Actor Hunter Schafer covers the April 2023 issue of British ELLE, styled by Carolina Orrico for ‘Leaning In’, lensed by Paola Kudacki [IG]./ Hair by Lacy Redway; makeup by Carolina Dali

Lynette Nylander sits down with Schafer in New York, six years after their first interview. At the time, the journalist was writing about new changemakers. Hunter Schafer, then age 18, was an emerging voice in the fight for trans rights. I learned that she was an early contributor to Tavi Gevinson’s blogging site ‘Rookie’.

Because AOC is politically-involved, we actually followed and wrote about her trans fight to transition in North Carolina — before we wrote about her as a model and then actor.

‘It was my [modelling] agency that told me about the audition for Euphoria,’ she says [to ELLE]. ‘I think every trans girl at the time got the call. They asked me to come in for a reading, but I wasn’t looking for it.’

The star of HBO’s ‘Euphoria’, Schafer has also become an ambassador for perfume Mugler Angel Elixir. AOC covered that Mugler connection in Schafer’s recent Numero 237 interview.

Nylander describes the actor as almost ethereal in her presence — which is a good attribute. People leave very disturbing messages on people’s IGs. You might think the East-Coast raised actor would be harassed by the MAGA crowd. No.

When writing the Numero overview, I noticed the commenters’ rapture around the ‘eye’ position of Schafer’s Mugler Angel Elixir ad and references to the Illuminati. That probably was MAGA.

Today I noticed serious recriminations from some members of the trans community and accusations that Schafer is a transmedicalist — a label that she rejects. I missed that whole dust-up earlier in the year.

Verifying that I knew what a transmedicalist is — yes — I ended my exploration with more questions than I had when I began the query. This happens to me constantly today.

Ethereal Like a Botticelli Goddess

The fact that Nylander describes Schafer as ethereal, engaged but also drifting above the fury, is a positive place for her to reside. She’ll be called aloof and arrogant by a few but beloved by millions.

Schafer floated like a Botticelli goddess at the Oscars after-parties Sunday night. This is good because in her upcoming horror film ‘Cuckoo’, she is decidedly not remotely connected to Botticelli — or her character Jules in ‘Euphoria’.

The Star Is Born

She has a small cameo in the upcoming film ‘And’, starring Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe. She will end 2023 with a part in the next installment of the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise.

Schafer speaks to her relationship with with actor and fellow ‘Euphoria’ star Dominic Fike, stressing how important their connection is to her. ‘I think we are able to be a safety net for one another. I feel like I’ve been learning a lot about the effort it takes to upkeep it. Because it does, you know, especially in our world. But, to me, it’s deeply worth it.’

The last words go to Nylander, who says about Hunter Schafer:

While the circumstances around her may have changed, Hunter’s artistic spirit remains – and, coupled with her new star power, there is no doubt she’ll be a force for good in Hollywood and beyond. Not a world away from the girl I met all those years ago.