Tavi Gevinson takes Vogue through the set of the new Gossip Girl while she answers 73 rapid-fire questions.
Directed by Jams x Bash Interviewed by Joe Sabia DP: Alex Levin Producers: Jordin Rocchi, Gabriela Tamariz Associate Producer: Stef D'agostini Production Manager: Emily Yates Edit: Evan Allan Color: Oliver Eid Post Sound: Nick Cipriano at BANG Audio Post
- [Interviewer] Tavi, hey.- Hi.- [Interviewer] I'm hereto ask 73 questions.- I know.- [Interviewer] Allright, let's get into it.Can you tell us where we are?- Just out of "GossipGirl," if you wanna come in.- [Interviewer] Let's do it.What's the best thingabout being back on set?- Being around people.- [Interviewer] What doyou do in between takes?- Apologize for literally anything.- [Interviewer] What's the strangest wayyou've seen yourself described in print?- Pint-sized.- [Interviewer] Do you know where you fallon the chaotic-neutral chart?- Probably like cool and beautiful.- [Interviewer] What's the mostsurprised you've ever been?- [Interviewer] When Iwoke up during jaw surgery.- [Interviewer] What's themost important vintage piecethat you ever bought?- Ha-ha, this vintage Prada skirt on eBay.- [Interviewer] Very nice.What's the strongest reactionyou've had to a fashion show?- A lot of Rodarte shows have made me cry.- [Interviewer] What was your philosophyon getting dressed when you were 11?- More is more.- [Interviewer] What's your philosophyon getting dressed today?- Enough is more.- [Interviewer] Okay, that's good.How do you start toput an outfit together?- [Tavi] Choose one thingthat I'm excited aboutand go from there.- [Interviewer] You were only11 when you started your blog.How did you come up withthe name Style Rookie?- I read fashion blogs with nameslike Style Bubble, FashionRobot, Fashion Pirate.So I just kind of copied that constructionand was like, I don'tknow anything, so rookie.- [Interviewer] You wroteabout wearing bags as hatsand hangers as necklaces.What's the most absurd objectyou used for an outfit?- Coat hanger as a necklacewas a lot and dangerous,but I wore like a lot of tights as belts.- [Interviewer] What wasthe moment that you knewthere was no turning back?- Birth.- [Interviewer] Whatwas the most beautifulpiece of fan mail that you ever got?- I actually have it right here.It's a jacket inspired by the book"The Secret History" by Donna Tarttand this woman Stephanie made it for mebecause she knew I loved the book.It's crazy, like, she made all of thisand her website isgodsavethemisanthropes.com.- [Interviewer] It's really cool.Now, you were 15 when you startedthe online teen magazine "Rookie."What's your favorite articlethat was ever posted on the site?- How to structure yourdays if you're depressed.- [Interviewer] And whatwas your favorite piecethat you wrote?- It was really sad, but my goodbye letterI'm probably proudest of.- [Interviewer] What is theworst thing about the internet?- Rampant misinformation.- [Interviewer] What's the best?- My community of flat Earthers.- [Interviewer] What wasthe most surprising thingabout editing a magazine?- That I could do it.- [Interviewer] What doesthe world need to knowabout teenage girls?- Leave them alone.- [Interviewer] Whatindependent publicationswould you recommend toformer "Rookie" readers?- "Polyester Zine," "gal-dem,""Another Gaze" journal.- [Interviewer] Now Tavi, doyou still write every day?- I try to.- [Interviewer] What is yourgo-to cure for writer's block?- Write it as an email to a friend.- [Woman In Mask] Oh, we needyou on set in 49 questions.- [Tavi] Oh, sure, yeah.- [Interviewer] So do youkeep your phone next to youwhile you're working?- No, I lock it in a case safe.- [Interviewer] And whatquestion keeps you up all night?- Have I been building a house of cards?And I don't mean a hit Netflix show.- [Interviewer] Andwhat was the first playthat you were ever in?- "Oliver."- [Interviewer] I love "Oliver."And who did you play in "Oliver"?- An orphan/Fagin's boy.
