Lourdes Leon is charting her own path, but the influence of her iconic mom is always there.
Lourdes is 25 years old and has recently been dabbling in modeling. As she explained in a conversation with Debi Mazar for Interview Magazine, Lourdes opened up about all the possibilities that lie ahead of her as she navigates different creative pursuits.
Lourdes also discusses what it's like being Madonna's daughter. She explained that her upbringing was privileged but not Hollywood and how it's shaped her views on the industry and the world at large.
Lourdes Leon recently drew attention when she stepped out at the Met Gala. Unlike many other children of Hollywood, it was the 25-year-old's first time there.
"I'm really grateful to have been able to go. Maybe because it was my first time, but it felt crazy," she shared.
"You're just shoved into a room with all these famous people and you're supposed to talk to them and be their friend, even though you don't [expletive] know them. That's not my vibe."
Lourdes has already established a pretty distinct sense of style, but she learned from the best. She admits she's limited in her ability to dip into her mom's closet.
"When she's not in the house, those things are locked tight, because I take everything I feel that I'm entitled to," Lourdes joked.
When it comes to her career, Lourdes is feeling out all the different avenues a natural affinity for creativity allows.
"I don't have a specific goal. I probably should," she acknowledged.
"Financially, modeling is a smart decision. I enjoy being very hands on with the campaigns I do, so that I'm not just modeling, per se. I dance, I have a very specific sense of style, and I'm interested in aesthetics, so I like to incorporate all those parts of myself into my projects."
There are some areas she hasn't dipped into yet.
"I don't know how I feel about acting yet. I think it's about finding a role that wouldn't be too far off from who I am already," she continued.
"Honestly, actors really annoy me and I can't be around them. As for music, I can sing. I just don't care about it. Maybe it's too close to home."
As far as modeling goes, Lourdes wants to see more models follow in her hands-on approach.
"I want to create a world in which models have more agency over what they're doing, and they're not just silent clothing racks," she shared.
"That's the age that we're coming into in the fashion world: models as personalities and artists."
Madonna has shared her opinions on Lourdes' pursuit of the industry.
"She's very much like, 'Proceed with caution and think about what you want to be known for,'" Lourdes shared.
"I've thought a lot about that recently, because as a 'model,' you're basically relying on your looks. It can feel very overwhelming, and can potentially cause a lot of insecurity."
"Obviously, you're not going to look the same your whole life," she continued.
"My mom is very insistent on making me think about what I want to be known for beyond my looks. That's not what I want people to remember me by. It's not real."
As far as her personal life, Lourdes has some perspectives to share on love and dating as well.
"I don't feel the need to get married, but I would take a ring," she joked.
"Kidding. I don't think of myself as traditional, but I've pretty much only had traditional relationships."
"I enjoy being a caregiver. I like cooking dinner for my boyfriend," she continued.
"I don't want to miss out on having children, but the idea of birth scares me literally to my core. I can't push a baby out of my vagina. It will not happen."
"So, I'm down for kids, but that's kind of a problem," she continued.
"Of course, there are other ways."
Lourdes admits a lot of people expect something different from her as Madonna's daughter, but she points out that Madonna was a strict parent.
"Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege. There's no denying that. But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like, 'My kids are not going to be like this,'" she noted.
"Also, I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you."
"My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school," she continued.
"She said something to me recently that has really stuck with me. I've been so concerned with making a decent living, and wanting to live more luxuriously than I was when I first graduated and wasn't earning a lot of money."
Madonna delivered a reality check.
"She was like, 'Remember, this [expletive] is not real. It's not about the money or your face or how hot you look,'" Lourdes recalled.
"'It's about what you’re bringing into the world and what you're going to leave behind.' That always shakes me awake when I get too caught up in everything."
