Bella Thorne on Being Half Cuban: "Being Latina Means Being Me"
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There are a few things everyone knows about actress Bella Thorne: she has become every rom-com go-to teen actress, she's a killer dancer, her BFF is fashionista Zendaya, and her style is super sexy. But there's one thing few people realize, and that's that Bella is a Latina. Her dad, who passed away when she was 9 years old, was of Cuban decent, and Bella was brought up with Latin traditions and food. We caught up with the gorgeous redhead and Neutrogena spokesperson to chat about what her roots mean to her, and get the scoop on her Summer beauty routine. Keep reading to find out what Bella had to say.
POPSUGAR: A lot of people don't know you're half Cuban, and you've always been adamant about identifying as Latina.
Bella Thorne: Being Latina means being me. It's who I am; it's in my blood and how I was raised. To me, it means being fun; it means the obnoxious laughing, the big personalities, the Latin spice. I definitely have a little bit of the Latin attitude.
PS: Do you have a favorite Cuban dish?
BT: Tres leches. Even though I'm not a really big fan of sweets, that is definitely my favorite dessert.
PS: You had a quinceañera, right? Did you go all out on the traditions?
BT: Oh, yes, I did have a quinceañera. I had birds fly out when I came out of a carriage in this big dress, and all my best friends were with me. They were all in matching big dresses, and we all had to do this dance as a group. My father was the one that would usually speak at big events, but instead my brother did it. He did the funniest speech. He said: "I'm supposed to take care of Bella, and if I was in charge of this guest list you, you, you . . . none of you guys would be here — none of you!" It was so funny, and it was so him. It was great!
PS: What's the one beauty product you'll always have with you this Summer?
BT: The Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick ($8). I really don't like wearing lipstick or lip gloss, and I think it kind of looks like you're wearing too much makeup. This crayon is sheer, but it's also tinted, so it gives you that little tiny bit of color you need.
PS: You always have a great Summer glow! What is your trick when applying sunless tanner?
BT: I use the Neutrogena MicroMist Airbrush Sunless Tan ($11). It just gives you a nice glow, and you literally don't even need to wear makeup. Self-tan in the shower, so you don't get it on your floor, and put something like lotion on the bottom of your feet so the color doesn't attach to it.
PS: What is the one item of clothing you always come back to?
BT: One fashion piece that I'm always obsessed with are Converse shoes. I literally whip them out all the time, no matter what I'm wearing.
PS: You're a serious dancer. What's your favorite song to get down to?
BT: I rock out to Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" in the car, and my friends always tell me to turn it off because they don't know who she is.