I was eight.- [Interviewer] Ah, buzzsaw.What was your favorite musical as a kid?- "Wicked."- [Interviewer] And what'syour dream role in a play?- Saint Joan.- [Interviewer] Canyou do one of the linesfor me right now?- Life is like a box of chocolates.- [Interviewer] Now, Broadway'sbeen closed for a year.What's the best thing people can doto support the theater right now?- Donate to The Actors Fund.- [Interviewer] What'sthe biggest differencebetween performing in atheater versus on camera?- Cameras steal your soul.- [Interviewer] What's the crazieststage door experience you've had?- I did the play "This Is Our Youth,"which has literally three people in it,and I was signing"Playbills" at the stage doorand I reached for one woman'sand she was like, "Um, no."- [Interviewer] What's one moviethat every teenage girl should watch?- "Teenage" by Matt Wolf.
Andnow we're at the high school.- [Interviewer] And whatwould the one-act playabout your life thus far be called?- "Fleabag," and it is all plagiarized.- [Interviewer] What would you beif you had a different career?- A stage mom.- [Interviewer] A lot aboutthe show is under wraps,but are you Gossip Girl?- [Tavi] Mm.- [Interviewer] What can youtell me about your character?- She's ambitious and looks like me.- [Interviewer] So if she'snot Gossip Girl, who is?- There's a chance anyof them are Gossip Girl.- [Interviewer] Would you rather haveBlair or Serena's closet?- Blair.- [Interviewer] What can you saywill be different aboutthis "Gossip Girl"?- The children have Instagram.- [Interviewer] How has your life changedsince the show started?- I can no longer sign emails xoxo.- [Interviewer] Who would you sayis the real-life Gossip Girl?- Mark Zuckerberg.- [Interviewer] And what'syour favorite quote?- [Tavi] Get informed, inspired,in touch, and involved.- [Interviewer] Music orpodcasts when you're on a walk?- Primal screaming.- [Interviewer] What's the best thingabout living in New York?- Theater.- [Interviewer] Okay, now what New Yorker,real or fictional, would you most liketo spend the day with?- Fran Lebowitz.- [Interviewer] And what would you do?- Try to get her to like me.- [Interviewer] What'sthe biggest misconceptionabout New York?- That the people are mean.- [Interviewer] How would youdescribe a true new Yorker?- Would not dare.
They would hate that.- [Interviewer] Has actingmade you a better writer?- Yeah.- [Interviewer] Has writingmade you a better actor?- No.- [Interviewer] How do you stay focusedbetween all your creative projects?- Guilt.- [Interviewer] And whatwould you say to someonestruggling to get inspired?- Take the pressure offyourself.
Go take a nap.- [Interviewer] What's thelast great novel you read?- It's right here, in fact."No One Is Talking AboutThis" by Patricia Lockwood.- [Interviewer] What's thelast great memoir you read?- "The Ugly Cry" by Danielle Henderson.- [Interviewer] Last great romance novel?"Hershel and the HanukkahGoblins" by Eric Kimmel.- [Interviewer] Who's a writerwho's pieces you always read?- Sally Wen Mao.- [Interviewer] Okay, Tavi.What is your pitch for "Shark Tank"?- Okay, it's a undertaking businessonly for actors called Last Looks.It's not a lot of utility, but it's a pun.- [Interviewer] I sawthat you deleted Instagramoff of your phone.What app would you say thatyou use the most instead?- Venmo?
Just judging people.- [Interviewer] What doesa healthy relationshipwith social media look like?- [Tavi] Throwing your phone in the ocean.- [Interviewer] What's the mostoverused phrase on the internet?- I.- [Interviewer] What'sthe nicest complimentyou've ever received?- That my dog and I look alike.And what have we here?What a coincidence, wow.- [Interviewer] What's going on here?- This is a candle of my faceby the artist Janie Korn.- [Interviewer] Wow, itdoes kind of resemble you.Coffee or tea?- Coffee.- Saturday or Sunday?- Sunday.- Favorite word?- Laxative.- [Interviewer] FavoriteOlivia Rodrigo song?- "deja vu."- [Interviewer] What's thebest place to bring a friendvisiting New York for the first time ever?- The Roosevelt IslandTramway has the cheapest view.- [Interviewer] What'syour go-to karaoke song?- "Light My Candle"from "Rent," both parts.- [Interviewer] So after "GossipGirl," what's next for you?- Let's see.
Let's find out.- [Interviewer] Okay.What card are we gonna get here?[gasps] And...- There's no way around that one, huh?- [Interviewer] Oh, the death card.And where are you happiest?- Constance Billard.- [Interviewer] Tavi, we did it.That was question number 73.
We're done.- Ah!- [Interviewer] Blow out that candle.
Yep.Ah, you got it.
Thanks, Tavi.