The infamous social media influencer, Hannah Stocking, was pursuing her double major in Biology and Chemistry when her path of life was altered dramatically. Having also been a student athlete at the time, the college student did not have time for partying and socializing. She was studying for her MCAT when she came across a few Viners such as King Bach, DeStorm Power, “who were like the first people who hit on me,” she said laughingly. After a few funny exchanges, Stocking was invited to vine with them at “11AM sharp,” the next day. For this science-oriented gal, it was something new and a creative outlet during which she had a lot of fun.
The video, being 6 seconds long, entailed “Guys Checking Out Girls vs Girls Checking Out Guys,” and it was filmed on the famous Whipple Street where all the viners would go. “It was really fun and funny. I think it was my friend Greg, he goes by Clarity, who jumped on our back and that was what really made it,” she shared nostalgically. “It was hilarious.” Well, not only was it hilarious filming it, it just so happened that Stocking’s first Vine ever went VIRAL. Within a day she was up 100K followers which was such a big and beautiful surprise! Her fellow viners told her, “you have a fanbase now and you owe it to your fans to have more content. We are vining tomorrow again at 11am sharp, come with three ideas,” and that was the beginning of what would become Stocking’s career.
Now, as Stocking weighed her options between pursuing a career as a doctor or pursuing one in the entertainment industry, she realized just how big her decision was. As she explained, “I don’t think that either of those careers you can do at 50%. You really have to dive in, give 100% of your efforts, so I think that was a really big struggle.” Finally, she decided to take the latter route which her parents supported in full. “You see, I was always waiting for that big conversation to pop up with my parents but my mom was always so supportive, “well whatever makes you happy sweetie, you want some pasta salad?” she shared laughingly. “And my dad is over here like “I still don’t understand what my daughter does for a living.” With the support of her loved ones, Stocking set course onto her new path.
Now, some may even say that this new course of acting/comedy had started way before she even thought of career paths. You see, growing up, Stocking “grew up in Oregon with no phone, a TV that didn’t have cable, and only had DVDs which were “Ace Ventura,” and the Seasons of Friends.” Film and television played a strong role in her upbringing which “played a massive part in what I do today,” expressed Stocking. It’s safe to say she lived and breathed these entertainment outlets, filling her mind and soul with the wonders of acting and comedy.
When she was in seventh grade, playing the goof was part of who she was. “I had a massive growth spurt, so I was 5’10 in 7th grade,” she shared candidly. “ I was 5’10, 90 pounds, and I was all dangly and awkward, just a weirdo.” But let’s face it, weren’t we all kind of weirdos at some point? At least, I can safely say I still am! Making her classmates laugh all the time, whenever Hannah walked into a room, they would prompt her to say or do something funny which led her to “have to think on my feet or do something crazy.” It was at that age that Stocking would experience one of her first truly embarrassing moments.
As mentioned, she was always the one to make her peers laugh so of course, during art class, they would throw wet clay and see if it stuck. Bold and ready to take it one step further, Stocking waited for her teacher to look away and decided to stick a huge block of clay to the ceiling. Well, everything was going fine…until it wasn’t. I think we can all relate to that at some level… “We were giggling and giggling and I was going to take it down but the teacher walked in at that moment and right as she walked in, the big massive block of clay fell on the table and all of the art supplies, they went flying,” she said with a huge laugh and slight look of horror on her face. Completely mortified, the young jokester at the time jumped out–yes jumped out– of the window (on the ground floor) and spent the rest of her day in a tree. Now that is a story for the books! However, that never stopped her from moving forward and overcoming her fears.
If she could go back to her younger self, Stocking would tell her to “stop caring about what other people think because once you do that you will be set free.” She paused laughingly exclaiming that it sounded like a cult. At the end of the day, it’s important to stop caring what people think of you, always work hard, and always be nice. I think we can all agree on that. It’s important to put out there the right kind of energy and mindset. We all face obstacles in our life and what matters is how we choose to overcome them. For Stocking, she was very open about the benefits of therapy; even for the most level-headed people out there. As she put it, “you guys should go to therapy too because I think it’s beneficial for all types of people and it can help you learn a lot about yourself and others.” After all, the more we understand ourselves and others, the more we can move forward and unified.
Using her social platform to promote such change, Stocking opened up about “always making sure I put positive content and am always staying out of drama.” With all the hate going on on the internet today, it’s time we find a way to get rid of all the cyberbullies and negativity. When we see how impactful social media is on the world and its society, it’s crucial that we find ways to promote positivity such as the talented influencer does. Her warm smile and inviting posts welcome all and with a lot of love; exactly what we need. From her fashion style to quirky videos, Stocking illustrates who she is and how she feels in whatever creative way possible, “I love dressing up and I think it’s just an amazing way to express yourself and I really like switching up depending on what mood I feel.”
Hannah Stocking is a woman of many talents. From science to comedy, she uses her positive outlook on the world to bring a little more love, joy, and acceptance into our lives. Having switched career paths thanks to an unexpected encounter, the talented influencer is now hitting the big screen with her role in an up and coming movie directed by George Gallo, starring Ruby Rose and Morgan Freeman. If you haven’t by now, make sure to check out her socials and fill your heart with glee as this multi-faceted diamond continues to take on the world!
TEAM CREDITS
@BELLOmag
Talent HANNAH STOCKING @hannahstocking
Photography DYLAN PERLOT @dylanperlot
Creative Direction ALEKSANDAR TOMOVIC @alekandsteph
Styling LO VONRUMPF @stylelvr
Hair RUSLAN NUREEV @hairbyruslan
Hair Assistant RAEGAN LINK @reaganlinkartistry
Makeup SARAH NELSON @sarahnelsonmakeup
Interview by ALEXANDRA BONNET @alexbonnetwrites
Production @bellomediagroup x @maisonpriveepr_la x @alexbonnetwrites
DESIGNERS