Model Cara Delevingne makes her debut as a leading lady and says there's more to her than just eyebrows.
British model Cara Delevingne is heading to the big screen in coming-of-age movie Paper Towns. She talks to Eli Orzessek about the transition.
Cara Delevingne has taken over downtown Sydney. From watches to jeans, underwear to cosmetics, her face haunts every street corner. It's stern and striking, framed by those infamous eyebrows.
But as I step into a plush suite at the Park Hyatt, a different face greets me. It's smiling, animated and full of excitement. Only the eyebrows are the same.
Surrounded by cameras, lights and minders, she bounces on her chair like an impatient child.
"Hi! Show me all your tattoos," she says as I greet her.
She's here to talk about her new film role - her first as a lead actress - playing the enigmatic Margo Roth-Spiegelman in the film adaptation of Paper Towns.
Based on the book by author and YouTube star John Green, it's the story of floppy-haired Quentin, aka Q, who has lived next door to Margo since he was 9 and is completely, awkwardly, in love with her.
She's the kind of girl that everyone falls in love with, but no one ever really knows. When she disappears after a crazy night of breaking and entering, Q enlists his friends and drives from Florida to upstate New York to find her and declare his love.
It's a character Delevingne can relate to. Known for her adventurous nature and red carpet pranks - she's regularly snapped photobombing fellow celebs - it feels as if the role was written for her.
"I love adventures, I was a prankster at school, sure," she says. "Margo is fearless and I'm pretty fearless too. I also identify with the way she is having fun and causing chaos. I never try to cause chaos and nor does Margo. She creates a strong reaction all around her without even meaning to. She is very opinionated and so am I."
Nat Wolff, author John Green and Cara Delevingne. Photo / AP
At 22, Delevingne is already a household name. With more than 10 years of modelling under her belt, she's fronted campaigns for some of the world's biggest designers, including Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford. In Auckland, her face looms large on the side of Top Shop.
But acting has always been her ultimate goal.
"Look, modelling wasn't something that I was doing for my soul, it wasn't a passion. It didn't make my heart beat. Acting has been something that I've wanted to do forever and it really is a true passion of mine. I put my blood, sweat and tears into my acting and I dedicate my life to it."
It's clear from her personality that she's a natural performer. Her sentences are peppered with "just kiddings" and goofy faces. But despite rumours the model is severing ties with the industry that made her famous, Delevingne says she's not quitting anything.
"I'm not stopping modelling and doing acting, it's just how time is working out," she says. "I'm doing films until next year, I don't have a free day for a long time, so there's not really much time to do modelling."
Following on from Paper Towns, she will appear in next year's super-villain movie Suicide Squad and Pan, the Peter Pan prequel starring Hugh Jackman. But being cast as Margo was the ultimate prize.
"I auditioned and it was a dream role for me; it meant so much to me. But I didn't ever think I would get it. I doubt myself constantly. I don't like to expect anything out of life because then I'm never disappointed. So when I got the call saying I had the part, I freaked out," she says.
"I was screaming a lot, tears of joy, very happy. I was so excited."
Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne in a scene from the movie Paper Towns.
Margo is the ultimate manic pixie dream girl; vivacious, daring and a little bit dangerous.
In the film, Q places her on a pedestal and struggles to see her as a real person. It's not unlike how Delevingne herself is treated.
"A lot of people like to project their ideas of who they think Margo is onto her, which I guess people do to me too. The difference is that I'm a public figure and she's a girl in high school.
"I think that happens a lot to boys and girls, no matter what age you are. You think someone is a certain way because of what you see from the outside and then you get to know them better and you're like: 'oh, I was wrong, that is not who they are.' I remember having idols when I was younger whom I thought were amazing, then meeting them it was always such a let-down."
It's hard to imagine anyone feeling let down by Delevingne. She is cheeky, vivacious and far from the vapid model stereotype. But she knows how some people view her - and is happy to let them underestimate her.
"People make assumptions about me all the time; they think they have an idea about who I am. But I love it when they make assumptions because I love proving them wrong."
