Prepare to fall even more in love with the Australian ‘It girl’.
Phoebe Tonkin’s enviable skills in the acting and modelling scene have earnt her the coveted ‘It girl’ status. When she’s not busy filming her hit series The Originals or hanging out with boyfriend Paul Wesley, Tonkin can usually be spotted around town sporting next-season’s biggest fashion trends while oozing cool girl insouciance.
BAZAAR sat down with Tonkin at the Alfa Romeo Portsea Polo Marquee to talk about life, work and a few of her favourite things.
First of all, congratulations on the new role with Alfa Romeo, what is the best part about working with the brand?
“I got to sit in one of the cars the other day which was exciting. I was like do not offer to let me drive this thing, it won’t end well, but it’s a beautiful car.”
What are the things you’re obsessed with right now?
“I just started reading an author called A. M. Homes who has a bunch of books, I’ve just downloaded all of them on my iCloud. I’m also obsessed with trying to find a house to buy in LA.”
“LA is very different, I love Topanga, I love little hippie shacks, so yeah I’m kind of obsessed with that. I’m also obsessed with India, I keep talking about it.”
Are there any projects that you’re working on at the moment that you would be able to share with us?
“There are a couple of things I’m working on right now. We still may come back to The Originals but we won’t know until April.”
Tell us a bit about your friends and co-stars.
“We all live in the same building. There’s like 10 of us that live within 100 metres of each other. It’s so much fun. We’re all a little lazy, there’s one restaurant called Sotto, Sotto which we all go to at least three times a week. Like there’s no other restaurant that we go to other than there.”
Do you enjoy living in America?
“Yeah I do! I really enjoy being in Atlanta it feels very safe there. It’s very small and it’s a bit of a bubble but I really like living there.”
And you’re currently living in Atlanta?
“Yeah I’m living in Atlanta but I’m moving to LA this week, because the show finished filming at the end of the year and we don’t know if we will go back till April and if we do, it won’t be till July, so ill at least have six months.”
Tell us one thing about Atlanta that we may not know?
“I will sell anyone on Atlanta. It’s got a really cool night life, a bit of an underground almost Melbourne-esque-cum-New York night life. There are some really interesting bars and cool dance parties that play hip-hop music. There are also some Michelin star restaurants that are incredible. Atlanta is one of my favourite places in America.”
What is your best long-haul flying tip?
“It’s not one I often abide by, but not drinking on the plane, sadly. It’s so nice to have a wine on the plane but every time I avoid drinking I always feel really good. Also, just drinking a lot of water, and then when I land I always take an Epsom salt bath. Just dump a whole lot of salt in there and sit there for like 45 minutes and try and get all of the toxins out of me.”
What is your favourite morning ritual?
“My favourite morning ritual is making a coffee. I am psychotic about my coffees. I like to make an Americano but with as much froth and steamed milk as a cappuccino. So it’s basically just a really big, large, milky-strong late situation.”
So you’ve taken the American coffee, do you supersize your Starbucks?
“Definitely!”
You’ve mentioned American politics, what is your opinion on the election result this year?
“I have to be very careful but, I think the one thing I learnt is that I never thought I was particularly politically opinionated or even had an interest in educating myself in politics in what’s going on in other countries that aren’t your own. This year I really felt that I’ve found a voice, and I found my friends have voices that I didn’t know they had either.”
“Friends that I used to talk about holidays and boyfriends with, we now spend dinners talking about what’s going on in the world and it’s pretty cool. Not new friends, just the same old friends but something has kind of awakened in us that we obviously always had but, this passion of educating ourselves about bigger things.”
What’s one make-up tip that you’ve discovered on set and will always take with you?
“Olive oil is really good at taking make-up off. So if you’re in a hotel and you have forgotten make-up wipes to take your make up off, ask room service for a side of olive oil and use some cotton swabs of tissues and its takes off your eye make-up.”
Favourite song?
“Even though it has been out for 6 months – ‘Starboy’ by The Weekend. I’m obsessed with it, everyone’s like ‘this is a year old!’ I still really like it though.”
Don’t you think one of the songs on the album sounds like Michael Jackson?
“Yes! I went to his concert and I was like this guy sort of has a very similar voice, he’s so talented and yeah he has that kind of high pitched voice.”
Favourite restaurant?
“Sotto, Sotto.”
Favourite bar?
“Krog Bar.”
Secret places in LA that you love to visit?
“I’m a big Magic Castle girl. I’m kind of a creature of habit, there’s a little bakery in Venice called ‘Gjusta’ which isn’t really secret, everyone goes there. There’s also a place called ‘Inn Of The Seventh Ray in Topanga’, which is by a little creek, there’s energy infused cocktails and its super alternative but its beautiful.”
Did you say Magic Castle? Tell us more?
“Haha – it’s truly the most incredible place. So, you have to know a magician to be able to go. You have to have a referral, it’s a house in Hollywood and they do magic tricks, like amazing magic tricks.”
How did you meet a magician?
“Pat Graham is on Vampire Diaries. We didn’t even know each other that well, but someone told me that she knew a magician so I just texted her out of the blue, ‘listen you don’t know me but I need to use your magic hook up.'”
What’s your best magic trick?
“A magician never reveals his secrets.”
Published January 22, 2017
by Natasha Harding
Source