Hailee Steinfeld no longer has to prove herself.
When Steinfeld walks into a room with the sincere composure that comes from experience after nearly two decades in Hollywood, she carries herself with quiet confidence. But lately, she’s had to adjust to something new: strangers yelling explicit movie quotes at her in public — specifically, the one from her hit vampire-horror film “Sinners.”
Related Stories
Which line, you might ask? “I heard you loud and clear, but then you stuck your tongue in my cooze and fucked me so hard I figured you changed your mind.”
Yep, that one.
Popular on Variety
“I respect and appreciate you,” she says with a laugh, reflecting on the viral reception to her film and responding to fans who quote it to her in the street. “I know what the line is. You don’t have to tell me. People like to bring up certain moments in that movie, certain lines. That’s always awkward in the market or out in public.”
That “line” needs no explanation for fans of Warner Bros.’ Southern Gothic epic, which has dominated the cultural conversation since its spring release. The moment — delivered by Steinfeld’s character Mary on a humid New Orleans train platform — was clipped, memed and replayed across TikTok, igniting think pieces and parodies alike.
Steinfeld tells Variety‘s Awards Circuit Podcast that she didn’t see that type of reception coming. “I certainly didn’t expect that line — or any of the lines that people really ran with from Mary — to sort of explode the way they did,” she says on this week’s episode. “You never expect these things to blow up… and it’s always so interesting to see what people take with them and run with.”
On this episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast, Steinfeld discusses her experience working with the Oscar-nominated filmmaker on “Sinners,” one of the year’s biggest hits and this upcoming season’s most undeniable awards contenders. She also reflects on her first Oscar nomination 15 years ago for “True Grit” and teases bits from “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” and whether she will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kate Bishop.
Also on this episode: Tonatiuh, the breakout star from the musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman” from writer and director Bill Condon. Listen below!
Read excerpts from the edited and condensed version below.
Your line in “Sinners” went wildly viral. What was filming that scene like, and did you expect it to blow up?
For starters, I don’t know that you ever expect anything to blow up the way they ultimately do. It’s always so interesting to see what people take with them and run with.
When I read a script, there’s always a scene or two that you dog-ear or red-circle. That’s the hill to climb. It’s the daunting thing that eats you alive until you shoot it. I hoped we wouldn’t shoot that scene too soon, so I’d have time to feel grounded in where the character was. And sure enough, we shot it first.
We were filming in New Orleans during hurricane season, so everything got moved around. I got a call that they’d pulled up that scene — one of the two I thought we’d save for the end. It was the first thing Michael [B. Jordan] and I shot together. I thought I needed time with him, with Ryan [Coogler], to build rapport. But it actually worked out — by then, our characters had lived some of the memories we refer to in the film. It was almost like we did it in reverse, but in a great way.
We were fighting light like crazy that day, so we didn’t do a lot of takes. The camera was rolling as long as it could, getting as much as possible before the mag ran out. I definitely didn’t expect that line — or any of Mary’s lines — to explode the way they did. But there it is.
There’s one more detail I love. Ruth E. Carter, our costume designer, and I made a last-minute change. There was a red dress I originally imagined for that scene, this fiery entrance off the train. But Ryan said, “What if she’s in a pretty, pale mauve tone? It makes what she says even more unexpected.” And he was right. It changed the energy completely.
How has it been dealing with fans who quote that line back to you?
Oh God. There have been a couple moments — people like to bring up certain lines in the movie, especially that one. That’s always…yeah, awkward. Like, I respect and appreciate you, but I know what the line is. You don’t have to tell me. Especially when someone nearby isn’t in the know, it can get weird fast.
You contributed to the “Sinners” soundtrack after stepping back from music. What was that like?
It was a perfect full-circle moment. A few years ago, I made a conscious decision to step back from music. That did affect what we were thinking about in terms of me singing in the movie. But by the time it was done, contributing to the soundtrack was just a beautiful reminder of why I love making music.
I’ve always wanted to create music from a place of purpose and storytelling — and that started for me through film. Being back in the studio with Ludwig Göransson, who’s been on my bucket list since I was 17, was surreal.
Writing the song, I kept asking, “Is this from my perspective, or from Mary’s?” It became both. And I had the advantage of knowing her deeply.
I also got to be around so much incredible talent. Watching Miles [Caton] pick up a guitar and just be magic — it was inspiring. That whole environment re-lit something in me.
Could you see yourself in a Coogler musical?
Listen, absolutely. I secretly wish that if Ryan does anything, ever — all the time — I could be a part of it.
Let’s talk about your Oscar nomination for “True Grit.” What do you remember from that morning?
Oh man, it feels like both a million years ago and like it just happened yesterday. I’ll never forget that morning. My mom had been trying so hard to protect me — she didn’t want me to even know when the nominations were being announced.
I woke up to her screaming from the other room, and my brother and my parents ran in with flowers. It was surreal. I ordered chocolate chip pancakes on the way to the Four Seasons.
That whole year was wild. We wrapped the movie, and it came out like 14 seconds later. I was flying everywhere, doing press for the first time ever, and hearing talk about awards constantly. It was a lot. I still feel like I owe everything to that cast and crew.
How did that experience shape how you navigate the industry today?
I think those realizations hit me more as I get older. After the Oscars, there was a conscious decision to pause. We never put a specific timeframe on it, but I needed to take a beat and think about what the right next thing would be.
Over time, I’ve learned how momentum is a real thing — you want to keep going, so you say yes to great people and great scripts. But I didn’t really stop for years. The pandemic and the strikes made me look at life outside of work. It was terrifying and freeing. In this business, you never stop proving yourself, and I love that… and sometimes hate it. No two days are ever the same. And I love that too.
How has your marriage to Josh Allen shaped your everyday life, and how is his nose?
His nose is good. What we do is so unpredictable, and his job is on such a strict schedule. So it’s actually a blessing — I try to organize my time so I can be where he is. This time of year, I get to hunker down, slow down, support him and live life. When the offseason rolls around, it’s go-time for me.
I’ve never lived this part of life before — outside of my work. I’ve gotten a lot better at understanding what it means to slow down and to share that with someone. That’s the greatest thing ever.
Marvel fans are always curious on what’s the status of Kate Bishop and that mysterious IMDb listing for “Champions.”
I saw that! You’re telling me anyone can just update IMDb now? Because part of me was like, “Is this someone random just throwing stuff out? Or someone who knows something?”
As for Marvel, I’m always waiting by the phone. I love that family. I’m so grateful to be a part of it. Anytime they need me, they know where to find me.
You’re also back as Gwen Stacy in “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.” What can you tell us?
We’re into it. I wonder sometimes if anything ever gets scrapped, because I’ve said the word “Miles” in so many different ways and tones — they probably have a whole library.
But the process is constantly changing. You never get the full script at the top. It evolves. And that makes it so crazy and fun to be a part of.
What advice do you have for young people trying to break into the industry?
Do it. Just do it. Whether it’s for work or for fun — hopefully both. This job rarely feels like a job to me, and that’s the best part.
Someone asked me what I’d tell my younger self. I immediately thought of 13-year-old me going to the Oscars for my first movie ever. That doesn’t happen — but it can. At any point in your life. There’s no expiration date on this profession.
If it makes you happy and makes you feel like the truest version of yourself, it can never be wrong. People will always have opinions — take them with a grain of salt. Trust your instincts. That’s what gets me through every decision I make.
There will be a lot of hurdles but consider them moments to improve. Moments to continue the grind.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop source for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives, discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines, and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts.
