‘Orange Is The New Black’ Star Ruby Rose Discloses Why She Hates Her ‘It Girl’ Status

Ruby Rose has been launched to fame since her brief stint on Orange is the New Black as Stella Carlin, and it seems she’s here to stay. But Ms. Rose reveals that the “it girl” title with which she has been labeled makes her uncomfortable. Ruby may be a little superstitious, as she talks of the reasons she’s not crazy about that particular label. Rose also opens up about her gender fluidity and the ways in which that has been a hindrance in her career as an actress.

Orange Is The New Black Star Ruby Rose Doesn’t Want To Be Our New “It Girl”

When Ruby is reminded that she once said being called Hollywood’s latest “it girl” makes her stomach drop, the actress seems a bit flabbergasted and insists that her emotions must have gotten the better of her on the day of that interview. Still, Rose says she’s wary of falling under any label that might categorize her as a fad, or society’s latest flavor of the week. Ruby says she’s in it for the long haul, so the last thing the Orange is the New Black actress wants is to be seen as a passing trend.

“The funny thing about being called an ‘it girl’ is, well, it’s the kiss of death. You know what I mean? It’s like being ‘in.’ Anything that’s ‘in fashion’ ultimately goes out of fashion,” says Ms. Rose. “So when that started being thrown around, I thought, ‘Oh, God. How long is this going to last before somebody else is the new it girl?’ Not because I was worried I’d be left behind, but because I wanted someone else to hurry up so people would stop calling me that.”

Ruby also says that, while she is happy Orange is the New Black gave her an opportunity to gain notice in the public eye, she’s ready for fans to recognize her with the other, more recent works in which she’s appeared. Following her Orange is the New Black role, Ruby has been cast in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, John Wick 2, and xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. In between acting in feature films and performing over 70 shows as a D.J. this past year, Rose has also voiced a character in the animated film Sheep & Wolves.

While she hopes to outlast her “it girl” branding, Ruby confesses that she rarely, if ever, attends the high-profile events to which she receives so many invitations. Instead, she usually stays at home with her dog and watches Netflix. The one event Ruby did want to attend was the SAG Awards. Ms. Rose admits she wanted to be there with the rest of the cast, as they won the Best Ensemble Comedy for Orange is the New Black, but Ms. Rose says she was filming in Rome at the time.

Ruby Rose Says Her Gender Fluidity Has Been A Blessing And A Curse

If Ruby Rose can teach her youthful fans one thing, it’s that the most important thing in life is to be true to oneself. At least that’s the lesson Ruby learned for herself when she started out as an MTV veejay. Shortly after going to work for MTV, Ms. Rose went to her producers with her wish to cut her hair short, and even though the network’s executives were against the idea and clinging to her already iconic look, Ruby says she went out and cut her hair anyway.

“They ended up loving it because they could see that it was the authentic me. I was happier and even more confident behind the camera,” says Ruby.

Still, Rose has found that her unique looks have caused her to be typecast in specific roles. She says she’s usually only considered for street kid, lesbian, troubled type, or fighter roles, but she insists that she’s capable of so much more.

“What is a more difficult challenge is convincing someone to give me a shot to transform, and to trust in my ability to lose myself in a role,” Ruby says. “There is no reason I can’t play, for example, a Stepford Mom, or play a man’s wife, or a mother or teacher.”

Also on Rose’s list of dream jobs is comedy. The Orange is the New Black actress says she’s really hoping to work with Tina Fey or Amy Schumer.

Ms. Rose also confessed that three celebrities are tied for her top female crush. Ruby says both Madonna and Angelina Jolie are her biggest crushes, especially for the way both women reinvented themselves and have become powerful female icons. Adding a third name, Ruby Rose admits to joining the rest of America in their admiration of Jennifer Lawrence.

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, starring Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, and Ruby Rose, is due out on January 27, 2017 in theaters.

[Image by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]