Beyond the Hemingway Myth

Dree Hemingway has never been interested in playing one version of herself. On screen, her characters can be vulnerable, untethered, seductive, funny, reckless, or quietly resilient. Off camera, she is thoughtful, direct, and surprisingly grounded.

The bone structure is there—sculptural, precise—but what lingers is her fluidity. She moves easily between stillness and spontaneity, between the composed precision of fashion and the emotional surrender acting demands. She doesn’t perform mystique. She doesn’t lean on legacy. She works. On set, she moves with calibrated ease, adjusting her body instinctively to light and frame, a professional who understands both the mechanics and the psychology of being seen.

The Hemingway name has occupied a mythic corner of American culture for nearly a century — synonymous with literary brilliance, excess, tragedy, and endurance. It is a name heavy with projection. But Dree’s career resists projection. From her raw, unvarnished turn in Starlet to her commanding presence on the runways and pages of international fashion publications, she has built a body of work defined by authenticity rather than inheritance.

What defines Dree is not fantasy, though she works in industries built on it. It is discipline. As both model and actor, she navigates the tension between control and surrender — knowing when to shape an image and when to disappear into a character. There is a commitment to finding something human, even inside heightened worlds.

After our shoot, we spoke about legacy, ambition, motherhood, insecurity, and the pursuit of authenticity in industries that thrive on illusion. What emerged was a portrait of an artist less interested in preserving an image than in discovering the humanity beneath it.

Stella McCartney runway dress.

AS IF: Hi Dree, where are you?

Dree Hemingway: Rome. My fiancé’s from Rome, and we have a place here. I was just in Paris two days ago. Where are you?

On the Croatian coast, visiting my dad. Is it a sauna in Rome right now?

It’s so hot! But it’s also very humid.

Rome in the summer is intense.

It’s very sexy! (Laughs)

We missed New York at its sexiest when it reached 109º!

I have to go back on Sunday, but it cooled down. Not as sexy.

Talking about sexy, since our shoot, you’ve walked for Gucci, attended The Met Gala, fronted campaigns for JW Anderson and Gérard Darel. Looking at your career today, what excites you most about the fashion industry that perhaps didn't excite you 10 years ago?

I think what’s exciting is that I’ve been through it before, and I feel very grounded now. Things that I would harp on earlier in my career don’t matter to me as much; now I can have fun. I’m inspired by the people I get to work with. I feel very honored. I pinch myself a little bit that I’m still in the game.

Gucci was insane. Demna and Jonathan have incredible minds. Gérard Darel is an iconic French brand, and I like to pretend that I’m European, so this is my way of lying! (Laughs)

It sounds like the excitement coming from the fashion industry for you today has more to do with self and the sense of feeling grounded, rather than the industry itself changing.

Yeah, it’s an internal change. I feel lucky that the industry picked me up and am happy to ride this train for as long as it lasts.

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“Fashion has kept me grounded, especially because acting involves so much waiting between projects. Those stretches can really test your sanity.”

–Dree Hemingway–

Looking at global fashion weeks, in New York, we were finding our voice as a young nation within the culture of couture and ready-to-wear when we had fashion week in the Bryant Park tents. After losing the tents, I feel we lost our Fashion Week focus. I prefer to avoid the shows here. When you look at the incredibly well-conceived, conceptual shows in Europe, I mean, Viktor and Rolf blew my mind! Using just two models on stage, a mature model and a younger model, performing the act of dressing and undressing in unison. It was a sublime act in the life of a woman and the clothing she wears, specifically couture. It was a rejection of fast fashion. Just brilliant. You don’t see many New York Fashion Week shows exhibiting this level of thought.

Some of the most respectable American fashion houses show in Europe now. We have The Row that does it without cameras; they are one of my favorite brands. They’re going back in time and doing it the way it used to be done. You have Marc Jacobs, who goes off the beaten path of when you’re supposed to do a show, and he is truly an insane artist, and it's such a spectacle. I’ve walked for one of his shows once, but I would love to go to one of his shows, because it’s something to be experienced.

America doesn’t have as deep of a culture and history as Europe, and that extends to fashion. Even in the way Europeans live their lives, there is more respect for beauty in some capacity.

It feels more considered.

Exactly. It’s more considered. There’s an enjoyment in the process, whereas in America, we’ve become so driven that we’ve forgotten how to stop and smell the roses. I don’t want to dismiss America—we have incredible talent and so much inspiration—but when it comes to fashion, Europe has just dialed it in a little more. Ironically, Europeans romanticize America and want that experience.

What Europe does so well is create more than a runway show—it creates an experience that moves you. It’s almost like watching a film unfold, and I think that’s how fashion should be presented. Clothing deserves that level of respect. It’s incredibly difficult today because designers aren’t producing just two collections a year anymore—there can be five or more.

