Page 78 - Girl's Life (August - September 2019)

THE NEW CLASS

Continued from page 15 Investigation—and even appeared in
on top of any outfit,” she shares. “My I don’t like it Kanye West’s “Jesus Walks” vid.
outfit is the ice cream, obviously.” After tagging along with her dad to a
And Brenna’s style? It’s what she in movies where meeting a few years back, Jadah caught
deems “girly grunge.” his agent’s attention. “Being the extra
“Black is my go-to. I need more color once a girl kid that I am, I was bouncing off the walls
in my closet, honestly,” says the Chicago while we were at my dad’s agent’s office—
native, laughing. “I love wearing boy- takes off her doing anything I could to get noticed,”
friend jeans with black heeled booties she says. “Then my dad’s agent was like,
and a black tank top. I also could not be glasses, she’s ‘Is your daughter interested in acting?’
more obsessed with cardigans and flan- and I was like, ‘Yes, I am!’”
nels if I tried. Layering those is so fun.” magically cool Playing Celia has been a cinch, Jadah
confesses, because she’s got plenty in
MAKING A SPECTACLE or popular or common with the character. “Celia is a
One accessory you’ll see Anna sporting daddy’s girl—and I am, too. She’s very
throughout this shoot? Her fab frames. pretty. You mischievous, she’s very charismatic, she’s
The stylish specs have become a signa- very streetwise and she’s very funny. She’s
ture of hers *and* many of her charac- can be all those hilarious, as you will see in the movie.
ters. It’s no coincidence that Dizzy, Kitty She will crack you up. But she’s just an
Covey in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved things and still awesome person, honestly, and I feel like I
Before and Zoe in Brat’s Zoe Valentine all relate to her so much.”
rock ’em, though: It’s actually a conscious wear glasses.
decision Anna made. SQUAD GOALS
“I don’t like it when I see movies where —Anna Throughout their time on and off set,
once a girl takes off her glasses, she’s Anna, Jadah and Brenna have formed a
magically cool or popular or pretty,” she true friendship.
says. “You can be all of those things and On set, Anna and Jadah became
still wear glasses. I want girls to see peo- her character Jane has transformed from “partners in crime.” From school to snack
ple on TV and in magazines with glasses meek and mild-mannered to confident breaks, the duo did everything together.
and feel represented.” and coupled-up, Brenna has come into And when Anna turned 15 last June while
Kitty’s frames? Those were Anna’s own, her own off-screen as well. filming Descendants 3, Jadah was right by
and Zoe Valentine’s are as well. But the “When I was younger, I was a little bit her side for what Anna calls an “absolutely
wardrobe department designed a new pair of a people pleaser. I let people say things magical” celebration.
for Anna to wear in the Descendants series. to me that I knew weren’t right and “Jadah and I stopped at a convenience
Accented with small scissors and glitzy that hurt my feelings just so I wouldn’t store and grabbed a whole bunch of
gems, they’re a perfect fit for Dizzy, whose cause any problems,” she admits. “I’ve snacks and went back to my hotel room,”
character is a cosmetologist. become much stronger in the sense that Anna says. “We stayed up so late eating
At the root of it, Anna is making a I know how I want to be treated—and I’ve candy, singing songs and dancing around
spectacle of her spectacles because they eliminated people from my life who don’t while watching High School Musical. It was
make her feel more like herself—and understand that.” my dream birthday.”
being 100 percent true to yourself is To get to this point, Brenna has had But for these three, every day is worth
something she’s a big believer in. some help along the way from her own celebrating—especially a day off from
“It is really important to make a point Fairy Godmother—her mom, Shannon. And set. “Anna is from Vancouver, where we
to do what makes you comfortable,” she the parallels between Jane’s relationship filmed a lot of the movie, so she showed
spills. “Strive to be your best self—what- with her magical mama and Brenna’s own me around the city on an off day,” Brenna
ever that means for you.” are not lost on her. “Jane had insecurities shares. “We went to the aquarium, got
Admittedly, Anna knows that’s she wanted to fix with the magic wand, dim sum for dinner and had these huge
sometimes easier said than done. “People but her mother wanted her to learn to iced snow desserts at Snowy Village
might think I never doubt myself because see the good and beauty in herself that Dessert Cafe. I recommend that place to
I’m in the spotlight, but of course I do,” was already there,” shares Brenna. “Jane people all the time now, thanks to Anna.”
she shares. “We are all constantly learning eventually got there and realized her No doubt, their bond is one that’ll
about and working on ourselves. There’s mom was right. And that’s the thing I’ve transcend their time in the Descendants
nothing wrong with that.” learned…my mom is usually right!” series—and they couldn’t be more grate-
Support from the girls’ parents played ful for it. “You know that feeling,” Anna
MOM KNOWS BEST a big role in getting them where they are says, “where you’re so happy and nothing
If anyone can relate to those words, today. For Jadah, talent certainly runs in is wrong? You basically feel like you’re
it’s Brenna, who has been a part of the the family. Her dad, Christian Redd, has flying and you’re on cloud nine? That’s me
Descendants squad since the start. As acted in shows like CSI: Crime Scene every day I get to do all of this.”

74 GL AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019