At just 21 years old, Sadie Sink has ticked off more career goals than most octogenarian actors. As a child star on the small screen she stole the show in Golden Globe-winning TV series, The Americans, in just one episode, before winning over even the most hardcore Stranger Things uber fans and cementing her cult status as the eighties sports jacket-wearing Max Mayfield. A turn in 2023's most notable, and Oscar-winning, movie The Whale elevated the Texas native from sci-fi streaming to critically acclaimed.
Now, she's stepping into the world of beauty, joining actor and Armani ambassador, Cate Blanchett, as the new face of the fashion house's latest iteration of their iconic scent, Armani Si Eau de Parfum Intense. Not bad for someone barely in their twenties...
Below, ELLE UK caught up with Sink to talk all things confidence on the red carpet, embracing her freckles and why Emma Stone is her forever beauty icon...
Describe your approach to beauty...
'It's always been very minimal; I never really got into make-up when I was younger and now I keep it very simple, easy, sometimes nothing at all. The idea of doing a big look and making a statement is kind of scary to me, but I'm definitely getting more confident with trying new trends and not being afraid to go all out when necessary. I'm also in a very privileged position where I have professional, wonderful people to do my make-up so I tend to leave the more glamorous looks in their hands!'
What's your trick for feeling confident on a red carpet?
'Red carpets are such weird, overwhelming places to be as it is, so I don't like wearing anything that like looks too out of place on me. The most important thing I've learned is to do those things that make me feel as myself as possible. Even though I'm wearing clothes that aren't mine and there's new people around me, as far as I can feel comfortable and like myself, that's what I aim for above anything else.
'I like looking like myself, the Sadie I see in the mirror everyday - that's when I feel the most confident. Let the freckles show, that's always the most important.'
You're the new face of Armani Si, what scents do you love?
'I love something that just blends in to who I am and doesn't feel like it's misplaced in any way. When I first tried Si, I was so relieved to know that such an iconic fragrance smells so nice! It's not too mature or overpowering in a way that I feel like a lot of fragrances that have been around for so long are. Si balances this sophistication but also a warmth and feels just youthful enough.
'Scent has this power to bring you back to a certain time. Being in certain buildings, like my school, their smell brings back such strong scent memories. It's like I'm back in fourth grade, what is that?'
Who is on your beauty moodboard?
'I definitely look to a lot of other redheads when I'm thinking about beauty looks to try because I have similar colouring. Julianne Moore is one, Emma stone... I definitely look to them for inspiration a lot. I also like to come up with my own looks as well, I don't have a Pinterest board or anything though!'
What's your go-to look when you're doing your own make-up?
'I love a good red lip - that's something that's been on my mind recently. It's a make-up look that I can figure out myself so I've been playing around with that, trying out Armani's lipsticks. Even if I don't wear it out it doesn't matter, I like playing around with wearing it just for myself.'
What does your beauty stash look like?
'Most of the time I live out of a suitcase so it's always in some kind of make-up bag hidden somewhere, but there's always a lot going on in the bathroom. I have a lot of products there but what I actually use is maybe like five products or something, and that's skincare and make-up combined!'
If you could only wear make-up from one era in time which one would it be?
'I'd probably have to say the 1990s. Definitely not the eighties! The beauty looks then were a little too intense for me. The nineties had a more natural approach; the neutral tones in the make-up looks on Friends are perfect.'
Armani Si Eau de Parfum Intense launches 6 September at Boots
This interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strikes began.
