Ginny & Georgia’s Antonia Gentry on Fame, Vogue and Illustration Onscreen (Unique)

It’s a cloudy spring day exterior when PEOPLE StyleWatch enlisted a crew to shoot the duvet of the summer time challenge, however fortunately, contained in the studio, Antonia Gentry is bringing the sunshine. (A prop stylist schlepped in additional than 1,000 kilos of sand, whereas a crew of 5 inflated an enormous seashore ball.) “Hello, I’m Toni!” she says with a heat smile as she sits down for her interview in a white miniskirt, bra prime and a New York Metropolis varsity jacket. 

Gentry, 27, will take the summer time by storm when she returns to Ginny & Georgia for its highly anticipated third season on June 5. In 2019 Gentry landed the position of Ginny Miller, a biracial teen struggling to search out her id whereas coping with psychological well being points. 

Ginny & Georgia shortly climbed the Netflix charts and launched Gentry to stardom. It was “my first job ever,” she tells PEOPLE. “I am simply so grateful to have the privilege to have the ability to play a personality like this.” (By season 2, it was no. 1 on Netflix after dethroning Wednesday.)

Whereas fame got here practically in a single day, the actress, who was born and raised in Atlanta, has been working towards this second since she was 5 years outdated.

“My dad and mom discovered an outdated video of me after I was a child monologuing into the digital camera and arising with some character,” she recollects. “I needed to see if I may cry on command for the primary time. One tear got here down my face, after which I simply kind of snapped out of it, and I used to be like, ‘I wish to be an actor.’ ”

Gentry attended a fine-arts highschool in Augusta, Ga., then studied drama at Emory College. The identical week she graduated, she obtained the audition for the Netflix present—and the remainder is (Hollywood) historical past.

From Regular to Netflix 

Because the first episode, Gentry slipped into her character with the ability of somebody who had been performing professionally for years. She navigated the stability of relatable teen moments with heavy subjects so nicely, you’d anticipate her IMDb web page to be filled with credit. 

Gentry owes her degree head to her dad and mom and her steady upbringing, she says. “I used to be ready to determine who I used to be and make all of my mates and reside a standard life, for lack of higher phrases, however with out being pressured to enter something earlier than I used to be prepared. And after I informed my dad and mom, ‘I wish to pursue this,’ they have been tremendous supportive.”

Even with the present’s passionate fanbase and her personal 8 million social media followers, Gentry continues to be simply “Toni” to these closest to her. 

“I needed to shortly be taught and work out a option to exist within the public with out permitting it to vary who I’m. It is loads to take care of, and it’s good to search out methods to kind of separate that from your self and preserve good individuals round you,” she says. “My mates assist me, however in addition they do not care in any respect that I am doing this. It is good as a result of they know me for who I’m, versus what they see onscreen.”

Gen Z was fast to lock into the present and discover consolation in watching Ginny navigate the pressures of day by day existence as a excessive schooler looking for her footing and handle sophisticated household dynamics. The present additionally addresses far more severe subjects, corresponding to self-harm, in a cautious and considerate approach that promotes the significance of searching for assist and group. 

“I’ve obtained lots of messages from followers about how a lot the present has allowed them to search out remedy, get nearer to their household, begin conversations that they have been too afraid to begin, uncover themselves, settle for themselves,” she says. “Listening to the entire some ways through which the present impacts individuals world wide, that is the craziest a part of it to me—how globally related persons are to those characters. It’s actually gratifying, humbling, and it simply makes the job all of the extra significant.”

A Platform With a Function

Together with the thrill of being a streaming famous person comes the strain of being a task mannequin. And Gentry instantly embraced the possibility to champion illustration on the present. 

Gentry sporting her pure curly-hair texture as Ginny was intentional—and symbolic for these determining how to slot in. 

“There are such a lot of completely different layers of illustration which might be vital, and one of many issues that I am so glad that I will do on the present is put on my hair naturally,” she says. “It is so good to see now that lots of younger, impressionable ladies who appear to be me or have curly hair or no matter which may be are being represented an increasing number of.”

“Our present does a superb job of offering audiences with somebody for everybody,” she provides. “If it isn’t Ginny you relate to, it may very well be Max, it may very well be Abby, it may very well be hopefully not Georgia, within the sense that, you understand what I imply [Editor’s note: She’s a murderer!], however may very well be Georgia within the sense that possibly there is a single mother on the market.”

Gentry has partnered with brands like Aveda for its curly-hair product vary with the intention of serving to others embrace their textured hair.

“You do not all the time meet individuals who know easy methods to deal with curly hair, and I feel we’re seeing that type of change in a constructive approach,” she says. “If I will be part of that, that is improbable.” 

She even performed up her curls on-set with Folks StyleWatch. “I like to make my curls massive and wild, and I really feel like myself after I was younger and working round the home,” she says. “Don’t get me incorrect, I’ll change up my hair on a regular basis, nevertheless it’s additionally good to have the ability to simply exist and be myself.”

