“We can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.” – Madeleine L’Engle
Clearly, 14-year-old Storm Reid is not your average teenager. Making her debut in the Oscar-nominated film “12 Years a Slave,” she is not a newcomer to film. Director Ava DuVernay selected her to play Meg Murry in the adaptation of the 1962 novel A Wrinkle in Time. Reid is using her talents to relay a timely message to our society. This is a compelling story about a young girl who deals with issues of confidence and self-worth. The young actress holds her own alongside the all-star cast: Oprah Winfrey (Mrs. Which), Reese Witherspoon (Mrs. Whatsit), and Mindy Kaling (Mrs. Who). The film is set to hit theaters this Friday, March 9, 2018. Reid spoke with rolling out about the film and using her platform to positively inspire young girls.
Who is Storm Reid?
Storm Reid is me. Storm Reid is a 14-year old girl from Atlanta, Georgia born and raised, a Georgia peach. I now live in Los Angeles, California and I just did a movie called A Wrinkle in Time.
How did you feel when you got the call that you were being cast for Meg’s character?
I was shocked because I didn’t feel like I was going to book the movie. So, once I got that call and Ms. Ava called me directly, it was so amazing. I started crying because I was so shocked but I tried to play it cool on the phone.
How does it feel to be in a movie with such a phenomenal cast of strong women?
It’s so amazing to be able to be around such strong women. They are such powerhouses, so to be influenced and empowered by them, and to have them pour into me is really amazing. From an actor’s standpoint, to be able to work with Ms. Oprah, Ms. Reese, and Ms. Mindy and everyone in the cast was really great.
What was the best piece of advice that Oprah gave you?
Yes, she told me, “Don’t waste energy on things you can’t change in life when you could be using that energy on something else positive in your life.” So, that has become my life model now and it keeps me positive.
A Wrinkle in Time had so many timely messages for our society. What message do you want people to take from your character in the movie?
Meg goes through a lot in this story and a lot of challenges. She’s not really that confident, and she doesn’t think she’s worthy of being loved, but through her journey through the universe she figures out that she is the light and she can save the world and that she is beautiful. So, I just want people to know that they can do anything they want to do, that they are beautiful and that they are worthy. They should be unique and be themselves, and not try to conform into what society wants them to do.
What’s your beauty regimen?
If I’m wearing makeup, I always wash my face, washing my face is a must. I use my Clarisonic face brush and my face wash. If I have a lot of makeup on I use a product that melts the makeup off, then I wipe it off ,then wash my face with hot water about 3 or 4 times to make sure that all the makeup is off. Aside from that, I really just use facewash and moisturizer.
What can we look forward to from you in the future?
I hope I just keep continuing to inspire a lot of people and trying to make a change in this world. I hope I get to continue to play influential strong women like Meg in different roles. That’s really my goal to keep on inspiring this generation.
What keeps you grounded as you continue to gain success?
My family keeps me grounded, and my life is centered around God and faith. Just knowing that if things aren’t going right, but as long as I have the faith of a mustard seed, God will move mountains. I live by faith and not sight.
What are the top songs currently on your playlist?
We could be talking about music for five hours. “Sativa” by Jhené Aiko [and] “Bartier Cardi” by Cardi B are my top two songs right now.
What do you miss the most about living in Atlanta?
For one, it’s just so beautiful, but my family is here, my dad is here, siblings, everybody that I love is here. I miss spending time with them and being able to see them all the time. Then the food; the food is so good. We have good food in Los Angeles, but it’s not as good as Atlanta food.
