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She's got a new EP out and a full slate of major films on the horizon, but this superstar's biggest project rn? Planning her 17th birthday.

Singer-songwriter, Emmy-nominated actress, roller skater extraordinaire: Mckenna Grace is a girl of many talents. "I've picked up on a lot of really random things playing so many different characters," she says, listing them off. "I learned how to do a Rubik's cube in under 60 seconds. I can pick a lock with a bobby pin. Very handy. I love it."

For Mckenna, getting to play characters whose lives are so different from her own is what makes acting so exciting. From strong-willed child bride Esther Keyes in The Handmaid's Tale to Ghostbusters: Aferlife's science-obsessed Phoebe Spengerl, she's already racked up a résumé full of more roles than many adult actors get to play in their entire careers.

And with the sci-fi flick Crater coming out May 12 on Disney+, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie in the fall and Ghostbusters Hell's Kitchen hitting theaters this Christmas (more on that in a minute), she's not slowing down anytime soon.

"When I dive deep into a role, I feel like I unlock some emotions within myself that I didn't know how to reach before," reflects Mckenna. "I learn a lot about myself through my characters."

Earlier this year, Mckenna shared that sense of self-awareness with the world as she stepped into her biggest role yet: popstar. Her recently released debut EP, Bittersweet 16—a collection of eight self-assured tracks—is full of major rocker-grrrl energy and unfiltered teen angst.

The title track is a perfect encapsulation of the, well, bittersweetness of growing up and deciding what kind of person you want to be—at the cost of leaving familiar parts of yourself behind. The emotions Mckenna's singing about feel so raw and real because...they are.

"Music constantly saves my life," she confesses. "I'm a pretty upbeat person, but songwriting is my therapy. I have a lot of conflicting feelings about myself and who I am or my body or the way that I carry myself or the way I am at parties. There are a few songs that I almost didn't release because I was so scared."

One of the most terrifying songs to share? "Self Dysmorphia," a single Mckenna dropped in 2022 that addresses her struggles with body image—including a scoliosis diagnosis she received when she was 12. Late last year, Mckenna underwent major surgery to correct the curvature of her spine and filmed the video for "Self Dysmorphia" by herself in her bedroom while recovering in a wheelchair.

For Mckenna, singing about her relationship with her body served a larger purpose. "I was terrified going into my surgery because there was really nothing online that I could find about it," she says. "I feel like the conversation around our bodies and the way we see ourselves has really opened up, but we still have a long way to go."

While "Self Dysmorphia" isn't part of Bittersweet 16, the EP offers just-as-honest music that shows significant vulnerability. And Mckenna hopes that people will hear the authenticity behind it. "Because I don't outwardly present as very self-conscious, I was scared that my music wouldn't seem genuine or like I'm just trying to be relatable," she admits.

Putting her true self out there is worth the risk to Mckenna, who has shared about topics like mental health struggles and heartbreak. "I am fortunate enough o have a platform to be able to speak about things for other people who are going through it," she says. "I hope that I'm able to use my platform for good." Ultimately, Mckenna wants her followers to see the real her: "I'm such a normal, awkward person, so I want people to know that."

But, of course, for a normal, awkward person, she's living a glamorous, surreal life. Right after this interview, she flew to London to begin shooting her second Ghostbusters movie, which meant reuniting with her co-stars—including her BFF Logan Kim, who plays Podcast.

And she's already got some bestie bonding activities in mind. "All of us are musical. Logan just started learning guitar, so I'm totally stoked to start a band. That's actually what the second Ghostbusters is about—we start a band," Mckenna jokes.

The fact that Ghostbusters Hell's Kitchen is shooting in London is icing on the cake for Mckenna. "I'm going to do so much exploring. The band Lovejoy is from London, and I'm like their number one fan," she gushes. "I know they're going to have a couple shows, so I'm totally going to force my cast to come with me."

In between Lovejoy shows, Mckenna plans on geeking out about her other favorite hobby. "I'm a big Minecrafter, and all my favorite Minecrafters live in London and Brighton," she shares.

But the thing Mckenna's most excited to do isn't England at all. "My friend Aryan and I are both turning 17 this year, and we want to go to Paris by ourselves," she says, referring to Percy Jackson star Aryan Simhadri. (The two are part of a close-knit crew that also includes The Baby-Sitters Club actresses Malia Baker, Shay Rudolph and Momona Tamada.) "We made a Paris bucket list—we want to go to the Catacombs, go on a picnic, go on a boat on the Seine."

 

 

 

 

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The Paris itinerary is an offshoot of a larger bucket list Mckenna and Aryan have been creating together. She opens up her Notes app to read it to me: "It's really goofy—we want to do a road trip from a place called Poo Poo Point to Pee Pee Creek. We want to go to every MrBeast Burger in Los Angeles. We want—" Mckenna stops abruptly and stares at her phone. "Why is 'Take J.K. Simmons out on a date' on this list? That was not me."

Mckenna and Aryan's planned Paris adventure would be a major upgrade from last year's birthday celebration. "I'm home-schooled, so I've always wanted to have a fake prom. For my Sweet 16, I was going to do that, but then my birthday plans were foiled because I was working," she laments.

That's the one downside of having become a global movie star before she was even old enough to drive: She's missed out on a lot of the classic milestones of the teenage years. "I'm working a lot, and a lot of my friends don't live in Los Angeles. I don't get a lot of social interaction, if you catch my drift."

But Mckenna wouldn't change a thing. "I've had a pretty unconventional childhood. I've gone to a bunch of different places, and I've met so many cool people," she says. "I'm very fortunate to have found my dream job at such a young age."

And Mckenna isn't one for giving up on a dream...not even one about a school dance. "The fake prom will for sure happen next year," she declares. "Skip the Sweet 16—we're doing a Sweet 18. We're having a prom."

Photographed by Mike Azria. Styled by Lo VonRumpf. Hair by George Fragkiousdakis. Makeup by Sophia Hutch. Story edited for digital coverage by Kathleen O'Neill.

Hey, girl! Just wanted to let you know that this story originally ran in our June/July 2023 issue. Want more? Read the print mag for free *today* when you click HERE.

by Keely Weiss | 6/25/2023