I was just at Dior in Paris, and it was extraordinary. There were trees, beautiful rainforest sounds, and you could feel the artistry and collaboration behind every detail. It wasn’t simply a fashion show; it was a fully immersive experience. You can feel the teamwork on every level. It's insane.

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You walked into that show, and you knew what they stood for. You’re walking into a House. Fashion Week in New York is so chaotic.

It’s chaotic, but that’s New York, so it’s fitting in some capacity.

You got that! Now, you’ve built a career moving between independent film, luxury fashion, and commercial campaigns, without being confined to one. Was that intentional?

I’m grateful to the fashion industry because it started everything for me. It’s also been a study of character in a lot of ways. Fashion has kept me grounded, especially because acting involves so much waiting between projects. Those stretches can really test your sanity.

There was a time when I thought, I don’t want to do fashion anymore—I just want to make films. But I’ve reached a place where I genuinely love and need both. I admire the people I get to work with in fashion, and when I step onto a film set, I immerse myself in that world and transform into a character.

There’s a balance to be had because fashion can be all-consuming and moves incredibly fast. I’m much more selective about what I do now because I have a child. The most important thing is finding a balance where I’m not constantly on a plane and can be present with my family. If I know I’m about to film a movie, I make sure to spend time fully with my daughter beforehand, because once production begins—even though she’s there with me—I don’t get to see her as much as I’d like.

Many models have wanted to become actors, but those are different disciplines. In fashion, you’re always conscious of the image—how the clothes look, how your body moves. That kind of stylization and affectation can enhance a photograph, but on screen, it gets in the way. Acting asks you to stop performing and simply be. That's why I think so many models struggle to make that transition.

I think you have to be willing to completely let go of yourself when you’re acting. I love fashion, and I love feeling beautiful, but the moment someone says, action, I love letting all of that disappear. For me, watching an actor who’s willing to be ugly is one of the most beautiful things.

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Issey Miyake All Squares shirt and pants in burgundy | Max Mara flat sandals in leather and elasticated webbing.

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So acting is almost a cleansing for you—a kind of meditation.

Exactly. It’s a cleanse. It’s a meditation. The art is taking written dialogue and making it feel completely human. It’s about being present, listening, and truly connecting with the person you’re acting with. That’s what I love about it.

Fashion is different. I go into my own imagination and almost write the character’s story for the clothes I’m wearing. In the end, it’s all dress-up and play—but acting asks something much deeper of you.

Let’s talk about being looked at versus inhabiting, control versus surrender.

What I love about acting is the surrender. I get to let the character take over. I’m not concerned with how I look — that’s everyone else’s job. I’m just like, okay, here we go. And for me, that’s beautiful. The more raw — even the more “ugly” — you let in, the more beautiful it becomes. With photo shoots, there’s an aspect of beauty, but there’s surrender there too.

And control.

Yes. There’s more control over how an image is portrayed. It’s not moving. You’re capturing something that makes people want more. That’s the difference. But in acting, letting go and being whatever I need to be — that’s the most magical part.

“I love fashion, and I love feeling beautiful, but the moment someone says, action, I love letting all of that disappear.”

–Dree Hemingway–

Balancing modeling, acting, and motherhood—has becoming a mother changed how you evaluate opportunities?

Becoming a mother has definitely changed me for the better. I just don’t give a shit about a lot of things anymore.

The opportunities that come my way now are also different. I don’t know whether I’m evaluating them differently or whether my brain has simply changed. It's hard to separate the two.

Dormant instincts suddenly kick in the moment you become a mother. You don’t consciously evaluate things anymore—it just becomes an instinctive yes or no.

Exactly. It’s instinctual. I don’t overthink it. If I stop and reflect, I can feel how much I’ve changed. I can look back at the younger version of myself with a lot of love and gratitude, while also being thankful for the person I am today.

What’s the best advice your mother gave you that you will pass down to your daughter?

Pretty is as pretty does. She always emphasized that true beauty comes from the inside.

You're working in two industries where images can quickly take on a life of their own. They’re often shaped by headlines, social media, and public interpretation rather than the intentions behind the work itself. How do you navigate that?

It’s hard. I know I’m part of a clickbait culture, and I’ve had to develop a thicker skin —Externally, at least. Internally, I'm jelly.

I've stopped reading a lot of it because it doesn’t serve me. Every character I play is deeply personal. I put so much love into the work that, eventually, I have to let it go and allow people to interpret it however they will.

Stella McCartney black shirt and pants.

It’s difficult not to say, you've misunderstood this. You’re looking at it from the wrong angle. The script I read is different from the edit you see on the screen.

But the moment you become defensive, it looks like you've done something wrong. All I can really say is that everything I do comes from a place of love. I care very deeply about my work, and once it's out in the world, I have to let it exist on its own.

It’s not really about other people’s perceptions. I know why I played a character the way I did, and I know what my intentions were. I knew why I chose the project, and at the end of the day, that has to be enough.

