Following in the footsteps of her bandmate Jennie, Blackpink’s Lisa is set to make her acting debut on a buzzworthy HBO series.
The 27-year-old performer stars in the upcoming third season of the Emmy-winning comedy-drama anthology The White Lotus.
Fittingly, the new season takes place in Thailand, where Lisa was born, and she said in a new interview with Elle that she was thrilled to be back home near her family and “have Thai food every day” while filming her TV debut.
Plus, she explained, she was already a huge fan of the series, and creator Mike White.
“I think he’s a genius,” the singer raved, recalling her emotions upon landing the role. “I think I cried. I was with my friends, my mom’s friends, and my mom as well, but I didn’t tell them that I auditioned for it. I’m super excited and nervous, because it’s my first acting project. So I was happy for a second, and then I was like, ‘Oh, wait, wait, how am I going to deliver this?'”
Lisa took acting classes to prepare for the role, but won’t divulge whether or not she’ll be bringing her musical talents to the show.
“It’s pretty new to me,” she said of acting, “but I think it’s similar to shooting music videos…I’m excited for my fans to see it. I feel like people are going to fall in love with Thailand even more.”
The singer is also making moves in her solo music career, having recently released the new single “Rockstar” as her first music independent of Blackpink’s agency, YG. The move has given the single more creative control, as well as the ability to own her own master recordings, a la Taylor Swift.
“I don’t think it’s easy for anyone to be able to get that,” she reflected. “It feels like a dream. I’m not sure if it’s real or not.”
But for any Blackpink fans worried about the group’s future, Lisa was quick to offer reassurance. While she, Jennie, Jisoo and Rosé have all gone independent for their solo work, all four have renewed they contract with YG for future work as a foursome.
“Of course we’re continuing, for sure,” Lisa promised. “We’re so proud of Blackpink, and I love Blackpink. It is not just because of our fans, it’s for ourselves… There was no doubt. This is our life.”
In fact, she shared, her new ventures into music and acting mean that she’ll return to the group with even more confidence.
“To be honest, I’m not the type who’s really good at expressing my feelings,” Lisa admitted. “Lately, I feel more confident of what I think, and say it out loud.”
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