When it comes to sequels, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising was one of the most anticipated. Featuring an all-star cast of Zac Efron, Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Chloë Grace Moretz, Selena Gomez, and our current girl crush, Kiersey Clemons, it did not disappoint. After watching the film, it's crazy to think this was Kiersey's first time doing something strictly comedy. She's starred in the movie, Dope, and MTV show, Eye Candy, so despite this new genre, she definitely has the experience to hang in the big leagues.
When we spoke to the actress, we learned that she's just as obsessed with fashion and beauty as we are and has awesome product recs and tips to go with that excitement. Plus, her body positive feels will have you loving yourself just a little bit more once you get through. Okay, enough talking—get to know her below!
StyleWatch: Congrats on the new film! What was it like filming?
Kiersey Clemons: It was really fun, we had a really great time. I didn't know anybody at all when we started but it was cool because we all knew of each other and had seen each other's work so we were all really excited to get the opportunity to work together.
Do you remember the first day?
Well, the first day that we came together, Beanie [Feldstein], Chloë, and I started to figure out who our characters were. There was an outline in the script, but Nick [Stoller, the director] really gave us the freedom to figure out their personalities and what they're about. I remember Chloë came in on the first day telling a story of how she tried to rescue these baby squirrels and they died, so she was really upset about that. I was like, 'Aw she's sweet, I really like her.'
That's so cute. Are you guys still friends?
Yeah! I went to Mexico with Chloë for her birthday, and whenever I'm in New York, I'll see Beanie and Nora [Awkwafina]. They've become some of my closest friends. We miss the opportunity to go to actual college so it's nice to be able to create that bond while filming a movie. I was away from my family while filming so those guys became my little family.
What did you do together when you weren't filming?
Well, on Selena's first day we had a taco night. She made us tacos, and rice, and beans. They were really good! We would have sleepovers also. The girls would come over to my hotel room and we would watch Sex and the City and order room service. It was just honestly normal girl stuff. We went to the mall a couple times, and we were always on the hunt for good vegan food in Atlanta. I'm allergic to dairy and so is Beanie surprisingly so we were just like let's just eat the same food and try to be vegan. And so that's what we did.
Were you guys always swapping fashion and beauty tips?
Yeah, I think I was definitely the one always recommending skincare products and makeup. I'm really into finding cruelty free products and I was going really hard in my research when I was in Atlanta. I don't know why, but I was ordering so many things so I would come to set and be like, 'Hey guys try this let me know if it works for you!'
That's awesome. What are some of your favorite products?
Lush is my go-to. It's everywhere so I know I can count on them. And I'm obsessed with Caudalie. Their body lotion is really good, but there is also this face spray that's called the 'beauty elixir.' I spray it on right when I wake up in the morning to help motivate me to get out of bed, such a great refresher. It's also so good for an airplane. You know when you get off a plane and you look so dead and pale? I spray it all over when I get off and it makes you look so much better.
For makeup, I love NYX. Their matte lip creams are so cheap, and they're so soft and great. Oh and I love BECCA. Their highlighters are so good, specifically the Champagne Pop color. It's the absolute best.
Caudalie Beauty Elixir, $18 for 1 oz.; sephora.com
We also love your red carpet style. It's always different and exciting. How do you go about picking a look?
I really focus a lot on what part of my body I'm excited about at the moment because as a woman, that changes every day. Sometimes I look in the mirror and am like 'I like my big butt.'' Sometimes my boobs are swollen and I'm like, 'Yes my boobs are swollen, gotta show off the boobs while they're swollen!' And then right before I leave, when my look is all done, I block out anything anyone said and I do one thing that is just for me whether it's like a weird pair of glasses, or something that I know someone would tell me to take off, just to make it feel like Kiersey.
I love that. Did you do anything like that for your Neighbors 2 premiere look?
So for Neighbors 2, since I was wearing a gown, I tried to keep my makeup and hair really simple. I love to put on a gown and make it look like I just threw it on. I think that's the best way to wear a long dress—to make it look completely effortless like you're wearing nothing under it, like you just got off a yacht. You just finished laying out on the beach all day with your new Spanish lover and now you have to hit a red carpet. So for Neighbors 2 that's what it was. I slicked my hair back, I put on a little lip gloss and I threw my dress on and I painted my nails in the car. Well, that's what itlooks like happened, when in reality I sat there for three hours in hair and makeup.
Have you picked up any beauty tips from all that time in the chair?
This is my number one beauty tip. When you have a zit, and it's in a place you can pull it off, make it a beauty mark. I did that for Neighbors 2 press. I had a massive pimple but turned it into an extra freckle on my face. It's totally cute and fun, and helps you get away with it.
So good. You're only 22 yet so confident. Where do you find that confidence?
A lot of it comes from my mom. She was just so effortlessly beautiful and sexy and had big, curly hair. Growing up, I was always like, 'OMG I need to be like my mom.' And as I got older, my mom expressed to me that it's not about being skinny or having flawless skin or perfect hair. It's 'I'm sexy because I know I'm sexy and I own it.' I was like, 'Well shit, I guess I'm going to own it!' It's interesting because I'm very comfortable in my skin yet I'm at a weird, insecure, yet confident age. 22 is so weird. Everyone tells me it's such a shitty age, and it really is, but I'm embracing it.
