PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUMANTA MUTH
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & STYLING BY ROBIAT BALOGUN
MAKEUP BY ARCHANGELA CHELSEA FOR CELESTINE AGENCY
HAIR BY YUICHI ISHIDA
RETOUCHER BY INZAMAM FAHAD
STORY BY MIN A. LEE
Composure Magazine: You’ve worked on several television shows and films since you first broke onto the Hollywood scene with True Adolescents in 2009. Is there any single role you’ve done that you feel most akin to?
Emma Dumont: Not particularly. I don’t think I am all that similar to any character I’ve played and hopefully, I never will be. The thing I like about acting is that I get to be different people, explore their lives and learn their skills. I would never want to play someone exactly like me, and honestly, no one else would want that either because it would make for one boring film.
Though if I had to choose one I would say I am most similar to Lorna Dane. We have similar personality traits and for the most part, parallel political views. We also basically wear the same clothes. I remember one time I was on set, and I realized I had accidentally put on my personal shoes instead of my character shoes because they were almost identical.
CM: We learned your main passion is dancing—when did you first begin training? Do you feel the rigors of ballet helped prepare you for acting?
ED: I started taking both tap and ballet at the age of three, and I haven’t been able to stop dancing since. I would say that all of my jobs have had a physical aspect to them. My very first show was actually about four little ballet dancers in a small town, so dance obviously helped me there. But besides throwing myself on the ground while pretending to be a superhero, there are a lot of personal things dance brought me that help me in my day-to-day work. Just the overall idea of perseverance, discipline and hard work was something that was instilled in me at such a young age that it has always stuck with me and has helped me during those late night shoots. In ballet, we learn that our bodies at times are stronger than our minds and that anything is possible with enough dedication. This is something I have always taken with me to other aspects of my life especially acting.
CM: Thinking back on all the sets you’ve been on, what’s one of your most memorable experiences so far?
ED: I’ve had so many amazing, memorable experiences it would hard to choose just one. I will say however that I always love when there are animals around. On The Gifted we had a dog character named Zingo, who is by far my favorite cast member, and she was played by the sweetest little doggo name Finnley. It is just such an amazing, uplifting thing to have an animal on set, and it can always turn your day around or put a smile on your face. I only ever got to have two scenes with Finnley, and they were definitely the best.
CM: Can you share with us what’s next for you?
ED: I’m actually getting ready to try something new. I am going to Shanghai to do a reality competition show about robotics. I love robotics and competition, but I’m completely unfamiliar with how these types of shows film so I’m excited to try it out. It might be weird being filmed as myself and not as a character, but hopefully, I’ll get used to it. Basically, my role is that of a team captain, and I get to recruit different robots to my league. I’m so excited. I think it’s gonna be a ton of fun!
CM: Outside of Hollywood, you’re a member of the renowned Mensa organization and study mechanical engineering! How do you juggle two very different worlds?
ED: Honestly, I just make time for everything. I’m still living one life—it just has a few separate aspects to it. Sometimes I do feel a little bummed when all of my cast mates get to go do fun things on their off days, and I’m stuck at home doing homework, but someday it will be worth it. It’s really important to me to keep getting an education while I’m working because engineering is still something I am so passionate about. I never want to be in a spot where it doesn’t have some sort of place in my life.
CM: Let’s get into some beauty questions! Makeup for tv and movies can be tough on skin, how do you take care of yours when you have a heavy film schedule?
ED: My real beauty secret is more of an embarrassing fact. I actually didn’t have any sort of skincare regimen until a few years ago, so for the seven or eight years that I modeled or acted I honestly can’t even remember what I did for my skin. It was terrible. I would sleep with makeup on, and I wouldn’t moisturize, so bad. BUT a few years ago my amazing makeup artist Jenny Lin introduced me to an amazing line of products by a company called Skyn Iceland. I have a very specific skin type. My skin is super thin, super sensitive and very dry. Jenny definitely taught me the importance of taking care of your skin along with finding the right products for your skin type.
Now I’m very particular about my skincare. I have to use a lot of moisturizers to make sure I keep my skin from peeling or cracking, and when I do have some dryness, I like to use a liquid exfoliator to get rid of all the dead cells and build up. Also, maybe the most important thing I do for my skin is using sun protection. If I’m going outside, I put on sunscreen even if it’s cloudy out. I have to because my skin burns so easily. I honestly can’t stress enough how important sunscreen is.
CM: Have you learned any cool makeup hacks over time from the makeup artists on set?
ED: There are two things I learned from back in my theater days that don’t really apply to set, but they’re the only tricks I know. One is that you can use Kool-Aid mix to stain your lips, which is delicious and long-lasting. The other is that you can use hairspray as a setting spray. I’m pretty sure these aren’t secrets though. Everyone knows them, but they’re all I got.
CM: What’s the best piece of beauty advice you’ve been given up till now?
ED: “Never let anyone touch your eyebrows.” So many makeup artists told me this when I was modeling in my teens. I had these very specific, straight, almost sad looking eyebrows. I think people liked them maybe because they were different and it seemed like everyone was encouraging me to never change them. I did not listen. I think if I hadn’t started acting, I would have kept them, but I like to change my eyebrows according to the character I’m playing. They play such an important role in the way we look, and I think they are too often looked over.
CM: Top two skincare products you can’t live without?
ED: Skyn Iceland Antidote Cooling Lotion
Anything Laneige, but specifically their Lip Mask
CM: Finally, let’s end with some makeup bag favorites:
Foundation? Koh Gen Do – Moisture Foundation
Concealer? Fenty – Match Stix
Eyeshadow? Love an Urban Decay Palette
Eyeliner? I usually use shadow as a liner, but I love the Marc Jacobs Highliner Crayon
Lipstick? MAC Viva Glam I – It is the ultimate red lip
