Anna Camp has found a niche playing the cool blonde in franchises such as “True Blood” and “Pitch Perfect.” Though she longs to go back to her roots, meaning her naturally brunette tresses, she put those plans on hold to take a plum role in Amazon’s highly anticipated Sixties-era series “Good Girls Revolt,” which premieres on Oct. 28 and is based on the book by Lynn Povich. In it, she plays another golden-haired perfectionist, this time in the publishing world. Camp, 33, also told WWD about her other dream character and why she’s an “open book.”
WWD: Tell us about your character in “Good Girls Revolt,” which is set in the late Sixties and early Seventies.
A.C.: Jane is the head of research. She’s fashion-oriented, perfect all the time, put together. She likes bows. But you’ll see her evolution of character and fashion on the show. Hopefully she’ll start to loosen up and burn her bra.
WWD: What do you hope audiences will feel watching the show?
A.C.: I want viewers to see it is powerful when a group comes together and tries to change the world in any way. These women are trying to get equal pay and rights back in the Sixties. When people come together and speak their mind a change can happen. So I hope the show inspires that.
WWD: Are you really into fashion?
A.C.: I consider myself a chill fashion girl. I’m not obsessed with fashion, but I think it’s something that expresses your personality. I’ve never felt more feminine than when I’m wearing a beautiful sundress. If I see one that calls my name I buy it.
WWD: How do you hold onto your Southern roots while in Hollywood?
A.C.: You have to surround yourself with good people who have good morals and who are grounded. L.A. can be a very fast-paced business-oriented town. I feel like I come from a very slow-paced, family-oriented and friendly place. I’m an open book. I never meet a stranger, which can get me into trouble at times. When I lived in New York I would talk to cab drivers all the time.
WWD: What’s the most Southern beauty ritual you have?
A.C.: I don’t do this anymore, but to get my hair more blonde by the sun my mom used to spray lemon juice on it. We used to douse our hair in lemon juice. Now I pay a lot of money to get it done professionally. I have been dying my hair since the seventh grade.
WWD: If you were to try another color, what would it be?
A.C.: Dark, dark, dark brown. I’m naturally brunette and I haven’t seen that color since the seventh grade, so it might be nice to go back and see what that feels like . I keep waiting for a job for that, but they keep wanting me blonde.
WWD: What’s your dream role?
A.C.: When I get older, I want to play Blanche DuBois in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Being from the south, I’m a huge Tennessee Williams fan. It’s so poetically written and gorgeous. It’s tragedy, but there’s beauty to it. She’s such a wonderful fading character and a challenge for any actress to play.