The Stunning Transformation Of Euphoria's Storm Reid

Storm Reid is a force to be reckoned with. At 18, she's got an impressive resume. Not only has she starred in Disney's "A Wrinkle in Time" alongside big stars like Oprah Winfrey, she's also dipped her toes in the dark side with projects like "The Invisible Man," and "Don't Let Go" (via Insider). For those who only knew her as Meg in the breakout Disney film, it might have come at a surprise when she landed a recurring role on HBO's "Euphoria." However, Reid was more than prepared to take on the challenge.

The young actress is already been leaving her mark. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 1, 2003 to Rodney Reid and Robyn Simpson, her career kicked off at an early age. She has even managed to stay grounded and focused instead of becoming easily distracted as many child starlets do. It might be because Reid is incredibly purpose-driven. In 2021, Reid told Essence that she wants everything she does to be meaningful, saying, "It has to not only impact me, but impact audiences." With so much accomplished as a teenager already, we can't help but look back at where she started and how far she's come. Take a look at the stunning transformation of Reid below.

If you ask a toddler what they'd like to be when they grow up, they might tell you that they dream of becoming a superhero or a princess. But, not Storm Reid. At just 3 years old, she knew she wanted to be an actress beyond a shadow of a doubt. In 2020, she told W Magazine that becoming an actress was a calling from God. She heard him speak to her in 2006 and relayed the news to her mother. "I want to be on TV, and I want to be a superstar," Reid recalled telling her mom, who replied, "Okay, if you're saying this at 3, then I have to pay attention."

As a child, Reid loved movies, especially "Shrek" and "Matilda" — she could recite the dialogue by heart, she told Refinery29. It should come as no surprise, then, that Reid went on to become a successful actress and role model to young girls worldwide.

Storm Reid's mother took her daughter's calling seriously. When Reid was 9, she moved their family to Los Angeles so Reid could pursue her dreams. The move was a leap of faith, and it paid off. Reid landed her first feature role shortly after they arrived, starring in the Oscar-winning film "12 Years a Slave." She barely had five minutes of screen time, but told Teen Vogue the film was a huge step forward in her career. It was the first major production she was ever a part of, and the lessons she learned while working on it helped her build the flourishing career she carries today.

For aspiring actors, however, living in LA isn't always easy. Reid found herself missing her friends back in Georgia, but her family's incredible support of her career is what has kept her pushing on even when the going got tough. Her mom also made it clear to her that she wasn't obligated to stick with acting and that she could stop auditioning anytime. Luckily, Reid has never had any desire to quit, telling Teen Vogue that she's happy doing what she does right now. 

When Storm Reid did a book report on "A Wrinkle in Time" in sixth grade, she could never have imagined that she would actually portray the main character in a film adaptation. In fact, she never thought that Meg Murry, the main character, could look anything like her. "I imagined her as what she was described as — as a young Caucasian girl with freckles and wild, crazy hair," Reid told NPR. "I'm so glad that we do have a version of Meg who is Caucasian with freckles and big, wild hair," she told the outlet, "But also people will be able to see themselves in the new Meg that we have."

At first, Reid didn't think she would land the role. "I was like, 'I'm gonna try my best, but I'm not gonna get this,'" she told Collider. When she got a callback, she was shocked, nervous, and excited all at once. These emotions accompanied Reid throughout the entire audition process until she finally landed the role, and like anyone who loves to read, she went back to the book to work on her version of Meg's character. She didn't intend to become the Meg in the book, however, she wanted to create her own version, and we think she did a pretty good job. 

When Storm Reid landed her role in "A Wrinkle in Time," it was hard for her not to be star-struck by the industry giants she worked with. She admitted to NPR that she was incredibly nervous and intimidated when she first started on the film. The cast, however, pulled her in, making her feel right at home. Reid told Collider that it was quite a big moment when she finally met Oprah Winfrey. "It was shocking. I was nervous, but she's so sweet," she told the outlet. "She's just down to earth. She is really powerful, and she knows she is, but she doesn't act like that. She acts like a regular person."

Reid even received life-changing advice from the philanthropist and former TV show host while working on the film. Reid shared her concern of growing too tall, but Winfrey quickly quelled it. "She said, 'Don't waste energy on things you can't change in life when you could be using that energy on something else [that's] positive in your life,'" Reid told NPR. She has since taken that approach to everything else in life, from her acting career to keeping a positive attitude.

After her role in "A Wrinkle in Time," Reid's career truly took off from her work on the blockbuster, "12 Years a Slave." The youngster quickly gained recognition in the film industry.

She's also a girl who knows how to pick her projects. "A Wrinkle in Time" — which was directed by Ava DuVernay, a Black woman — became the first $100 million Disney film, according to Refinery29. Having Reid, a young Black actress, portray the main character was also a milestone in the film industry, having highlighted the representation of Black people everywhere. 

