Anti-nepo baby? Meet Havana Rose Liu, the Gen Z actress shaking up Hollywood: born to wedding website founder parents, she starred opposite Ayo Edebiri in Bottoms and is an ambassador for Chanel
- Having initially resisted the spotlight, the former art student found herself drawn to fashion and acting, earning a Chanel ambassadorship before her breakout role in Emma Seligman’s Bottoms
- The actress was recently at Paris Fashion Week and has described her ever-evolving personal style as influenced by ‘contrasting elements that go together that I wouldn’t necessarily see together’
Havana Rose Liu’s life before fame
Acting was never part of the plan for the 26-year-old New York native, she once told W Magazine. Growing up surrounded by actors due to her parents both having attended film school, Liu initially charted a different course in visual arts, multimedia arts and experimental performance art. Despite some initial reservations, Liu found herself drawn into the worlds of fashion and acting.
She hails from Chinese and European descent
Liu’s father is Chinese while her mother is of European descent. Speaking to V magazine, the actress said, “Being mixed race and having to jump between cultures has made me feel like I’ve been learning to act my whole life.” She added that, when she was younger, she didn’t see many people who looked like her on the covers of magazines or portraying lead roles in films or on TV.
Her on-screen break
After playing supporting roles in projects including Netflix series The Chair, fantasy-mystery film Mayday, and coming-of-age romantic drama film The Sky is Everywhere, Liu took centre stage in her first feature film, the mystery thriller No Exit, portraying the complex character of Darby Thorne.