Last night’s episode of Euphoria was, to put it mildly, explosive. But amid the chaos was a familiar face, at least to the fashion set (light spoilers for episode 5 ahead). Jessie Andrews, a 29-year-old model and entrepreneur, made her debut on the series as a rich wife who had her jewelry stolen by Zendaya’s character Rue—ironic considering she’s known for her jewelry line Bagatiba.
For those who have been following Andrews for a while, her feature on the most viral show of the moment is no surprise. After starting her career at 18 as a successful adult film star, she pivoted to modeling and subsequently launched three businesses—Bagatiba, Basic Swim, and Jeu Illimite, which have become go-tos for models off duty and fashion editors alike. She also appeared in the 2018 movie Hot Summer Nights alongside Timothée Chalamet and William Fichtner. She credits social media with fueling her success across industries, and, fittingly, the opportunity to appear on Euphoria came via Instagram DM.
“I followed Sam Levinson’s [private] account a while back after seeing him tagged in something,” she says. “I was curious to see what he’s up to, but has such a private life. I decided to just put myself out there and see if he accepts me.” He did. Their online friendship then transpired as story watching and occasional replies. “I think like following Sam, I put myself on his radar in a way, which is a bold move,” she says.
After months of an Instagram friendship, Andrews was first asked to play a different role on the show. When they ended up going for someone older for the part, Andrews considered her potential Euphoria career over. Later, she got a message from Sam out of the blue, asking about her plans for the following day. “Do you want to come and do this scene?” he asked her. Andrews was on set with Zendaya the next evening. “She’s just so much herself,” she says about the Emmy-winning actor. “She’s effortlessly confident.”
While Andrews’s mainstream acting career is still in its infancy, she’s already shared sets with two of the largest actors of our time. This, she says, is down to networking and being patient for roles that are the right fit. Despite her growing creative success in both the modeling and acting worlds, she always considers herself a entrepreneur first. “I’d say I’m 60 percent business and 40 percent creative,” she says. “I have more of a business brain and because of that I’m able to market my creativity.”
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