The young starlet describes her approach to her career choices as "strategic." "I'm a purpose-driven person," she told Refinery29. "And in everything that I do, if it doesn't match up with my morals and my values my mom taught me, then it's not something that I want to be a part of."

To say that Reid is Zendaya's number one fan would not be an exaggeration. In 2019, she told Refinery29 that Zendaya was her childhood idol, and she continues to admire her. Now, she gets to work with the young actress on set most days while filming "Euphoria."

Reid first met Zendaya in 2012 outside a Ben & Jerry's. "I totally fangirled and froze," she told the fashion and pop culture outlet. But she did manage to ask the actress for a picture. In an interview for Access, Reid said Zendaya is a true friend who's always there for her, whether that be for advice on how to navigate show business or tips for growing up in Hollywood without losing yourself in the chaos.

Today, their friendship is adored by fans across the world. At the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards in 2021, the pair shared a special moment on the red carpet where Zendaya referred to Reid as her "baby sister." To a teary-eyed Reid she went on to say, "[W]e're real-life sisters, I believe that, and TV sisters."

Storm Reid is all about spreading positivity and light into the world around her. While she most certainly manages to do that through her acting work, she's also involved with projects on the side that focus on actively making the world a better place by lifting up the people who need it most. It's one of the reasons she started the #Bamazing initiative with her mom in 2018, according to Refinery29.

The campaign's mission is to encourage young girls to cultivate self-love and adopt positive attitudes. Much like Zendaya acting as her big sister, Reid wants to be the same for young girls navigating the Hollywood scene. This endeavor landed her a spot on the Time's 25 Most Influential Teens list in 2018. Talking about the initiative with Popsugar, Reid explained that she doesn't want young girls to feel like they are invisible and without a voice. She also wants girls to know that they shouldn't succumb to the pressures of the world to be perfect. "There are young people who feel like they have to conform to what society wants them to be or how society wants them to look, and we just want to let them know that they can be themselves," she explained. 

Not only does Storm Reid find it important to use her platform to spread joy, hope, and positivity, she also uses it to speak out against worldly injustices. She told Elle in 2020 that the tragic deaths of members of the Black community, including Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, left her with a heavy heart and a lot of processing to do. Initially, she felt utterly helpless — she had a lot to say on the matter but didn't know how to put it all into words. She decided to use her social media to create awareness. "I made sure all my posts were about what was going on in the world," she said in the interview.

Reid has also been outspoken about the troubling experiences Black women continually face in the entertainment industry. She called out the lack of diversity she's personally endured on movie sets, specifically when it comes to hairstylists who actually know how to care for and style Black hair. "They really just don't understand Black hair care. It's disheartening and it's heartbreaking," she told People.

She's also been vocal about the rights of the LGBTQ+ community as well as that of immigrants but doesn't feel comfortable with the title of activist. For Reid, it's all about taking the opportunities she has to voice her opinions and hopefully help people to feel seen, she told Teen Vogue.

Storm Reid has the world at her feet, and big brands know this. She's been outspoken about diversity and making others feel seen, and by partnering with Maybelline in 2021 as their global spokesmodel, she's been able to expand her influence. In an interview with Byrdie, Reid expressed her excitement about the changes that are taking place in various industries in regard to diversity. The fact that she gets to be a part of it is, as she puts it, "a blessing."

Partnering with an American cosmetics giant wasn't a decision she made lightly, however. Reid told Essence that she was familiar with the brand because she grew up with it — her mom loves their mascara and Reid wore it often for auditions or recitals. The choice was a no-brainer. "I immediately felt like I was a part of the family," she told the magazine on her first meeting with the brand. "I really knew and could see that my voice and my opinion mattered." 

Storm Reid has also always loved sneakers, especially since she went to public schools and had to wear a uniform. The type of sneakers she chose to wear on any given day would tell people exactly how she was feeling. That's what she loves about fashion in general, she told Teen Vogue. It's also one of the reasons she was incredibly excited to partner with New Balance.

As it turns out, the brand was just as excited to partner with her. Impressed by her ability to empower her followers on social media, they had no doubt that she would be the perfect ambassador. Reid told Popsugar that she sees the partnership as an opportunity to help other women, especially women of color, feel seen and represented.

As for the outfits Reid likes to pair with her sneakers, she told Elle that a dress is her number one choice (much to her mother's dismay). We, however, think she looks like the queen she is while wearing it.

When "Euphoria" finally came to our screens in 2019, Storm Reid proved that she's a versatile actress that can go from being a Disney darling to the sister of a very troubled teenager seamlessly. She told Refinery29 that working with Zendaya, who plays Rue Bennet on the show, is "a dream come true." Reid portrays Rue's younger sister, Gia, who tries to navigate her sister's drug and alcohol addiction. Reid told Teen Vogue that the show's content was bound to shock some people, but that it was going to fuel important conversations about the pressures today's teenagers face on a daily basis.