Gentry is impressed by different Black girls who paved the way in which. She recollects one pivotal second on the 2023 SAG Awards.  “Viola Davis was there, and I bear in mind strolling previous her desk, doing a double take and freaking out,” she says. Gentry knew she would remorse not approaching Davis, so “I downed my champagne, and I walked over,” she remembers. “I used to be like, ‘Excuse me . . . ’ And there is a photograph of me assembly Viola Davis and simply telling her how a lot I love her work.” 

“I have a look at it once in a while. She was very type and gracious. It’s one of many greatest pinch-me moments.” 

Discovering Her Model

A fast scroll by means of her Instagram feed, and it’s clear Gentry may be very a lot within the style fold. From rocking Miu Miu in Paris to a entrance row seat on the Carolina Herrera show, she is aware of her approach round designer labels. 

“I really feel so insanely fortunate to simply be launched into the world of style within the ways in which I’ve been,” she says. “I used to hate sporting attire my complete life, however now I really feel like I’ve my life collectively after I’m sporting a Carolina Herrera costume. It is an opportunity to discover completely different sides of myself.”

Rising up, Gentry had “a really wacky sense of favor—I used to be extra of a maximalist,” she says. “In center faculty and highschool, I’d put on such loopy clashing patterns and grandpa blazers and ties with vibrant pants. I do not know what I used to be doing, nevertheless it did not matter to me.”

Whereas she admits that she’s “a bit extra intentional” along with her dressing now, she nonetheless likes to pack her closet with issues that convey her pleasure. 

“I attempted a capsule wardrobe as soon as, and it did not work out,” she says. “I’m a hoarder for positive. I’ve approach too many pairs of footwear. Footwear are my downfall, and in reality, I am transferring quickly, and I am dreading having to undergo my shoe closet and make some choices.”

One look she was shocked to fall in love with on her Folks StyleWatch cowl shoot was a crimson Patou two-piece that includes a bubble-hem miniskirt. “I do know it’s a controversial subject, however I may need to get into the bubble-skirt development,” she says. “It is a new factor so as to add to my wardrobe.”

When Gentry does get to play dress-up on the crimson carpet, she reaches for items that make her really feel “highly effective.”  “I like after I get to put on a swimsuit. One among my favourite fits that I wore was a Valentino—it was only a swimsuit jacket and shorts related. I used to be like, ‘If I may put on a swimsuit like this daily, I’d get issues executed.’ ”

However in case you have been to stumble upon the star on a random Tuesday, she’s probably in one thing she’s thrifted. Her go-to uniform consists of “a pleasant pair of sneakers, a superb pair of pants and a cropped prime as a result of I am brief, and I have to faux that I’ve lengthy legs,” she quips, “with a slicked-back bun and sun shades. After I’m comfy, I am assured. That is my ‘I’ve obtained issues to do at this time look.’ ” 

And when she must search for outfit inspiration, she simply steps exterior onto the streets of New York Metropolis— her dwelling since she moved within the fall of 2021. 

“In New York you’ll be able to stroll down the road and see somebody dressed to the nines and be impressed by what they’re sporting,” she says. “I go searching, and I see so many well-dressed individuals, and I am like, ‘Okay, I’ll copy that particular person the following time I get the possibility to.’ ”

Third Season, Finest Season 

After an explosive cliff-hanger and painful two-year wait, season 3 of Ginny & Georgia will premiere on June 5 with a continuation of all of the nail-biting storylines it’s identified for. 

Ginny might be roaming the halls of her highschool carrying the load of her mom’s criminality as Georgia defends herself in court docket (we’re informed we will anticipate a stellar lineup of blazers) for committing homicide (allegedly!). 

Taking part in a 17-year-old has its challenges, however largely it’s been a pleasure for Gentry. “I began the present 5 years older than my character, and I’m presently 10 years older than that very same character. Canonically solely eight months have handed—and that is insane,” Gentry muses. 

“It’s like placing in your favourite coat once more. It doesn’t matter what, we’re all the time going to be formed by that point in our lives,” she says. “The approaching-of-age story is so prevalent for a purpose; it’s good to proceed to stroll in these footwear. It is also simply good to kind of have that catharsis of referencing my youthful self.” 

As for what 17-year-old Ginny has in frequent with 17-year-old Toni? They each love an E-boy. 

“I positively had a crush on a Marcus-type in highschool,” Gentry says of her costar Felix Mallard’s character. “I used to be very a lot into the brooding kind of artist, skater dude. Aside from that, I used to be awkward and quiet. So I actually do draw on that a part of me for the character—my awkwardness and my quietness as an adolescent.”

Gentry has discovered a decent bond and group along with her costars, particularly with Brianne Howey, who performs Georgia. 

“I look as much as Brianne a lot—she’s like an older sister to me. We’re each cackling within the nook on a regular basis. She’s so humorous but additionally somebody who has such grace, such kindness, such an vitality about her,” says Gentry. “She’s an exquisite scene accomplice. And something that Bri does, I assist. She’s only a improbable particular person.” 

Gentry is savvy sufficient to skirt round any actual spoilers for the upcoming season, however she will verify that season 3 will “see Ginny and Georgia switching roles in methods not seen earlier than.”

“The highs get actually excessive, and the lows get actually, actually low,” Gentry says with a head shake. “You are going to have whiplash. Such as you want painkillers for the quantity of instances you are going to double take. It’ll be a superb one.”