19 year old Corey Fogelmanis has certainly come a long way since his days as Farkle on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World. Since the show’s ending in 2017, Fogelmanis has become one of the most promising young actors in Hollywood, specifically as he delves into the horror genre with his starring role in this year’s upcoming horror film Ma alongside Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis, and Luke Evans among other seasoned professionals, and his upcoming episode of Hulu’s Into the Dark. His growth in the entertainment industry is a reflection of his personal transition from adolescence to adulthood, something certainly visible on set of his Bello photoshoot where he owned the studio with complete confidence.
While his experience on Girl Meets World was certainly formative, Fogelmanis is grateful to be able to work on new and exciting projects like Ma. “As I’ve grown as a person, the most important thing for me was to find projects that gave me the opportunity to translate that growth into my acting. I was super excited about working on this movie because there were so many aspects of it that I didn’t previously have in other work. Elements of sexuality and maturity and realism were all things I was excited about in the initial script and I think it’s really cool that people will get to see parts of me they’ve never seen before. I’m all about little baby steps of growth. Filming Ma was that and so much more for me,” said Fogelmanis on his transition from Disney Channel to the horror genre.
Just as the audience gets to see a new side of Fogelmanis, the obstacles he faced, including the challenging climax of the film, and the opportunity to learn from veteran performers helped Fogelmanis grow as an actor. “I walked away from this experience with a true understanding of what makes a professional in this field. Both Octavia and Juliette came in each day with such intense focus and perspective and for me, watching them in their element was, should I say, a masterclass in acting? Yes. I felt that the way they balanced work and play in between takes was beneficial for me to observe. I unfortunately didn’t have any scenes with Luke in the film, despite the fact that he plays my father! But I did get to meet him and he’s so cool,” said Fogelmanis.
While also allowing him to explore dimensions to his profession, Ma has proved an incredible experience for Fogelmanis to make lasting relationships with his costars. “I can’t recall a single moment where we didn’t having fun while filming this movie. My costar Gianni is one of the funniest people I know and has the most intoxicating laugh. Especially during all of the party sequences that didn’t require anything too intense emotionally, we were living our best lives. The heavier days were typically much quieter so we often looked forward to the cast/crew dance parties that followed dinner.”
Everything Fogelmanis gained from Ma certainly translated to his next big project of the year, an episode of Hulu’s Into the Dark, which airs this August–a project he is incredibly excited to share. “The thing I enjoyed most was how far I was able to take it. Each episode of the show seems to put a heavy focus on the psychology of it’s characters. I think that’s really smart to derive horror from the darkest parts of our own minds. I got to explore some emotional extremes and really let myself play and that was an incredible opportunity to learn more about myself as an actor.”
In addition, Fogelmanis has found his own interests, including his growing love for fashion and music. In particular, Fogelmanis is fond of European designers that compliment his body type, including Topman, which he wore to the carpet premiere of Ma. This latest look, like his role in Ma, is a product of evolution and self-growth on the young adult’s part.
“Like you said, I have been redefining my relationship to fashion as I develop a stronger point of view. Where it sits for me now is very related to the things I’ve been working on/through in my life. I don’t always feel like I’m the kind of person that is able to walk into a room and command attention. I typically feel like one of the quieter people in a room. So fashion has been a way for me to say something without actually having to say anything. I’ve found it to have a direct relationship to confidence, whether that be for better or for worse. I think its possibilities are amazing and endless.”
Like his interest in fashion, Fogelmanis’s love for music, specifically for Norwegian artist Sigird (which he gleefully blasted during his photoshoot) and his appreciation of artistry only further demonstrates his level of maturity. “I think rawness and strong sense of self are two things I’ve identified in the artists that I love. Everything Sigrid does, whether this has to do with her European-ness (which inherently makes everything cooler) or due to just who she is as a person, is so honest. I also really like Marina and the Diamonds and Lady Gaga, while we’re on the topic of artists with strong points of view. (!) My music taste is all over the place however. Right now I’m really loving Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Golden Hour’ and Death Cab for Cutie’s ‘Thank You For Today.’ And I have an intense infatuation with movie scores. It all comes down to what I feel an emotional connection to and that’s something I don’t think I’m fully able to iterate.”
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Photographer LEIGH KEILY @leighkeily
Stylist FRANZY STAEDTER @styledbyfranzy
Grooming MARIAH NICOLE ( using Kevin.Murphy & itCosmetics ) @marianicolebeauty
Creative Direction STEPHANE MARQUET @alekandsteph
PRODUCTION @BELLOmediaGroup x @MaisonPriveePR_LA
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