of today.

  3. Nicole says:

    I’ve been a big fan since I saw True Grit. She seems well adjusted and focused. No complaints.
    And yes I think she just said what we all knew…the squad is mostly for looks. All of these girls are not BFFs at all. I’m sure she’s casual friends with Taylor but nothing more

  4. Margo S. says:

    Unfortunately I think hailee is pretty basic. Not sure I can see an ex best actress oscar nominee headlining an arena tour with pop songs… and with the “squad” thing. It’s just something all these celebs agents and pr reps set up. They probably just met each other that same day. They aren’t BFFs, they are basically doing a real time docu style photo shoot. Sooooo fake!

    • Josefina says:

      Yeah. She’s actually talented and seems like a perfectly nice girl, but she just doesn’t have a “rootable” quality imo. I can’t get myself to care about her.

      She really was brilliant in True Grit, though. She earned that oscar nom.

  5. Lynnie says:

    I liked her quote about body confidence. 😊 A good reminder that it’s all genetics anyway, and you gotta work with what you got.

    As for her music, idk. She needs more of a USP otherwise she fades in with the Zara Larssons and Alessia Caras of the world.

    I like the white dress she’s wearing. I was expecting stronger Face like her EP cover tho.

    I have a group of four best friends and it’s definitely a challenge for all of us to hang out and meet at the same time. And we’re not even famous! At the same time if we want it to happen we make it happen…

  6. Blinkered says:

    I can’t bear this squad nonsense. It’s pure pack mentality designed to show strength in numbers and intimidate others.

  7. I Choose Me says:

    She seems nice, well-grounded, is all I’ve got. Loved her in True Grit but she’s mostly underwhelmed me since then.

  8. bucketbot says:

    The white ensemble ( coatdress?) is beautiful. I want.

  9. Miss M says:

    She seems nice and ahe is talented. I wish she wasn’t associated with the squad.

  10. Lucy says:

    I like Hailee a whole lot, but can we please talk about Kyra Sedgwick being back in the game?? She’s criminally underrated in my opinion.

  11. Sarah says:

    Squad is the 2010s word for clique.0

  12. Laura says:

    “Will you seat a partial squad?” Is the new important question for restaurant reservations.

  13. Cat87 says:

    I can’t stand the whole concept of a squad in general. I was never the type to tight cast myself to only be part of a certain group of people. I talked to who ever I want when I wanted to and only answer to myself. Ive been that way sense elementary school and the kids didn’t understand. I think Hailee was awesome in True Grit but she isn’t a mess up celeb party girl. Smh for those who have their ish together in Hollywood. But she is still young and underrated. She is too talented to pass on.