Sophie Mudd never thought she would be on television after building a dedicated following through relatable and engaging content on Instagram and TikTok. When she was approached by HBO’s team, they messaged her on Instagram, which was fitting as that’s how she’s made a name for herself. “I started talking with them over DMs, and we had a phone call and they asked me if I could come in one day as an extra. I was like, ‘Sure! Why not?’ I’ve never done any acting before, so I didn’t know if they were casting me to be an extra, but they just so happened to be filming the next day,” the 24-year-old exclusively tells GRAZIA USA.
The team then asked her to come back in another day, where they wound up writing her into the script. “It was so unreal. I’ve always wanted to go into acting, but I’ve always been very shy. I never knew if I had the confidence to do it or how to go about it. I thought, ‘If something comes to me one day, I am going to go for it.’ I know that may sound super unrealistic, but it was crazy how all of this happened and unlocked this new confidence in me. It was one of the best experiences ever, and I feel so grateful for how it all happened. It was so much fun,” she adds.
The Idol, co-created by Abel Tesfaye (a.k.a. The Weeknd), Reza Fahim, and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, follows the romance between pop singer Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp) and L.A. club owner Tedros (Tesfaye), who is secretly a cult leader. Mudd plays Sophie, who is a member of Tedros’ cult. “Sam, the director, had us do a lot of improv on set — some parts were scripted, but he really trusted us to give our own input into the character and how they would be in this universe,” she explains. “It was cool to work with someone who trusted us as people and as actors, especially as someone whose never done this before.”
Since Mudd loves horror movies, this show was easy to say yes to. “I was a huge fan of Euphoria, and when I knew Sam was working on this, I was super excited because I am a huge fan of his work,” she gushes. “I just saw this show for the first time in Cannes, and it’s so good. It’s unlike any other show I’ve seen before. The way they film it is so different.”
While filming, the social media star had to find a way to not be nervous and let everything go. “I needed to be myself and give it my all, which was scary for me,” she recalls. “But my favorite part about filming was working with the talented cast. I got to sit on set and watch them film — and I had never been on a movie set before! I didn’t know how anything worked.”
For Mudd, working with Depp and Tesfaye was a unique and unforgettable experience. “They’re both so fearless and confident, and it was so inspiring to watch,” she says. “We’d be off camera eating lunch and then the next second they’re back in character. They are both so talented, and it was incredible to work with them. I was definitely a fan of Abel’s music growing up, and Lily and I had some mutual friends, so it was cool to reconnect.”
Since the cast and crew worked long hours, everyone formed a tight bond. “We would hang out in the living room on the couches and wait until we were called downstairs. It was really fun,” she notes.
Mudd gained recognition when she worked with Frankies Bikinis in high school. “I didn’t have a following or anything on social media, but I was a huge fan of the brand. I did a shoot for them and started to gain quite a bit of followers from there. My boyfriend and I worked on influencer outreach for a brand, and we started to see how much influencers were making. I was working at Brandi Melville, and we were out of a warehouse, so we started borrowing clothes from the warehouse and he began to take photos of me. That’s how it all started,” she shares.
To this day, Mudd says she’s still trying to come to terms with having loyal fans and followers. “I have an identity crisis every day. I feel so lucky that people want to follow me or see what I am up to — or care what I have to say. I feel so, so blessed and lucky to have a platform like this,” she says. “It’s the coolest job in the world.”
Since Mudd has dipped her toes in the acting world, she is on board to do more movies or another TV series in the future. “I would love to do a horror movie. I am very open-minded when it comes to new roles,” she states. “I am not as focused on growing my following as I used to be. I want to work with brands I care about and believe in, and if my brand does grow because of acting, that would be great.”
Mudd is passionate about mental health and speaking out about anxiety, which is why she uses her platform to promote self-love and acceptance. “Growing up, I was insecure about my body and that is how I started this self-love journey. I had a bigger chest growing up and my body was more developed, and it made me feel like something was wrong with me,” she says. “Then, I realized, ‘Why am I hating on myself so much? This is the body I was given, I need to love myself.’ I had all these girls looking up to me, and I was like, ‘How can I give them advice when I am hating on myself?'”
Now, the star knows she can be authentic and real — in real life and on social media. “I’m almost 25, and I never want anyone else to be anyone but themselves,” she shares.
Mudd’s career is only just beginning, and she can hardly wait. “I’m excited for everyone to see it and see this different side of me. I’m excited for some of the opportunities this will bring. I would love to get into acting more. I’m really passionate about it, and I am looking forward to what’s in store after this!” she declares.
The Idol premieres on Sunday, June 4, on HBO and Max.
