What The ELLE‪?‬ ELLE Australia

Maia Mitchell’s story is a fascinating one. She grew up in Lismore in rural New South Wales, and in her early 20s found herself in Los Angeles, working with Disney on the (iconic) Teen Beach series, which turned her into a mega Disney star overnight. Then she nabbed the lead in the Jennifer Lopez-produced The Fosters, which became a major hit, running for six seasons and averaging 1.5 million viewers per episode. With 10 million Instagram followers and the worlds of fashion and film at her feet, one would think Maia was firmly settled in the Los Angeles lifestyle. But when Lismore flooded in 2022 she decided to return to her hometown permanently. We talk about the move back to Australia, about the dangers of being a child actor and the harrowing HBO documentary Quiet on Set. We talk about her work with David Thewliss on The Artful Dodger, her journey to accepting her body, and much more.
Please rate, review, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends, and find us over at @ELLEAUS on Instagram and Tiktok for more from ELLE Australia. 
This episode is proudly brought to you by Kerastase, who have exclusively partnered with ELLE Australia on the launch of What the ELLE. Explore Kerastase's Genesis collection here.
What the ELLE? episode tile features the artwork "Beach Bum" by Matilda Bailey and is designed by Paulina Paige Ortega.

In 2022, the world was split into two types of people: those who had seen Heartbreak High and people who hadn’t. Heartbreak High was that rare gem of Australian television, one that went absolutely gangbusters globally, streamed by 43 million people on Netflix worldwide, and topping the ‘Top 10’ in 43 countries. What was even more remarkable was that it accurately captured what it’s like to go to an Australian high school now. The series is devoid of lazy cliques and is laugh out loud funny, while exploring issues like consent, gender identity, friendship and sex education. Much like Euphoria, and Sex Education, Heartbreak High turned its entire cast into overnight celebrities, and at its centre was Ayesha Madon. Ayesha is whip-smart, very funny, and absurdly talented, as well as starring in the second season of Heartbreak High, which is out now, she’s just released her first single, Eulogy. We talk about her Zoroastrian faith, recording music in her grandma’s garage, the overwhelming nature of Heartbreak High’s sudden success, the challenges of making music as an independent artist, and more. 
Please rate, review, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends, and find us over at @ELLEAUS on Instagram and Tiktok for more from ELLE Australia. 
This episode is proudly brought to you by Kerastase, who have exclusively partnered with ELLE Australia on the launch of What the ELLE. Explore Kerastase's Genesis collection here.
What the ELLE? episode tile features the artwork "Beach Bum" by Matilda Bailey and is designed by Paulina Paige Ortega.

Bri Lee is one of Australia’s most exciting new literary voices. Her work as a writer, activist, and thinker has captivated readers both locally and internationally, ever since the blockbuster success of her 2018 memoir Eggshell Skull. Last month, Bri released her first novel, The Work, a brilliant, funny, sexy and—of course—smart book which explores the interconnecting power dynamics of the contemporary art world, told through the long distance love story of Pat and Lally. The book is, unsurprisingly, a critical and commercial success, and we caught Bri as she was in the midst of a sold-out national tour. Bri is the contributing culture editor at ELLE Australia, and we talk about a piece she wrote in our relaunch issue about how the influencer-ification of public intellectuals, about her month without technology in Antarctica, about the community she’s fostered with her newsletter publication News & Reviews, and more.
Please rate, review, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends, and find us over at @ELLEAUS on Instagram and Tiktok for more from ELLE Australia. 
This episode is proudly brought to you by Kerastase, who have exclusively partnered with ELLE Australia on the launch of What the ELLE? Explore Kerastase's Genesis collection here.
What the ELLE? episode tile features the artwork "Beach Bum" by Matilda Bailey and is designed by Paulina Paige Ortega. 

Angourie Rice is a quiet achiever. There's no doubt you'll recognise her, the question is from where? Maybe it's her role in the box office-busting Spiderman reboot, which she starred in alongside Zendaya and Tom Holland (it was, coincidentally, her first big Hollywood role—no big deal). Or perhaps it's from Mare of Easttown, where she held her own against Kate Winslet in one of the most critically-acclaimed series of the past 10 years. Or, perhaps, it's from her starring role in last years' Mean Girls reboot, in which she was (on personal invitation of Tina Fey) cast in the iconic role originated by Lindsay Lohan. Angourie has worked with Sofia Coppola, Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Garner, and Margaret Qualley. And did we mention she's only 24? In this episode, Angourie opens up to ELLE about her love of reading (she wrote a YA novel with her mum during lockdown), her childhood spent in the theatre, working on one of the world's biggest superhero franchise's while she was still in her teens, the internet's obsession with her love of knitting, and more. 
Please rate, review, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends, and find us over at @ELLEAUS on Instagram and Tiktok for more from ELLE Australia. 
This episode is proudly brought to you by Kerastase, who have exclusively partnered with ELLE Australia on the launch of What the ELLE. Explore Kerastase's Genesis collection here.
What the ELLE? episode tile features the artwork "Beach Bum" by Matilda Bailey and is designed by Paulina Paige Ortega. 

Jenna Lyons is just getting started. Having made her name as one of American fashion's most formidable figures (and best dressed women), Jenna Lyons shocked the fashion world by stepping down from her role as president of J. Crew in 2017. Having shaped the way women dress for almost three decades, she decided to try her hand at a slew of other projects, among them a TV series and a beauty line (Loveseen, a line of cruelty-free, natural-looking fake eyelashes). What nobody could have predicted was that Lyons would join the reboot of the Bravo hit reality series The Real Houseewives of New York. It was a coup for Bravo, but also, unexpectedly, for Lyons herself, who became an instant fan favourite and global pop culture sensation, inspiring a million TikTok posts and just as many Halloween costumes. For this episode of What the ELLE? Grace catches up with Jenna to discuss the changing nature of how we consume fashion, Jenna's time on Housewives, how her experience with a rare genetic disorder lead her to create Loveseen, and more. 
Please rate, review, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends, and find us over at @ELLEAUS on Instagram and Tiktok for more from ELLE Australia. 
This episode is proudly brought to you by Kerastase, who have exclusively partnered with ELLE Australia on the launch of What the ELLE. Explore Kerastase's Genesis collection here.
What the ELLE? episode tile features the artwork "Beach Bum" by Matilda Bailey and is designed by Paulina Paige Ortega. Music by Upbeat, LC: LZJZAABXMDCFWKP
 

We’ve always said that if she reads, she reads ELLE. Now, if she listens to podcasts, she listens to What the ELLE? 
This week, Grace chats with Sandy McIntyre. Sandy is a person who defies easy categorisation. Growing up in Campbelltown in Sydney’s West, McIntyre wanted to become an actor, a model, or a screenwriter, and ultimately they became all three, and so much more. McIntyre is content creator, a TV producer, an advocate for more representation of gender identity in popular culture, and the publisher of the LGTBQI+ publication Queerful. We talk to Sandy about the complexity of growing up nonbinary, discovering their gender identity during a gap year in the UK, pushing for more inclusivity on Australian mainstream TV, and more. 
Please rate, review, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends, and find us over ELLE.com.au and @ELLEAUS on Instagram and @ELLE.AUS on TikTok for more from ELLE Australia. Follow Sandy here. 
This episode is proudly brought to you by Kerastase, who have exclusively partnered with ELLE Australia on the launch of What the ELLE?. Explore Kerastase's Genesis collection here.
What the ELLE? episode tile features the artwork "Beach Bum" by Matilda Bailey and is designed by Paulina Paige Ortega.
Music by Upbeat, LC: LZJZAABXMDCFWKP