Oh, Havana, dashingly, splashingly charismatic Havana, your staggering honesty runs rampant, and we love it. From career confessions to queer teen comedies, the Bottoms star is the epitome of free-thinking and fun-loving. We would say she makes the rules up as she goes, but, with fiery icons like Patti Smith and Marina Abramović, Havana Rose Liu doesn’t want them. And frankly, she doesn’t need them. 

The 27-year-old actress recently attended the Sundance premiere of her latest film, and Alex Russell’s directorial debut, Lurker, and what better role for a refreshingly gutsy starlet than one in a twisted psychological thriller? 

To properly celebrate the evening’s festivities, the actress wore look 5 from CHANEL’s Spring-Summer 2025 Ready-to-Wear collection, which consisted of a black cotton and silk faille embroidered jumpsuit with the fluffiest of feathers. And for the frosting on the proverbially chic cake, Havana glimmered and glowed in a set of CHANEL Fine Jewelry Coco Crush earrings and rings in 18K white gold and diamonds. 

Moments before the highly-anticipated premiere, Havana chatted with V about the wild nature of fashion, acting in an endlessly tense thriller, and collaborating with CHANEL.

V Magazine: Growing up in New York, how did the city’s grit and glam shape your overall worldview? 

Havana Rose Liu: I like this question. I don’t know if I totally understand it, but I like it. I feel like all the contrast of New York helps you realize that you are small and insignificant, and yet capable of anything. Seeing so many different people and paths and energies every day makes life feel like a buffet where there are endless flavors to mix and try. I feel like NY has helped me develop a taste for both grit and glam, but even more so the two put together. A chic dress in the dirty subway— it’s a good reminder that there are no rules. I love that every moment in New York can be totally unique filled with such different people and with such mystery. 

V: You often point to your abilities to channel lived emotions into your roles. Do you apply the same approach to your style? How does fashion function as a form of self-expression for you? 

HRL: Fashion is so powerful. When I was younger someone gave me the advice to wear an incredible outfit when you are feeling sad. It’s like a strange kind of material medicine— it’s inexplicably effective. The way I dress day to day completely influences my disposition, and the way I feel always shapes how I dress. If I wear something stiff I might behave and feel more serious, if I wear something playful I’ll probably want to make you laugh. Yes, it’s a way to self express, but I would also argue it’s a wild way to manipulate oneself. I love putting things together and creating the tone of the day through what I wear. I love that we all attract what we put outwards in the world, and I see fashion as a special tool to do just that. 

V: What are you most excited about in your upcoming film? What was it like filming a thriller and how did it differ from your acting experiences in other genres? 

HRL: I’m excited about everything Lurker! The film is a vibey, tense and twisty film about friendship and fame. Alex Russell smashed his directorial debut. People really poured their gifts into this movie. Theodore and Archie give unbelievably nuanced performances. All of my boys in this movie are so brilliant it’s hard to fathom. I can’t wait for everyone to appreciate their work as much as I do. Thrillers are fickle things, because you are navigating tension over a long period of shooting time and finding a way to push and pull the audience’s discomfort. It was such a fun challenge.

V: Tell us a bit about your relationship with Chanel! 

HRL: Chanel is made up of some of the sweetest, most thoughtful and most creative people you’ve ever met. The relationship is almost too nourishing—I’m always wondering how in the world I deserve this. Their belief in me is something I will never take for granted. I am always learning and growing so much under their roof, whether it be from the artists they relentlessly champion, or from their own creative practices and inspirations. Don’t tell them how much I adore them, I don’t want them to get a big head.