The phenomenon of “the girl crush” has been circulating the globe for as long as anyone can remember. English women back in the 1500s probably wanted to be Queen Elizabeth just as badly as ninety-percent of the female population wants to be Jennifer Lawrence today. And no, it’s not just because both were rich and famous; there are plenty of women like that who aren’t nearly as admired (I’m talking to you, Miley Cyrus). It takes a certain kind of girl do be deemed “crushable”, and here’s a profile of some bonafide girl crushes walking around campus.
Name: Danielle Rico
Hometown: Orange, CA
Nickname: Dani
Year: 2014
Major: Cinema Studies with a minor in Producing
Girl Crush Status: Danielle Rico is a girl crush for many reasons, and not just because she has highlights in her hair that make her look classy as opposed to Snooki, or because she dresses with the comfortable chic-ness of a UNIQLO ad, although both these factors definitely contribute to the overall Danielle persona. Maybe it’s inherent or maybe it’s just because she’s from California, but Danielle has an air of laidback coolness that suggests, “Hey, maybe it sucks for now, but now isn’t exactly forever.” So chillax, man, and read about this week’s girl crush.
HC NYU: So who are your personal girl crushes and why?
DR: Elizabeth I, because she literally ruled. And is one of the OG classic style icons. That collar! Also Zooey Deschanel, not just because she’s disgustingly adorable and hilarious, but because she defends her right to be a card-carrying feminist while simultaneously baking an apple pie wearing a polka-dot apron with ruffles and rockin’ red lips. And this is going to sound beyond cheese-ball, but my friends: they’re all so beautifully themselves and have amazing quirks and characteristics that are so lovely to me, everything from golden hearts to sailor mouths.
HC NYU: Do you have a moment you pride yourself on?
DR: Honestly, when I decided to make a conscious effort to love myself.
HC NYU: How about a quality you’re proud of?
DR: I absolutely love to learn.
HC NYU: Which qualities do you find constitute not just a girl crush, but an admirable person in general?
DR: Compassion, humility, and an open mind.
HC NYU: Any other fun tidbits about yourself?
DR: I love all things creepy/macabre, but I’m as cowardly as they come!
HC NYU: What do you see yourself doing film-wise in the future, since you’re a cinema studies major?
DR: I’m minoring in Producing, so ideally that would be the route I go. But I’m also interested in writing and directing and cinematography and editing and sound-mixing…basically, I just want to make movies.
HC NYU: Have any favorite films?
DR: This question is the hardest to answer, because I have a different “favorite” film almost daily, so I usually answer with the ones I’ve watched a million times. The first movie that made me think I want to do that! was Fight Club, and it’s still one I always go back to (and just might have memorized…). It’s the dark humor and the cynicism, and the fact that I was chewing on it for days after. Pride and Prejudice (the Joe Wright- directed, Keira Knightley- led 2005 edition), because I’m such a romantic at heart, and it’s not only my favorite love story, but that soundtrack! And that cinematography! And that acting! Anyway, one more I have to mention is 2001: A Space Odyssey, because that was a damn near spiritual experience for me.