Chappell Roan turned down leading film roles to focus on music: ‘Actors are f***ing crazy’

Chappell Roan performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park, wearing a sparkly blue sequin vest top.

Our lesbian queen Chappell Roan can do no wrong… even when she robs us of being a movie lead.

Speaking to Fire Island star Bowen Yang for Interview Mag, the 26-year-old “HOT TO GO!” singer-songwriter shared that she has been offered leading roles in films.

However, the Midwest Princess shattered any cinematic hopes and dreams as she explained why she declined the offers.

“I say this with peace, and love, and blessings. Actors are f***ing crazy,” Your favorite artist’s favorite artist said when Yang asked if she had acting ambitions.

She continued: “I don’t know you, but I know that you’re not the vibe I’m talking about. Like, I get so freaked out by film people. I’ve been asked in the past couple of weeks, like, ‘You want the lead in XYZ?’ and I’m like, ‘No.'”

“I appreciate it, but literally, no. I originally started doing music because I wanted to get my foot in the door for acting, and then I moved to Los Angeles, and I was like, ‘f**k that’.”

“The industry is legitimately so scary, and it is so out of my control. I can put out music whenever I want. 

“I don’t have to wait for a casting director to be like, “It would be great if we cast you, and then we’ll decide your schedule for the next three months.”


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Chappell Roan performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park
Chappell Roan grew up in Missouri. (Steve Jennings/Getty)

Where is Chappell Roan from?

Roan is from Willard is a city in Greene County, Missouri.

She credits her theatrical onstage presence to her local drag queens whose campy brilliance inspired her bright and bold visuals. 

Roan grew up in a conservative and Christian environment, going to church multiple times a week, she also spent summers at a Christian camp.

However, music was her true passion and she has been performing publicly since she was 13.


Chappell Roan performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park
Chappell Roan adopted her stage name too honour her grandfather. (Dana Jacobs/WireImage)

How did Chappell Roan get her name?

Roan entered the music as Kayleigh Rose, her real first and middle name. 

However, in 2016, she adopted her stage name to honour her grandfather Dennis K. Chappell who passed away in the same year.

Chappell Roan combines her grandfather’s last name and the title of his favourite song, “The Strawberry Roan” by Curley Fletcher.

Also, Roan has expressed dislike of her birth name, hence this alternative.


Chappell Roan performs at Outside Lands at Golden Gate Park
Chappell Roan’s record label dropped her when she was 17. (Steve Jennings/Getty)

Why did Chappell Roan get dropped by her label?

Roan signed to Atlantic Records when she was 17 years old.

In 2017, she released her debut EP, School Nights.

Then came “Pink Pony Club”, the bright and shimmering Roan as we know her today. However, in 2020, the same year as the single’s release, Roan was dropped.

Atlantic seemingly believed that her music was underperforming – which turned out to be a big mistake.

After taking a break from music, Roan independently released some new works before dropping her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, with Island Records.

The album has been a smash hit: peaking at number one in Ireland, New Zealand and the UK, and within the top five on the US Billboard 200 and Australia. 

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