Has that changed the kinds of projects you’re willing to take on? And, do you believe that once a work is released, it belongs as much to the audience as it does to the artist?

I’m learning that it does belong to the audience. I don’t set out to stir the pot, but I also don’t want to choose projects just because they’re safe. That’s not why I became an actor.

A project has to have depth, and it has to bring me joy. Every role I’ve taken has done that. Once you release the work into the world, all you can hope for is that people see the love you put into it. If they don't, then that has to be okay too.

You grew up around mythology — both literary, with your great-grandfather, Ernest, Hollywood mythology with your mom, Mariel, and fashion mythology with your aunt, Margaux. How did you move through the world once you began to realize that your last name was loaded?

It never felt like a burden to me. In a way, it felt lucky — it opened a door. But once the door was open, I had to prove myself—am I good enough? I had to prove to myself and everyone else that I deserved to walk through it.

You’ve spoken about redefining your relationship to the Hemingway name. Can you explain?

There’s the idea of the “Hemingway curse,” depression runs in our family, and things like that. But I never felt like I had to edit anything; it just never felt like it was a part of me. I didn’t feel the need to take on the burden of the name’s perception, or to be the next generation Hemingway in some way. I’ve always seen it, and I’ve never wanted to partake in it.

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“There’s never been a point in my career—whether in modeling or acting—when I’ve thought I’ve made it. Every project feels new, and every time I start over.”

–Dree Hemingway–

I once met your mom. I’d always had this vision of strong Hemingway women — strong in presence, strong in bone structure, carrying their own weight regardless of the name. So, when you came onto the scene, I thought — never mind a curse — what is that DNA? What is that strength?

For my aunt Margaux, she was picked out of nowhere and became the biggest supermodel. I don’t even know if that was something she was trying for. My mother was picked up because Margaux was doing the film Lipstick , and my mom was asked to play her little sister.

I’ve been lucky. I was lucky to meet my agent, and lucky that Inez and Vinoodh picked me up. Lucky that Sean Baker cast me in Starlet. The fashion and entertainment industries are cutthroat. They can diminish your self-esteem. But there’s always been a part of me that really loves what I do and believes that it will all work out.

As for the women in my family, we all have our own voices. My sister is an incredible artist. My aunt Joan was an incredible artist. It runs in our family. I don’t think we were trying to live up to anything. It just is. It runs in our DNA. It’s what we were born to do in some way.

After more than a decade in front of the camera, what still challenges you?

I’m still a nervous wreck. I'm always afraid they're going to fire me.

So the work itself still challenges you.

I still feel like I’m never going to make it. There’s never been a point in my career—whether in modeling or acting—when I’ve thought I’ve made it. Every project feels new, and every time I start over.

Robert Evans once told me something that's always stayed with me. He said, I've never met a happy actress. Either she's at the top of her game and terrified it's all going to end, or she's afraid she'll never get there.

That's exactly it. Either you're convinced nobody's ever going to want you again, or you're doing really well, and you're terrified that one decision could make it all crumble.

That's the insecurity of this job because nothing is ever guaranteed. I have terrible imposter syndrome. I'll walk into a room convinced that people I've met before won't even remember me. It's such an internal feeling of self-worth.

I'm happiest when I'm on set, but there's always that little voice saying, Oh my God, this could be the end of everything.

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Romeo Hunte wool blazer with asymmetric pant detailing on the waist | Max Mara flat sandals in leather and elasticated webbing.

When you’re uncomfortable on set, what does that look like?

Dree: I take a breath. I step back and ask why I’m in my head. What are these insecurities? There are always days when I get in my head. I just remind myself that this is just a day, and I’m human. Sometimes I listen to music. I calm myself down. I remind myself it isn’t real in some way. I don’t need to be perfect.

As artists, we’re inherently insecure because we’re raw. We’re putting ourselves out there for judgment. It’s scary, beautiful, and therapeutic. It’s about being okay living in that space.

In life, what are you trying to unlearn?

People-pleasing. It’s very ingrained in me.

How has your relationship to ambition changed?

There was a time I thought things would just come to me. Today, I work harder, and I want to put in the work. I want to study. And I don’t want anyone to say I didn’t work for it.

When you look back on your career twenty years from now, what do you hope you recognize about yourself through your performances and photographs?

(Pause) Thank you for that question. It's such a great question. (Pause)

I hope I can look back and be proud of everything I've done. I hope I can see the building blocks that shaped the person I became and be proud of that.

When I look back now, I feel love for the younger version of myself. There was a time when I thought I wouldn't be proud of some of that work, but now I see it differently. I'm proud of the Dree who made Starlet. If you gave me that project today, I'd approach it completely differently, but that's the point—I've grown.

I hope, twenty years from now, I can look back knowing I was fully present in every project I took on. More than anything, I hope I brought love and light to every character I played—even the evil ones. Because they're human too.