Life after Riverdale has smiled at Madelaine Petsch, who is best known for playing the always red-clad Cheryl Blossom. First came the Skims campaign, and now, she stars The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first installment in a three-film series based on Bryan Bertino's 2008 film. Petsch and co-star Froy Gutierrez play a down-on-their-luck couple whose broken-down car forces them to spend the night in a cabin isolated, only to be terrorized by three masked strangers. (The film is in theaters and available in premium video on demand now.)
The actor then takes our famous NYLON 19 quiz to chat about sleep hygiene (or 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 here and that we have spirit guides and that there are angels among us. But I don't know if I believe in ghosts necessarily, like the scary movie version of ghosts.
Who would be the three headliners of your dream music festival?
oh boy I really like The Marias. I love them. I'd probably throw the Japanese house up there. And Post Malone. I'm really into Post Malone country right now.
What is your favorite snack?
I only eat watermelons and Tajín. I put so much Tajín on it that it burns my mouth, but it doesn't matter.
What's your bad habit that you've been wanting to fix?
Honestly, my sleep hygiene is pretty screwed up. I fall asleep with the TV on. I do all the things you don't have to do. I'm trying to fix it. But I don't think I ever will.
If you could be in any music video, what would it be?
It's an interesting question. I think I was just thinking about this the other day… Honestly, this might be a generic answer, but “Heat Waves” [by Glass Animals]. In 2020, this was my favorite song of the entire year. Like I've been obsessed with that song for too long to admit it.
What was your first concert?
We did the Eagles when I was little; my parents loved The Eagles. I remember walking out of the festival during “Hotel California,” and it was such a spiritual experience…walking through dark groups of people. i will never forget
What was your favorite movie as a child?
What is your favorite internet meme or joke? Because?
I don't even know if this is such a big internet joke, but I'm obsessed with the “Would you love me if I were a worm” meme. And I found this really deep cut – you know that little pocket inside your jeans that no one really understands? I found this photo that was like “This is the pocket for when your girlfriend turns into a worm.”
What's your favorite red carpet look of all time that someone else wore?
Anything Anne Hathaway has worn on the carpet in the past year. I saw The idea of you last night, and all I could think about was how good she's been looking on the red carpet lately. So anything Erin Walsh puts her in is excellent.
What should I buy for under $10?
This is something I'm obsessed with, but I don't know if anyone else would. Have you ever heard of EarPlanes? They're these little plastic things you put in your ears when you're on a plane and they make sure your ears don't pop out. It helps the pressure in your ears to be more stable when you go up in the air. They are really wonderful.
Which reality show would you most like to appear in?
none no desire I like to look at them. You don't want to ruin it for being there.
What's your best beauty tip or trick?
Hypochlorous acid spray. I have it everywhere. It kills the bacteria on your skin. Many people exercise away from their homes and I always think about what is seeping into my pores. So I keep the spray everywhere and just spray all over my face. I sneeze. It can be a bit drying so I think it's important to make sure you follow up with moisturizer when you get home, but it really helps 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 have a fast food household, unfortunately. … I heard that Taco Bell has a vegan menu, and I'm curious to dive into that someday, but I have yet to do it.
What was the last internet rabbit you fell for?
If ants have thoughts, they have things they know they have to do, but they don't necessarily have conscious thoughts. But there is a lot of debate about this, for the record.
Recently I was sitting somewhere outside, and there were many ants coming and picking up leaves and going home. So I started putting pieces of food on the floor for them to take away. And then I started thinking about it. Honestly, I was playing with ants.
What was your teenage AIM screen name?
My IM screen name for a long time was “froggyfriend1841”. As a child I really liked frogs.
what is your sad song
“Winner Takes It All” by ABBA.
What is your coffee order?
I'm a matcha milk with almond milk kind of girl.
What is your favorite pair of shoes you own and why?
I have these Saint Laurent moccasins in a turtle look that are really cute. I love a fun shoe. Specifically, when I'm getting dressed, I'll probably look for jeans and a plain shirt for every day because I don't feel like trying that often. But I'll love tons of really fun jewelry, and I think a fun shoe can always pull an outfit together, and they're fun shoes that go with everything.
