Reneé Rapp on Her Biggest “Work Crush” Right Now, Her First ‘SNL’ Show and Her Favorite Mejuri Jewelry
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From stepping away from the recently-renewed Sex Lives of College Girls to admitting on record to breaking the law in the name of friendship, Reneé Rapp plays by her own rules.
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The 24-year-old Mean Girls star, quickly becoming known for her DGAF attitude, brings that approach to Mejuri’s new campaign, in which she mixes and matches the online-born jewelry brand’s newest silver and gold pieces ($98-$1,400). Rapp was a fan of the brand long before inking the deal, and recently wore the mixed convertible link earrings during the entire U.S. leg of her Snow Hard Feelings tour. She’ll continue onto Europe next month for an nearly sold-out run before returning to California to perform both weekends of Coachella.
“I’ve been wearing Mejuri for a couple of years, just kind of on my own volition,” Rapp tells The Hollywood Reporter. “And then on tour [this past fall] they sent my team a couple of different pairs of earrings for me to wear, and they ended up being my hero earrings for the rest of the tour. They just got incorporated into my everyday kind of style, so they’ve been with me emotionally for quite some time.”
Shot by photographer Cass Bird in New York last December about a month wrapping her U.S. tour, the campaign features Rapp in Mejuri’s Patra oversized hoops, the Puffy Charlotte hoops, the bold pavé diamond medium hoops in 14-karat white gold and the best-selling dome ring, to name just a few. Each scene represents a snapshot of Rapp’s life, from getting ready for the day to heading out for the night.
“The ones that I was going crazy on were the double metals — the silver and gold plated ones with two silver drops with a little gold link in the middle,” say Rapp. “I would take one of the links off and then I would go back and forth. Mixing metals is very fun to me right now. With the way I dress, it feels less masculine and also less feminine, so I love mixing metals heavily. I like a lot of big chunky rings. I went to Mejuri the other day and we left just maybe 15 rings and that was it … That’s just the gay girl in me.”
Mejuri Dome Ring in Silver
Adds Mejuri CEO and co-founder Noura Sakkijha, “we knew Reneé was perfect for our campaign. She embodies Mejuri’s values of challenging the status quo. Not to mention our community adores her.”
Rapp shared more details about her debut Saturday Night Live performance (in the comedy show’s first episode of the year, no less), why she and fellow pop star Justin Bieber are “both the same,” how she “balanced the economy” as North Carolinian teen in the spirit of friendship and the Golden Globes-winning star who might convince her to return to Hollywood.
First, your first Saturday Night Live performance — congrats! Did you know Rachel McAdams was going to be there? What was your reaction?
I love Rachel. I love her! And I was so excited. I obviously knew and was just really, really stoked. I’ve been such a huge fan of hers for such a long time, so the fact that she was willing to come and be a part of that episode, which is also now such a big monumental moment in my career, and to also have her there made it even more special. And Megan and I are obsessed with her, so we were both just really excited to meet her.
That Spider-Man meme photo was genius. Who’s idea was that?
It was Meg’s idea. She’s fucking brilliant. She was like, ‘We have to do the Spider-Man meme.’ Rachel was like, ‘What?’ And I was like, ‘That’s smart.’ It was Meg’s idea. She’s crazy!
Since it was your first SNL show, did you get any pre-show jitters?
I mean, I was definitely nervous. I felt really anxious the whole week because to me it was something that I always wanted to do and it was something that I wanted to do well. Artists that I had looked up to had hosted and performed, and I wanted to be asked back. I have so many friends who work on the show, so I wanted to impress people too. I just wanted to do well.
Mejuri Puffy Charlotte Hoops
How did your SNL nerves compare to Broadway playing Regina George in the Mean Girls stage adaptation? Did you have a pre-show calming routine?
I didn’t really have any routine at all, I kind of just throw caution to the wind and hope it works out. And sometimes just get nervous and then see what happens and pray for the best.
You often mix up edgier jewelry with minimalist pieces. How would you describe your style now?
I like maximalist jewelry. I like a lot of rings. I like a lot of chains. I like a lot of earrings. I was always trying to get pierced when I was a kid. I always feel like the more the better, to be honest. But I had those weird big-ass owl necklaces that were really big in 2014, if you know what I’m talking about. I was like that kind of Southern child — one hand close to God and the other one somewhere else!
Mejuri Herringbone Chain in Silver
I remember those — “put a bird on it,” right?
That shit was so weird. It was all from [the mall store chain] Claire’s. And then I was trying to balance out the economy, and I stole from Claire’s one time because I wanted a little pair of silver hoops for me and my best friend, and then I was caught. So now I’m so lucky to be in this deal with Mejuri!
I have a very random, similar story. My first shoplifting experience also involved Claire’s. We can keep it off the record if you want!
Oh, I don’t really care. It has to be, we were kleptos as children! No please, publish that shit. I don’t care!
Who were some of your fashion influences growing up?
When I was growing up, I couldn’t point to one person, to be honest, because I grew up in North Carolina, so I wasn’t doing very much. It wasn’t looking too good. I mean, I loved Justin Bieber, but I don’t think Justin Bieber is really out here with jewelry on like that. But I think him and I are probably both the same in just at the end of the day, we’re strictly two white people in pop music who are just in awe of other people.
Speaking of pop, you recently told the LA Times that you were taking a step back from acting to focus on your music career. Is there anyone who might convince you to return to Hollywood?
Anyone I admire I would love to do something with. New work from young people excites me who are just going to be supportive. I mean, Ayo [Edebiri, who won a Golden Globes for The Bear] is doing SNL, I love her, I’m obsessed with her. So many of my friends are really young and in the business who I think are really fucking sick. I don’t know, I’m kind of all over the place. I have big work crushes on everybody. Ayo is probably my biggest work crush at the moment.
How about music? Any new collaborators or anyone you’re itching to work with?
I don’t have any upcoming collaborators, but I love Frank Ocean and I’ve always wanted to do something so badly with [him], so I think that’s my life goal.
Music festival season is coming up too. What are you plans for that?
I’m definitely going to Coachella [to perform both weekends], I’m going to a lot of the music festivals, for the most part. I’m excited to see SZA.
Mejuri Mixed Convertible Link Earrings
Now that you’re done with your latest music tour and the Mean Girls press tour whirlwind, what does your daily routine look like now?
I just got home maybe two days ago, so I’m trying to just get my shit back together and decorate my house. That’s my only priority for the moment.
Have you had a chance to settle and decorate your new home? What’s your interior design aesthetic?
This is really the first time I’ve had to be home since I moved into this house, to be honest. I honestly don’t know. I haven’t really thought about it until now. And now I’m home and I’m like, ‘Oh shit. I need to decide what that looks like and what that is to me.’ I’m actually not sure yet. I don’t really know. I have a more modern house, but I want the inside to feel more relaxed and I don’t want it to feel very classy. I would like for it to feel really calm and a little Southern. So we’ll see if I can do that.
Mejuri Chunky Large U-Hoops
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