NYLON 19
Madelaine Petsch Would Want The Japanese House To Headline Her Dream Festival
But the Strangers: Chapter 1 star definitely wouldn’t want to be on a reality show.
Life after Riverdale has smiled on Madelaine Petsch, who’s best known for playing the always-clad-in-red Cheryl Blossom. First came the Skims campaign, and now, she’s starring in The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first installment of a three-film series based on the 2008 Bryan Bertino film. Petsch and her co-star Froy Gutierrez play an unlucky couple whose broken-down car forces them to spend the night in an isolated cabin, only to be terrorized by three masked strangers. (The movie is in theaters and available on premium video on demand now.)
Below, the actor takes our famous NYLON 19 questionnaire to chat sleep hygiene (or the lack thereof), ant cognition, and more.
1. What are your astrological big three?
Leo [sun], Scorpio rising, and Capricorn moon.
Do you believe in ghosts?
I believe that spirits travel around and that we have spiritual guides and that there are angels among us. But I don’t know if I believe in ghosts necessarily, like the spooky-movie version of ghosts.
Who would the three headliners be at the music festival of your dreams?
Oh, boy. I’m really into The Marias. I love them. I would probably throw Japanese House up there. And Post Malone. I’m really into country Post Malone right now.
What’s your favorite snack?
I just eat watermelons and Tajín. I put so much Tajín on it that it burns my mouth, but it doesn’t matter.
What’s a bad habit of yours that you’ve been meaning to fix?
Honestly, my sleep hygiene is pretty f*cked up. I fall asleep with the TV on. I do all the things you’re not supposed to do. I’m trying to fix that. But I don’t think I ever actually will.
If you could be in any music video, what would it be?
That’s an interesting question. I feel I was kind of just thinking about this the other day… Honestly, this might be a generic answer, but “Heat Waves” [by Glass Animals]. In 2020, that was my favorite song for the entire year. Like I was obsessed with that song for too long to admit.
What was your first concert?
We did the Eagles when I was a kid; my parents loved The Eagles. I remember leaving the festival during “Hotel California,” and it was such a spiritual experience ... walking through the dark groups of people. I’ll never forget.
What was your favorite movie as a kid?
Harry Potter.
What is your favorite meme or Internet joke? Why?
I don’t even know if this is that big of an Internet joke, but I'm obsessed with the “Would you love me if I was a worm” meme. And I found this very deep cut: You know the tiny pocket inside of your jeans that no one really understands? I found this photo that was like “This is the pocket that’s for when your girlfriend turns into a worm.”
What is your favorite red-carpet look of all time that someone else wore?
Anything Anne Hathaway has been wearing the last year on the carpet. I watched The Idea of You last night, and all I could think about was how great she’s been looking on the red carpet lately. So anything Erin Walsh puts her in is excellent.
What is something under $10 everyone should buy?
This is something I’m obsessed with, but I don’t know if anybody else would be. Have you ever heard of EarPlanes? They’re these little tiny plastic things you put in your ears when you’re on an airplane, and they make sure that your ears don’t pop. It helps the pressure in your ears go more stable when you’re going up in the air. They’re really wonderful.
What reality show would you most like to appear on?
None. No desire. I like to watch them. You don’t want to ruin it by being on it.
What is your best beauty tip or trick?
Hypochlorous acid spray. I have it everywhere. It kills the bacteria on your skin. A lot of people work out far away from their houses, and I always just think about what’s seeping into my pores. So I keep the spray everywhere, and I just spray it all over my face. I douse myself in it. It can be a little drying, so I think it’s important to make sure you follow up with moisturizer when you get home, but it really does help me if I do it after a workout.
What is your favorite fast-food place?
I don’t eat fast food. I’ve been vegan my whole life, so I don’t really have a fast-food home, unfortunately. ... I’ve heard Taco Bell has a vegan menu, and I’m curious to dive into that one day, but I have yet to do so.
What was the last Internet rabbit hole you went down?
If ants have thoughts — they’ve got things they know they have to do, but they don’t necessarily have cognizant thoughts. But there is a lot of debate about this, for the record.
I was sitting somewhere outside recently, and there were a lot of ants coming up and grabbing leaves, and marching back to their homes. So I started putting little pieces of food on the ground so that they could take it with them. And then I started thinking about it. I was really honestly playing with ants.
What was your teenage AIM screen name?
My screen name on instant messengers for a long time was “froggyfriend1841.” I really liked frogs as a kid.
What is your go-to sad song?
“The Winner Takes It All” by ABBA.
What is your coffee order?
I’m a matcha latte with almond milk kind of girl.
What is your favorite pair of shoes you own, and why?
I have these really cute tortoise-shell-looking Saint Laurent loafers. I love a fun shoe. Specifically, when I’m dressing myself, I’ll probably just go for jeans and a plain shirt for every day because I don’t feel like trying often. But I’ll do like tons of really fun jewelry, and I think a fun shoe can always bring an outfit together — and they’re a fun shoe that go with everything.
