Bella Thorne is known for her wild transformation from a silly teen to an expressive, rebellious woman. This development has caused an uproar of backlash and I can’t deny that I thought the same insults at one point. Why does she dress like that? Does she really party that much? How come she acts so weird?
My questions changed the first time I watched Bella Thorne’s Vogue interview. I was in an expressive downfall because I had worn black the entire winter season (in order to follow a trend) and hadn’t started an art project without feeling immature in ages. When I was opened up to the color of her lifestyle, house and clothing, I realized the self-expression behind the “craziness.”
In the final seconds of the interview, Bella looked at her virtual audience in a focused manner and said “If you’re sitting here judging me (which you are—everyone is), for one moment, just try and stop. Maybe like close your eyes and open them again. What do you see now?” So, let’s discuss what we can learn from the revolutionary expression of Bella Thorne.
When I opened my eyes, I let the judgmental questions that had fueled my hatred toward Bella drift off. Instead, I saw someone with no makeup, various personalities and extensive talent. So many people strive to be an individual to watch and Bella does it effortlessly. She always shows her emotions by changing the little aspects about her. She explained that depending on her mood, she’ll wear a different wig and dress a certain way. One day, there could be a colorful, glittery, promiscuous Bella and another day we could see a dark-toned, mellow and low-profile Bella. The way she alters herself represents how we as people have so many sides to ourselves. Showing these sides gives you a raw look at who the person truly is.
The colorful, promiscuous Bella Thorne seems to be the one more evident on her social media. As you scroll through, you notice someone open with their sexual behavior. It’s easy to make fun of her and it’s harder to compliment it. This is because being unfolded like that is something new to our society. The fact that Bella is at the forefront of this sexual revolution speaks to her character. Eventually, there will be a day where her photos are completely normal and your comments are old school.
One of my favorite aspects of Bella’s lifestyle—besides her free behavior—is her house. Oh my god, her house. From top to bottom it’s filled with art projects, silly statues and so many bright colors. From cotton ball clouds to a personalized teepee, it doesn’t seem like the house you’d dream of owning one day. Yet it perfectly represents who she is: fun, questionable and adventurous. She shows people that you are never too young to initiate an art project and that it can also be therapeutic and beneficial to your mental health.
The most impressive part about all of these things is the businesswoman behind each action. You see a crazy house, she sees the opportunity to rent it out for A-list parties. You see a sexual post, she sees a $65,000 paycheck. You see a new Bella Thorne movie, she sees a script she hand picked to show her true talents. There’s nothing more rewarding than someone who has successfully built themselves into a millionaire. It’s even more rewarding because she developed from being a teenage star, which you usually don’t see in the industry.
So what do we see now? Someone who dresses the way she wants in a way that makes her look like a modern art piece. Someone who designed her house and hosts unique parties—the kind you talk about with your friends for years. Someone who acts in a way that she finds funny and expressive. Who are we to make fun of that? Bella Thorne is my role model. She should be yours too.