Lana Condor, 21, is covering Elle Canada. She’s best known as the star of the Netflix hit To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and she’s also in Alita: Battle Angel and the show Deadly Class on the Syfy network. The photos are pretty, they have two up on their site along with the cover, and I like how they styled her. I also appreciate how insightful she is. A lot of young women around that age are full of themselves, especially actresses, but she sounds grounded, smart and aware. Outlets are focusing on the fact that she said she’s had an eating disorder. She didn’t get into the details and talked more about how her friends are affected by negative self talk and a bad body image, and how that’s so prevalent. She also talked about the fact that she was adopted, and how grateful she is for that.
On her body image and eating disorder
“I look at my friends, and I’m like, ‘You’re f-king gorgeous.’ But they feel like they’re fat and ugly. I don’t know how this happened, that women feel like they need to apologize [for their physical imperfections],” she says. I ask if she feels that same pressure—after all, it’s easy to forget that she’s only 21 years old and already established in the Hollywood film industry, which has a troubling reputation for its treatment of women. “I mean, take away the word ‘actor’ and just keep 21-year-old: It’s hard,” she says.Condor explains that she was a classically trained ballerina and contemporary dancer before she leaped into the acting world, so she grew up with an understanding of the crushing burden put on young dancers to look a certain way. “You’re kind of the first person I’ve talked to about this,” she begins, “but I know what it’s like to have an eating disorder and body dysmorphia—and also what it’s like to be a friend to someone who has that. I think it’s time to give people comfort. You have to eat. You have to stop thinking that a certain body shape is ideal, because it’s not.” Condor has vowed to now celebrate her relationship with food instead. “That’s why I literally post about every meal I eat.”
On climate change
She recently travelled to Kenya to endorse a docuseries about climate change and was reminded that our bodies are part of something bigger: the natural world. “Here’s the thing,” she says. “We have 12 years to save the planet. But if we don’t do anything within the next 12 years, we’re f-ked, and all the animals that we take for granted every single day…our children will not know what they look like and will think about them the way we think about dinosaurs.”On her adoption
Condor was born in Vietnam and adopted at four months by Bob Condor, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, and Mary Condor, a now retired circuit-board designer. They adopted Arthur, who isn’t her biological brother, at the same time. Condor doesn’t mind talking about her adoption—in fact, she welcomes it. “I want to let people know that adoption is the most amazing thing ever,” she says. “If I hadn’t been adopted, I don’t even know if I’d be alive right now.” (Arthur is a statistics major in university. She giggles when I ask if he’s an actor.)
Honestly the dialogue in “To All The Boys” didn’t pull me in and I didn’t finish it. I’m sorry! I know Hecate loved it and a lot of people tell me to watch it. Now that I feel like I know Lana a little more I’ll give it another chance.
She’s right about body image. We’re all so hard on ourselves. I try to imagine what I would tell myself if I was a friend and I’m always way nicer about my body.
I like how she’s an outspoken advocate for the environment, and how she puts it in such matter-of-fact terms. Time is running out. I don’t think we’re going to think of groups of animals the way we think about dinosaurs though. I think we’re going to be the dinosaurs.
How to get Lana Condor's exact beauty look from the ELLE cover shoot https://t.co/L1gVyVpwdN pic.twitter.com/tmdoeTdMJc
— ELLE Canada (@ElleCanada) March 7, 2019
Photos credit: WENN
FYI, Deadly Class is on the SYFY network on cable and she is WONDERFUL in it. Also, Henry Rollins is on the show as well!
I fixed that thank you! I will have to check that out I love Henry Rollins.
I loved to all the boys I loved before and um happy lana is getting more roles.
I didn’t enjoy TATBILB either. I thought she was much older than 21, she gives off a really mature vibe. How old is Noah Centineo, the perpetually-shirtless, future-Pussy Posse member?
Noah is exactly one year older than Lana. 22.
My ex was telling me this theory about how he feels that women are the prettiest we’ve ever been in history rn, but thanks to social media such as Instagram we all feel the ugliest right now. I’m sure the real time access and constant bombardment of western physical “perfection” constantly that social media allows us to see plays a role.
For what it’s worth I do think the pendulum is swinging back to the other spectrum. In the beauty industry there’s constant talk of lowbuys, project pan, and a renewed interest in more natural attainable looks. On Insta, influencers are slowly but surely making the switch to self care and lowkey instead of glam dolled up Barbie 25/8. I am interested to see how the plastic surgery movement hijacking the body positivity movement’s whole shtick of “Do what you want to your body as long as you feel happy about it!!!1!!” will shake out tho.
I think that’s a good theory. I imagine that social media can definitely trigger insecurity not just about looks but about every aspect of your life that might not stack up to the idealized versions you constantly see. Everyone being cool, having fun.
I was a teen in the 80s and was crazy insecure mostly about my skin and hair. My friends all had their own insecurities. With my kids having recently been in high school I had been thinking that teen girls today seem much more confident than they did in my day. Especially in terms of body positivity. But I could see social media making some of them question themselves. Sigh.
I didn’t realize she was adopted! My 12 year old daughter was adopted from China and seeing her watch (and love) “To all the boys I’ve loved before” and “Crazy Rich Asians” and NOT realize how unusual it was to see herself reflected in leading ladies was really awesome as a mom. It’s a huge deal.
I’ve been growing my hair out, but her short bob in the very first photo is making me want to chop my hair off!
Full disclosure: I’m a bisexual woman. I have the biggest crush on Lana (and felt like a creep when I found out how young she is). Her face and her figure are beyond stunning. It saddens me that such a gorgeous young woman has dealt with insecurities. How are the rest of us supposed to function?
“You have to stop thinking that a certain body shape is ideal, because it’s not.”
This is a nice sentiment, but it’s not how people actually think and behave. It’s not just Hollywood selling something. It’s everyday life. Men and Women. You are treated based on how you look. And worst of all entertainment is an industry that necessitates you look a certain way to work. Some are talented enough to push through that barrier, but not many. Why everyone tends to dovetail this fact is quite curious and aggravating to me.
It sucks. I hate it, but platitudes don’t do anything to change people’s behavior, to make them stop and think about how their own prejudices play into it.
good point.
in that same sentiment, I heard an interview recently with a woman named Lexie Kite – she and her twin sister Lindsay operate a non-profit called “beauty redefined” that is worth checking out… Lindsay also has a TED talk that is on my list of things to watch…
Hey – thanks for recommending BeautyRedefined.org. I just checked out this website, and their straightforward message has already transformed the way I feel about myself. It’s very effective – and reality orienting!
Her hair in the picture elle canada posted on twitter makes me want to chop off my hair-so cute
I especially like her hair, floral dress, and shoes in the second picture from the bottom. Red and pink eye makeup don’t look good on a lot of people, but she manages to pull it off.
Lana is clearly as gorgeous on the inside as she is on the outside. I adore watching her act and feel that she’s got great comedic timing, and the ability to deliver a genuine dramatic edge. ican’t wait to see how she grows into her career! I’ll be watching !