'That's just really f***ed up': The Act star Joey King, 19, reveals she was told she wasn't 'pretty enough' DURING a recent audition - but insists she 'didn't cry' and 'just kept going'

  • Former child star Joey stars in Hulu's drama series The Act after launching into the spotlight for her role in Netflix's The Kissing Booth
  • The Neflix movie gave her notoriety, but Joey admitted to being turned down for a role because she wasn't 'pretty enough' for the part
  • Ultimately, Joey realized the role wasn't right for her based on the interaction
  • The actress decided to shave her head to play Gypsy Rose Blanchard in The Act
  • Joey revealed shaving her head had an emotional reason behind it after her mom battled with cancer when the actress was 11 years old 

Actress Joey King opened up about a time she was recently told she wasn't 'pretty enough' during an audition — as she admits the negative feedback in the industry 'hurts'.  

The 19-year-old actress launched into the public eye after appearing in Netfllix's The Kissing Booth, which was reportedly the most re-watched movie of 2018 for the streaming site. After starring in the teenage romcom, Joey did a complete 180 with her dramatic role as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu's The Act.   

Despite all of her recent success in Hollywood, Joey confessed to getting turned down for roles recently because of the way she looked. 

On the rise: Joey King, 19, stars in Hulu's drama series The Act after launching into the spotlight for her role in Netflix's The Kissing Booth. Pictured is Joey at The Act premiere

On the rise: Joey King, 19, stars in Hulu's drama series The Act after launching into the spotlight for her role in Netflix's The Kissing Booth. Pictured is Joey at The Act premiere

Upsetting: The Neflix movie gave her notoriety, but Joey (pictured in The Act) admitted to being turned down for a role because she wasn't 'pretty enough' for the part

Upsetting: The Neflix movie gave her notoriety, but Joey (pictured in The Act) admitted to being turned down for a role because she wasn't 'pretty enough' for the part

Change: The actress decided to shave her head to play Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu's The Act

Change: The actress decided to shave her head to play Gypsy Rose Blanchard in Hulu's The Act

'You start to get discouraging feedback, the stuff that you don’t want to hear,' Joey told Refinery 29

'I got that I’m not pretty enough, pretty recently actually. That’s just really f***ed up.'

Joey admitted to feeling discouraged and hurt by the feedback at the auditions as she battled to get the role. But she ultimately decided it was not the job for her. 

'It kind of hurts, but I didn’t cry when I heard that,' she said. 

'I was like, well that’s stupid. I just kept going because I know it’s an unrealistic expectation. I don’t want to work for the person that thinks I’m not pretty enough. I have no desire to work for them, ever.' 

Although the industry has its setbacks, Joey has found a way to thrive by transforming herself from a child actress — she previously starred in Crazy, Stupid, Love and Ramona and Beezus — to earning prominent roles on TV.  

Her latest character in Hulu's The Act offered Joey the ability to showcase a new side to her acting. 

The series is based off of the real story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and her mom Dee Dee, played by Patricia Arquette, and their toxic relationship that ultimately led to the daughter killing her mom. For the role, Joey decided to shave her head to get into the character of Gypsy after some hesitation.   

'When [The Act] came about, I had a little bit of hesitation, like, I don’t know, man, do I really want to do [shave my head] again?' Joey said about her image transformation for the role. 

'But then I took a second, and I was like, I want this job so badly that I would do anything. And I meant it.'

Touching: Joey revealed shaving her head had an emotional reason behind it after her mom battled with cancer when the actress was 11 years old

Touching: Joey revealed shaving her head had an emotional reason behind it after her mom battled with cancer when the actress was 11 years old

Inspired: 'I think women should see that you don¿t have to hide behind your hair,' Joey said about her reasoning behind shaving her head for a third time

Inspired: 'I think women should see that you don’t have to hide behind your hair,' Joey said about her reasoning behind shaving her head for a third time 

Joey has shaved her head a total of three times, all for professional roles. She first decided to shave her head for her role in a Dark Knight Rises before also shaving it for Wish I Was Here and now The Act.

Shaving her head carries emotional sentiments for Joey, though, because of what her mom went through while battling cancer. 

Love: Joey will continue her reign on streaming sites when starring in Neflix's The Kissing Booth 2, which is set to premiere in January 2020

Love: Joey will continue her reign on streaming sites when starring in Neflix's The Kissing Booth 2, which is set to premiere in January 2020

'When [my mom] got diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 11, she was very adamant about not losing her hair,' Joey revealed. 'It scared her. She felt like she would have been like less of a woman if she lost her hair.'

She continued: 'I think women should see that you don’t have to hide behind your hair. Whether you lose it for something creative, or you lose it for something tragic, you should be able to feel beautiful.' 

The first two episodes of The Act premiered on Hulu on Wednesday and have already received rave reviews from critics. But Joey cared most about what her family thought of the new series.  

'I always get really pumped when my mom cries...So, she cried,' Joey said after she held a screening for her family in her home.  

Joey will continue her reign on streaming sites when starring in Neflix's The Kissing Booth 2, which is set to premiere in January 2020. 

The actress notably started dating co-star Jacob Elordi after the pair played love interests in the first movie and were open about their relationship on social media. But the couple have since split. 

'All you can really do at that point is shut your phone off and crawl into your sister's bed and watch Friends with her, because when you're going through something and the world wants to go through it with you or [wants] to get every piece of detail from you about it, it's really difficult,' Joey said about the public breakup.  

'Some of these things are just meant for you,' she said.  

She and Jacob are still set to star alongside each other for the sequel to their popular romcom, and filming starts in the summer. 

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