The show focuses heavily on America's opioid crisis, to which some of Reid's family members have been affected. This personal connection gives her a unique perspective when playing Gia. "[I]t was something that I could draw emotion from, and I know how it makes me feel," she told Teen Vogue.

Portraying Gia can get a little dark sometimes. Reid told Insider that she's typically pretty good at separating work and real life, thanks to her mom, who made sure to create a healthy environment for her daughter. After filming Season 2 of "Euphoria," however, she found herself not being able to detach from her character completely. "I'd have to get myself together, and that's a very new experience for me," she said.

There's no doubt that Storm Reid is an incredible actress, and while many great actors use method acting to fully embody their characters, Reid told W Magazine that she isn't interested. "I'll never try method acting," she stated. "People, they go through it with method acting."

Working on shows like "Euphoria" can be especially draining. Reid told Insider that creating a healthy distance between her life and the show became a challenge during Season 2, and that's without using method acting as a tool. Reid's characters indeed go through a lot, so it makes total sense that she wouldn't want to literally embody and live their lives. 

However, she has other acting techniques, like keeping a diary for her character. She explained to W Magazine that she would write in it as if she was the character. This is something she actually did while working on "A Wrinkle in Time." "I did journal entries because [Meg] was struggling in school and she was being bullied," she explained in the interview, "So I would go from rehearsal to home and act like I was her." Reid says this approach really helped her when the cameras were rolling and she had to feel her character's emotions.

Storm Reid might be a talented movie star, but she continued her high school education. When prom season rolled around in 2019, Reid couldn't have dreamed that she would be spoiled with one of the most romantic promposals.

Actress Yara Shahidi's brother, Sayeed, asked Reid to prom, making sure it would be a day she'd remember forever. "It caught me way off guard," Reid told Refinery29. In a separate interview, she explained how she was getting ready to go to an event when Sayeed surprised her with flowers and then presented her with a huge sign reading, "Storms are rare in LA. I'm lucky I found one. Prom?" Reid said yes. 

She admitted that she was starting to wonder if she was going to get asked to prom. She and Sayeed had attended homecoming together previously, so she expected they would also go to prom together. But with time running out, she had written off the possibility by the time he finally asked her, which made the surprise all the sweeter.

When the pandemic hit, Storm Reid, like everyone else, was stuck at home. Using the time to get creative, she and her mother started a production company called A Seed & Wings, which would eventually provide Reid with her first gig as a producer. Reid told NBC that she had been eager to step into the role for a while, and she finally took the jump in 2020, starting her own Facebook Watch series, "Chop It Up." Aside from being a normal cooking show, it also gives the audience a glimpse into the lives of Gen Z, an idea Reid got from her mother, she told GMA3. Many of Reid's famous friends appear on the show where they discuss topics that are important to them — think social justice, social media, and relationships — all while preparing delicious meals.

The self-proclaimed foodie enjoyed fusing her love of the entertainment industry with her love for food, but there was a pretty steep learning curve. "Having to learn how to budget and making sure we don't go over budget and having the right insurance — there are so many technical things that people don't think about when it comes to having a project," she told NBC. Facing all these new challenges gave Reid a healthy confidence boost. We bet she'll be producing a movie any day now.

Reid finished high school a year early. How she did that while juggling school with filming movies and TV shows is a mystery — she might have actual superpowers. Now, the actress is attending the University of Southern California and rooming with the late Kobe Bryant's oldest daughter, Natalia Bryant, according to Entertainment Tonight. The two get along well, with Reid referring to Natalia as her "homie."

Attending USC is a dream come true for Reid, but like any other high school graduate, she was nervous about whether or not she would be accepted. She posted the moment she learned that she got into the renowned private school on Instagram, crying happy tears. She currently studies Drama and African Studies and told Elle that she's thankful for the opportunity to "have fun as a normal teenager" while doing so. She added that learning to be independent while attending university has been a great way to help her step into adulthood.

To the world, it might look like Reid has got it all figured out, but in a 2021 interview with Elle, she confessed that she has no idea what she's doing. What a relief!

Reid explained that jumping headfirst into the entertainment industry at a young age has had a mostly positive and profound impact on her life. During the pandemic, however, she realized that despite what people might say about how wise she is for her age and how she's very well-spoken, she still needs to figure out who she really is aside from all that. Fortunately, Reid loves adventure, saying that she enjoys not having her entire future mapped out. "I'm just a teenage girl going through everything that other teenage girls are going through," she shared in the interview. "And I've found beauty in that."

One thing Reid does have figured out is her attitude. She strives to always be positive, she told Elle earlier in 2020. Reid admitted that it's easier said than done, but knowing that she can help others who need it in their lives is what keeps her going.