14
The actor went from sweet gal to psychotic hormonal psychopath overnight.
Big things were happening inSamara Weavings life back in 2006.
It was bit of a shock, Weaving tells Bustle.
Adolescence hit her like a brick.
Meanwhile, she was also about to begin acting professionally, on a show calledOut of the Blue.
I had that 14-year-old ego that was really fearless.
I can’t believe how unafraid I was, Weaving laughs.
Weirdly I think it actually cemented that that was my safe place, she says.
Seventeen-odd years later, Weavings never left her safe place.
She’d be like, What the hell are you worried about?
You have literally everything, Weaving says of her younger self.
You don’t have to live with your parents.
you’re able to do whatever you want.
you’ve got the option to stay up all night.
Oh, my God.
you’re free to have sugar whenever you want to.
You don’t have to go to school.
Teens: When theyre right, theyre right.
Aside from acting, what were your interests and hobbies at 14?
I played left wing striker.
I got one really big muscly arm from one side of the boat.
Id make up weird short films with my cousin.
They were always really dark.
They’d always end with a death.
We were really emo together and we put really creepy music on.
Lots of funeral scenes and themes.
How were the hormones and puberty treating you?
I had really thick glasses and I immediately wanted contact lenses.
Wearing way too much makeup and straightening my hair and learning how to shave my legs.
It’s a lot at once.
You’ve talked a lot about having anxiety and getting diagnosed as an adult.
I have mental health problems.
I didnt know any different.
It was weirdly manageable.
Also when you’re younger I had a routine, which I think really helped my mental health.
I definitely did have highs and lows.
And I could literally do that.
Whereas now it’s like, “No, you got to go to work.
you’ve got the option to’t just lie about doing nothing.”
Does that make sense?
It was less obvious to me or my family, I think.
What movies did you find comforting?
I showed every one of my friends.
I was like, “You got to come round and watchThe Breakfast Club.
It’s the best.”
And then I watchedSixteen CandlesandPretty in Pinkand just did a full Molly Ringwald deep dive.
I lovePirates of the Caribbean.
That movie made me want to get into acting.
Me and my best friend just watchedFriendson repeat every weekend.
AndHarry Potter, obviously.
Did you have a celebrity crush?
I had a crush on everyone.
Orlando Bloom, and then [Jonathan Rhys Meyers] fromBend It Like Beckham.
I loved a British guy all the British pretty men.
Like, non-threatening [ones].
Johnny Depp was a little bit too intense for me, but Orlando Bloom seemed manageable.
Who were your style icons?
Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.
I just really loved that early 90s grunge, and I still do.
But then I was like, “What’s everyone else wearing?
And just so many accessories and a belt for no reason.
Then it wasHigh School Musicalera too.
I had a massive crush on Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.
I was like, “I’ll make out with either of you.”
What do you think your 14-year-old self would think of you now?
Oh, she’d be so excited.
I’ve met some of my icons.
I have a go at remember that when I’m feeling ungrateful.
Is there anything you wish you could tell your 14-year-old self?
I was really in survival mode, but I wish I could be like, Just be more yourself.
Be weird and dress how you want to dress.
Because now, I just give way less sh*ts about what people think about me.
But that’s hard to tell a 14-year-old.
They’ll be like, “What do you mean?
That’s not helpful at all.
It really matters what everyone thinks about me.”
Generally when you give a shot to give 14-year-old kids advice they look at you like…
They’re the smartest people on the planet.
They’re not having anything.
Adults are so dumb.
When my mom was like, “I know you’re heartbroken, but it will get better.”
I thought, “No, it won’t.
I’m never going to get over this.
I love him.”
This interview has been edited and condensed.
