Camila Mendes is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. The 27 year old of Brazilian-American is mostly known for her work on the groundbreaking series “Riverdale,” and of boasting an enourmous fanbase, with her hashtag having over 2 billion views on TikTok and her Instagram having over 26 million followers.
Mendes studied acting at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and approaches her work as that. Work. “ I went to school to learn how to be the best actor I can be, and learning to separate myself from the work is part of it,” she said in an interview with Elle.
Despite her enormous fame, Mendes explains that that appeal has lost its luster. “Fame is pretty meaningless,” she said. “There’s not much value there in terms of how you’re actually doing in your life, or how fulfilled you feel in your own life, or even how good your work is, right? It’s like, ‘Cool, cool, you’re famous. And?’ That doesn’t mean you’re happy or fulfilled…no matter how many people follow you on Instagram.”
Mendes has amassed fans not only due to her looks and her work, but due to her approach to celebrity. She posts all of her photos and writes all of her captions, trying to be as honest as possible.
She discussed the very common experience of biracial people, who feel like they belong to two different places at once. “When I go to Brazil, I feel like an American, and in the U.S., I always notice the traits that make me Brazilian.”
Regarding her role in “Riverdale,” Mendes has spoken about how great it feels to play a Latina that isn’t based in stereotypes. “It’s rare that you see Latin families being portrayed as intelligent, sophisticated, and powerful entities,“ she said.
In the near future, Mendes appears to be leaning towards projects that highlight these aspects of herself, appearing in the film “Música,” which highlights Brazilian culture in New Jersey, and “American Sole,” where she co-stars alongside Bad Bunny. Recently, Mendes and Maya Hawke star in “Do Revenge,” Netflix’s latest blend of thriller and dark teen comedy.