Shenae Grimes Talks Hollywood & Halloween
Actors spend their lives playing dress up, but they're constantly forced to wear what others want to see them in. So when Halloween rolls around, it's the rare opportunity for the stars to play dress up on their own terms! And for this year's All Hallows' Eve, 90210 star Shenae Grimes is partnering with Project Runway alum Chris March and Mattel's Monster High to create the most ghoulish get-up imaginable!
You can get a sneak peek at Shenae's Frankie Stein costume above (the full ensemble will debut at Matthew Morrisson Halloween bash, presented by Monster High) and find out what made her want to partner with the brand below. Additionally, Shenae recalls her best October 31 ever and opens up about the exhausting yet exhilarating last five years spent making 90210.
TheInsider.com: What made Monster High the perfect inspiration for your Halloween costume?
Shenae Grimes: I think Monster High is such a cool line of dolls and stories. It's a departure from that pretty in pink world I was surrounded with growing up. I am definitely more of a tomboy, but also a witchy little goth on the inside and this is so much more my speed than any of that girly-girl stuff. It's very fashion forward, incredibly glamorous and quirkier than what we're used to seeing in the younger market. All these characters, and the stories they tell, really accentuate embracing your flaws and I think that's such an important message to give to young girls in high school. You don't have to fit in! Embrace your individuality! I think a lot of the imagery projected out to girls from a young age is about being this perfect ideal and Monster High washes that away and says be your own glamorous self.
Insider.com: And what made you connect with Frankie Stein?
Shenae: Frankie has that super ghoul-y look to her, which is perfect for Halloween because you have to channel your inner monster! Her palate was black and white with hints of blue and I love those. I've never been able to pull off pink. That was the one that immediately caught my attention.
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Insider.com: The jacket Chris is fitting on you in the photo above is incredible!
Shenae: That's really the centerpiece of the look. It's so eye-catching with those big broad shoulders, like Frankenstein. It's a bit outlandish for a day to day look but if he made it in black leather, I'd wear it 24/7. Chris has taken that ghoulish fun and made it beautiful. I know I'll feel like a gothic princess.
Insider.com: This notwithstanding, what's been your favorite Halloween costume ever?
Shenae: My favorite was actually last year – me and two of my girlfriends went as dead, zombified Disney princesses. We had these big poufy dresses and blood all over our faces. I was Belle from Beauty and the Beast and they were Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella. It was awesome. Another year, I was Britney Spears the year she made out with Madonna at the VMA's – it was incredible and my friend was Madonna in the tux and top hat. I've always gone all out.
Insider.com: How many times were you egged on to kiss?
Shenae: Fortunately, we were a little too young for that [laughs]. Nothing pervy happened. It was the younger years. But I'm sure if we did that now, the pervy boys would be all over it.
Insider.com: Switching gears, 90210 just celebrated 100 episode. Has the time flown?
Shenae: It's kind of mindblowing. I remember episode one like it was yesterday. We have really long hours for nine months of the year, so it feels really intense while it's happening, but before you know it, the season is over. Then a new one starts. We've been so fortunate to go this long because not many shows do. I was a baby when I started the show, and we've all grown in different ways. It's phenomenal to look at one another now and see how far we've come since day one.
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Insider.com: Working on an hour-long series not only requires a lot of day-to-day time, but also takes you out of the running for movies and other jobs. How much longer can you envision playing Annie?
Shenae: I think that is a concern of some of my castmates more so than me. I never like to think I'm better than my current job. It's so hard to get work right now because there's not a lot of money out there so not a lot of stuff gets made. I think you have to know you're very fortunate to have the stability of a big series like this. I mean, how many actors know where their next paycheck is coming from? For me, the next chapter is more about having a personal life. Your personal life suffers a lot doing a show like this because you're on set for so many hours a day. Then you're exhausted in the little time you have at home. What I'm looking forward to is getting the chance to enjoy life outside the industry. I'm less concerned with the next job.
Insider.com: Before 90210 comes to a close, whenever that is, what would you like to see for Annie?
Shenae: I hope Annie just finds herself. I think she's struggled with forming an identity since day one. I don't think she's handled a lot of the issues she's been confronted with the best because she feels so alone. She has friends, but she tends to be there for their issues more than her own. She never really lets people in on her own issues, and that's when things go awry. I would love for her to stop feeling that sense of being lost and really find a place that allows her to feel settled in her skin.
90210 airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on The CW.
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