Actors want to sing, singers want to act, directors want to… act, too, sometimes. But not Chappell Roan. The chart-topping, drag-loving, festival conquering pop star of the year whose shows are full of dramatic looks and choreo, pulled no punches in an Interview magazine chat with SNL star Bowen Yang when the show’s break-out star asked her if she might consider dipping her toe into acting to get break from some of the insanity of pop stardom.
“I say this with peace, and love, and blessings,” the 26-year-old nearly-decade-in-the-making overnight star told Yang. “Actors are f–king crazy.” Yang agreed, though Roan noted that she, of course, didn’t mean him. “You can, I’m crazy,” he assured her.
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“I don’t know you, but I know that you’re not the vibe I’m talking about,” Roan explained. “Like, I get so freaked out by film people. I’ve been asked in the past couple of weeks, like, ‘You want the lead in XYZ?’ and I’m like, ‘No.’” While Roan didn’t specify what projects she’d been asked to join, she said she appreciated the attention, but was definitely a hard-no on taking her talents to the big screen.
On Monday (August 19), the “Red Wine Supernova” star jumped on TikTok to talk about the “harassment” she’s been getting from fans lately,” lamenting the lack of boundaries fans have when it comes to interloping on her private life. “I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job, the career field I’ve chosen. That doesn’t make it OK. That doesn’t make it normal,” she said. “That doesn’t mean I want it, doesn’t mean I like it. I don’t want whatever the f— you think you’re supposed to be entitled to whenever you see a celebrity.”
Even though she unequivocally told Yang she’s not interested in adding a hyphen to her professional title, Roan revealed that she’s not a total newbie when it comes to being a thespian. “I originally started doing music because I wanted to get my foot in the door for acting, and then I moved to Los Angeles, and I was like, ‘F–k that,’” said Roan, who noted that she’s had acting training, but finds the idea the “most stressful thing in the world” to her.
“The industry is legitimately so scary, and it is so out of my control. I can put out music whenever I want. I don’t have to wait for a casting director to be like, ‘It would be great if we cast you, and then we’ll decide your schedule for the next three months,’” Roan said.
She did leave a bit of daylight for the right project, adding that if she were to change her mind, the project would have to be “really specific and really silly,” in which case she might consider a cameo. That said, she added, “I would rather get arrested.” Plus, the next year is totally booked out anyway.
