Cara Delevingne endured one of the most awkward interviews in recent memory and, quite honestly, handled it like a boss. Ms. Delevingne deserves an award for the interview alone, yet it seems everyone has an opinion on Cara’s behavior from celebrities to the average social media user. Now it seems Ms. Delevingne has a new ally in this ongoing media drama, and he just happens to be the author of the novel on which the Paper Towns film adaptation was based.
Remember when Cara was asked if she read the book? Ms. Delevingne said she did and now John Green, the author himself, says he did. Actually, Mr. Green also points out that asking Ms. Delevingne if she read the book was a sexist question at its base.
“I am friends with Cara, and the author of the book in question. I spent more than a month with her on tour in Europe and the U.S., and I watched as again and again, she was asked this question. Cara has read the book (multiple times), but the question is annoying?—?not least because her male costar, Nat Wolff, was almost always asked when he’d read the book, while Cara was almost always asked if she’d read it.”
Mr. Green also came to Cara’s defense as someone familiar with interviews and their place in the film promotion cycle. As John points out, going through the same basic interview process over and over again is draining on the spirit and Delevingne can hardly be blamed for not attending with the same great enthusiasm each and every time.
“Look, these are obviously the first worldiest of first world problems, but the whole process of commodifying personhood to sell movie tickets is inherently dehumanizing. The TV people want some part of you, and in exchange for it, they will put the name of your movie on TV. But in that process, you do lose something of your self.”
John Green is possibly more correct than even he realizes when he sums up the character of Cara Delevingne and why the Paper Towns actress could never have conformed to rote interview questions and dull commentary. Instead, Ms. Delevingne brings uniqueness and honesty to an interview only to be criticized for responding in accordance to her own nature.
“Cara, however, refuses to stick to the script. She refuses to indulge lazy questions and refuses to turn herself into an automaton to get through long days of junketry. I don’t find that behavior entitled or haughty. I find it admirable. Cara Delevingne doesn’t exist to feed your narrative or your news feed?—?and that’s precisely why she’s so f—ing interesting.”
[Featured image: Cara Delevingne and John Green courtesy of Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images]
