Shay Mitchell is a star.
This is confirmed by more than 27 million followers on Instagram, and her television success–as the star of Pretty Little Liars and the first season of the series You on Netflix (where she played Peach Salinger)–and the style in which she arrived for our session of photos.
When Shay arrives at the imposing suite of the hotel in Paris where we are situated, she does it with an entourage formed by a make-up artist, a hairdresser, her representative, and a camera that records images for the actress’s YouTube channel. Later on, Matte Babel, her partner, will arrive with their daughter Atlas.
The occasion marks her first photoshoot since becoming a mother in October and, in addition, it is the premiere of her ambassadorship for the three perfumes Yes I Am, Yes I Am Pink, and Yes I Am Fabulous by Cacharel. Adding to all the brilliance that accompanies her name, Shay is also fun and open during the session; she practices her Spanish, she dances to music, and she’s very, very photogenic. It’s not necessary for anyone to tell her how to pose: she knows what to do as soon as she sees a camera. What is clear to the Cosmo team by the end of the day, she is a total boss.
After a few months of maternity leave, you have returned in total style, now as the face of Yes I Am by Cacharel
Yes! The project makes me very happy because the campaign talks about the women of our generation: we are strong, we have different facets, which are interesting, and we have the capacity to interpret different roles at the same time. The three Yes I Am perfumes adapts to each woman.
You are an actress, influencer and you have your own accessory brand, Béis. Is there anything Shay Mitchell can’t do?
No! I’d rather believe that I can accomplish anything. Despite how the saying goes, for me the sky is not the limit. If you like something and have a passion for it, then you can go out and get it. Or at least thinking this way helps me to stay motivated. Of all these professional facets, which one do you feel most comfortable with? I think it’s ideal to have a combination of everything: on the one hand, acting and interpreting characters; on the other, working with fashion and beauty houses to get to know the creative part; and, finally, to have my own brand with which I learn every day about things— an experience which is different from my profession.
Acting does not give too much stability. Has establishing your brand been a way to look for that security?
Yes, definitely. Now I don’t live every day waiting for a phone call that confirms a role in a series. And, although managing a business is totally different from what I am used to doing, it also has many things in common: if acting is preparing for many different roles, then in my company my role is to study and to learn to be able to communicate with others about topics such as inventory, logistics, or the marketing plan.
Is it difficult to manage others?
It is, because I don’t have a script that tells me how to act, but I learn and resolve any conflicts as they emerge. But, at the same time, it is something I appreciate very much. Being able to make everything compatible helps me break the routine–not burn myself out-and I get to find the fun part.
In your last interview for Cosmo four years ago, you said you were attracted to everything that made you die of fear. Are you still thinking the same way?
Yes, and in fact I am in a moment like that right now. I just embarked on something I don’t know what to expect (motherhood). I like to do things that I am afraid of because that’s how I grow as a person, but I’m not the first or the last woman to have a child, so I’ll know how to figure it out. You also said that when you were little, your house was a safe place to talk about taboo subjects.
Do you want to replicate this with your daughter Atlas?
I would love to educate her so that she is strong and independent, and that she knows that she can do what she wants and be the person she wants to be, without limits. I want to turn my house into a free space, where she feels comfortable enough to talk to me and tell me her needs. I had that kind of relationship with my parents and, to me, achieving open communication is the best communication.
You added 27 million followers to your Instagram account. How do you manage such a great success in social networks?
I try not to think about it: I live my life and if something seems important to me, I publish it. But, in the end, social networks are what they are, and you shouldn’t have to do anything that is not organic and natural for you. Do not post something that you are not about because in the end your followers will notice that it is false. Followers ask for authenticity.
Do you follow any strategy? I post more posed photos, but I also like to share the reality, that’s why I have a YouTube channel. That is my rule: if you publish a lot of beautiful idyllic content then you must raise the same percentage of real things. Not everything is a rainbow and the more transparent you are, the better, so people will not get a false perception of what your life is about.
We are so used to that perfection that nobody expected you to show your birth on YouTube…
Especially since it was very intense! But I’m glad I did it. Many women feel lonely and isolated, so the more we talk about it and the more we share our experiences, the more those who suffer will feel embraced.
In all success stories on networks there is always a negative part. Have you experienced hate?
Of course, when you have so many eyes on what you do, you cannot avoid opinions. But what really matters is what you decide to do WITH those comments. To me, personally, I do not care. If I am happy and my loved ones too, then I have nothing more to worry about. Yes, I try to pay the same attention to bad comments as to the good ones: if you only look at the compliments, then your mind will go to the wrong side and the same goes with the negative comments. You can become obsessed and it is not worth it.
They criticized you for going to rapper Drake’s birthday a few weeks after giving birth. Your partner was with you and nobody said anything to him …
They would never reproach a man! That is the curious part. That is why I have finally decided to do the things that make me feel good. Many women who have just had a baby are under great pressure to be perfect, so attacking or mum shaming someone is unfair, and even more so when only one of the parties is criticized. But once again, I don’t care. I am having the best time and that’s it.
It would be normal for that to affect you…
Yes, and hopefully the people who suffer from it could look the other way like me. But it seems important to highlight this issue and talk about
the dark side of social networks. They attacked me even when I was pregnant: they judged what I ate or drank. But it doesn’t matter because I’m going to do whatever I want.
Dress by Guts and Love, lace body by Etram, necklace and ring by Agatha Paris
You, from Netflix, shows the danger of having an ultra-connected life. Has starring in this series changed the way you use social networks?
Actually, this film has only confirmed what I already knew, because I have had social profiles since I was doing Pretty Little Liars, so the experience has shown me what I can and cannot share. And, this is not something that exclusively affects celebrities, it can happen to anyone. You have to be careful, not only for your privacy but also for your security as this is reflected in You. Young people need to know that everything that goes up will be there forever, even if you delete it: once you press the button there is no going back.
But you share many aspects of your personal life. How do you protect yourself?
I never post in real time anything that can indicate my location and I think about everything. Everyone should do the same to avoid threats. It is important to always keep in mind that there is no need to tell everything about your life, and if you do, then make sure it is not “live.” In addition, today almost all resumes include a link to social profiles so many people can track you and see your complete publication history.
What new projects will you surprise us in 2020?
Let me think… The truth is that I could release a record tomorrow or go into space (laughs). I do what I want in each moment and it is possible that tomorrow I will feel like doing something else. As I said before, “the sky is not the limit.”
Words by Mariana Portocarrero
Photography by Hervas & Archer
Styling by Daniela Gutiérrez