For a certain type of woman—the kind whose first concert was an Oklahoma! sing-along instead of Hilary Duff—there’s no better celebrity than Anna Kendrick. A Broadway kid turned movie star, she’s done blockbusters (Pitch Perfect, Twilight), indies (Camp, Drinking Buddies), and a best-selling book (“Scrappy Little Nobody”) about her rise to the top.
Kendrick is also a fashion model, starring in a series of Kate Spade New York ads with icons like Gloria Steinem. And though she’s skipped the past few seasons, the 34-year-old was back in the front row for their Spring 2020 show. There was a lot to love on the catwalk—mosaic prints, elephant bags, and a sandal collaboration with Dr. Scholl’s—but for those who worship at the Church of Sondheim, Kendrick was the queen.
Does she know it? Let’s ask her…
It’s been a minute since you were at Kate Spade. Why come back to the brand?
Well, last season I was filming, so I couldn’t go anywhere. But I’ve always been in love with their commitment to fun. They get that it’s fun to dress up, and this is the way to do it. There’s certain brands where you just feel like, “Oh, I must be impossibly slouchy and dour with a cigarette hanging from my mouth, otherwise, I’m not allowed to wear these clothes.” Kate Spade really feels like the opposite.
You and Gloria Steinem were in last year’s ads. Did you vibe well?
In the beginning, I found her to be so intimidating. But when were on set, she was flipping through some fashion magazine—not [ELLE], I swear!—and she was like, “Huh. You know, the more expensive the clothing, the more miserable the models look.” And I was like, “That’s sooo true.” It’s become a mantra of mine.
Did you know Fashion Twitter is obsessed with A Simple Favor? It’s become a big plane movie between New York and Paris.
Are you serious? That’s amazing.
You’re doing another thriller, Unsound, soon, right?
Oh, you know what’s weird? Actually, I’ve done a bunch of stuff in between—comedies, mostly—but their release dates are later! So it’s going to look like I want to be a thriller queen, because A Simple Favor happened and then this, but that’s not really the case. I just loved the LA Confidential vibe in the script, that old-school Chinatown vibe when someone uncovers a scandal and says, “This goes all the way to the top!” I couldn’t want to say a line like that. I’m such a sucker for that shit.
Same. I am also a sucker for CAMP, as are millions of other theater nerds.
Ooohhhh, yeah! That means a lot to me, honestly. I love that you all still watch that.
What’s the most drama geek thing you’ve done lately?
I went and saw Hannah Gadsby’s new show, but that’s not the drama geek part. No, actually, I had to go to the bathroom at the worst possible time. This very sweet usher was racing me through the theater so I could make it back to my seat before the show started. I was profusely thanking him, and he just started full-on singing, “It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.” Which is what I sang at the Kennedy Center Honors for Shirley MacLaine, but it’s also from Seesaw, this really obscure musical from the ‘70s. That was a deep cut, and I have to say, I was really impressed. I really appreciate the commitment to the deep cuts.
Omigod, do you want to sing A Little Night Music with me? Like right now? I know all the parts!
Sure, totally, or maybe we just see the Kate Spade show?