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"It was such a dream come true. I still can't believe this is real."
There's no denying that 2021 was a massive year for Addison Rae. This year, the social media celeb made the leap from TikTok superstar to actress, singer and podcast host, just to name a few. And as if she didn’t accomplish enough in the past 12 months, she also set herself up with some amazing plans and partnerships for the years to come.
Here are Addison's biggest moments of the year…
Featured on the Cover of Glamour UK
Addison kicked off the year on one of her first major magazine covers. The social star did an in depth interview with Glamour UK, where she opened up about her sudden rise to fame, body image and dealing with negativity online.
"For me, a lot of people have been like, 'Oh I love how comfortable she is and she doesn’t look like the beauty standard.' It's kind of a backhanded compliment sometimes because people will be like, 'I'm so glad she's confident that she doesn't look perfect.' It hurts sometimes when people say that, because I think everyone's perfect, so why is there some standard of 'this body is the ideal body?' I feel like there's so much that I've thought about in the past year that doesn't really define me and there is no standard of perfect because there is no such thing as perfect," Addison told the outlet.
Released Her First Single "Obsessed"
In March, Addison surprised fans when she dropped her debut single "Obsessed" — and an accompanying music video! Fans knew that Addison had an interest in pursuing music but had no idea that she was actually preparing a single to release. Addison later explained that she'd been working on music for the past year, figuring out who she wanted to be as an artist and learning how to turn her lyrical ideas into songs. The song, which she co-wrote with Benny Blanco and Ryan McMahon, is all about the importance of loving yourself.
"From the beginning, I wanted to make sure that I was writing my own music. I remember jotting down lyrics when I was little and trying to figure out how to make them a song, [now] I’m learning every detail and from amazing songwriters…One could take ['Obsessed'] as being vainly obsessed with yourself, but that's not what I'm trying to communicate. It's more I can love myself as much as you love me, and that's important. There are days where I struggle, and it's definitely a work in progress to accept who I am and give myself the love I deserve. But that message was so strong, and I wanted to communicate it," Addison told Vogue.
Got Nominated For An MTV Award & Kids' Choice Award
Addison racked up several award nominations in 2021, including a nod at the MTV Movie & TV Awards as well as the Kids' Choice Awards. At both shows, she was up for Social Star awards alongside her friend Charli D'Amelio. While she didn’t take home either award, she did get to take the stage at the MTV Awards to present the nominees for Best Kiss.
Relaunched Her Podcast "That Was Fun?"
Addison and her mom Sheri first launched their podcast "Mamma Knows Best" last year but in 2021, they decided to rebrand their show. The mother-daughter duo revamped the program to include video episodes and gave it a new name, "That Was Fun?" In its new format, the podcast now features interviews with celebrity guests as well as an inside look at Addison’s life, ultimately to try and figure out…was that actually fun?
Premiered Her First Movie "He's All That"
Addison made her acting debut in "He's All That," the gender-swapped reboot of 1990s rom-com "She's All That." The updated story follows a popular high schooler with a social media following who befriends a nerd to give him a makeover for the prom. Addison prepared for the role by taking acting classes seven days a week leading up to filming — and it paid off as the movie went number 1 in over 60 countries.
"AHHHHH!!! My dreams are coming true!!! I'm so excited to finally share the news that I am getting the opportunity to make my acting debut in HE'S ALL THAT which is a remake of one of my all time favorite movies, SHE'S ALL THAT. I'm so grateful for the opportunities that have been presented to me and none of it would have ever happened without every single one of you. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!" Addison wrote on Instagram.
Signed a Multi-Movie Deal With Netflix
Following the success of "He's All That," Addison signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Netflix. Her partnership with the streaming giant will see her both star in and executive produce various projects that will be developed specifically for her. The multipicture pact is said to be nonexclusive and has no set number of films, allowing Addison to work on projects with other studios.
"Getting the opportunity to work with Netflix was such a pinch me moment and now to be able to continue the relationship is beyond my wildest dreams. I'm thrilled to be able to collaborate with this incredible team and am excited to develop projects while continuing to strengthen my skills as an actress," Addison said in a statement.
Attended Her First Met Gala
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Invitations to the Met Gala are reserved for Hollywood's biggest stars and this year, Addison was asked to attend for the first time. Addison stepped out at the event on behalf of YouTube and Vogue, wearing a red vintage Tom Ford for Gucci gown from 2003.
"Thank you so much YouTube and Vogue for inviting me to attend my first Met Gala. It was such a dream come true. I still can't believe this is real. Thank you to all my fans for all of your love and support," Addison wrote about the experience.
Announced Her Snapchat Series "Addison Rae Goes Home"
2021 may not have wrapped up yet but Addison already has plenty of projects lined up for the new year. Addison recently revealed she'll be teaming up with Snapchat for her own reality show titled "Addison Rae Goes Home." The series will follow Addison as she heads home to her hometown in Louisiana for the first time since she moved to L.A. to pursue her entertainment career.
