EXCLUSIVE: 'Power''s Raina And 'OITNB' Star Donshea Hopkins Is 17 And Confidently Making Her Own Trends
We are in an age of some serious #BlackGirlMagic! From stars like Marsai MartinĀ andĀ Yara ShahidiĀ to Chloe and HalleĀ andĀ Zendaya, young Black girls are unapologetically doing their thing. Donshea Hopkins is one rising star that shouldn't be slept on and is having a great year as a young face you definitely won't forget in Hollywood!
You may remember Donshea from BET's hit series The Bobby Brown StoryĀ or from giving us one of the biggest television plot twists as her character RainaĀ on Power. Recently, she showed off more of her acting chops on the final season of Netflix's hit seriesĀ Orange Is the New Black. And she's just getting started.
BET caught up with Donshea Hopkins at Beautycon LA to discuss all things beauty and fashion and her future in Hollywood!
BET: We love you onĀ PowerĀ andĀ OITNB, what are some makeup tips you picked up being on movie or TV sets?
Donshea Hopkins: I learned how to apply mascara way better! The trick is to curl your lashes, take a spoon and put it over you eye, then apply the mascara. The volume you get when the mascara dries is insane!
B: As one of the new faces of young Hollywood, do you feel pressure to keep up with beauty and hair trends?
DH: Sometimes, but I really like to create my own trends. Iāll take stuff from pieces of clothing and put it together with another piece. And Iāll get menās clothing to wear as dresses. I try to play around with everything. I like to stay with trends, as far as knowing what the fashion is, but I like to create my own thing, and itās no pressure because itās so much fun.
As far as hair goes,Ā I canāt do my own hair to save my life, so I go to my hairstylists, and they keep me in check. They show me different trends, and Iāll let them know what I want to try.
B: What's your everyday makeup routine away from work?
DH: Iām home schooled, so most mornings I just wake up go to my computer and get to it. The days I like to look cute, Fenty Beauty is my lifesaver. And Laura Mercier! She has the most amazing tinted moisturizer. Iāll mix the tinted moisturizer with Fenty concealer to achieve this cream consistency that stays on all day. Sometimes I will mix it with Mario Badescu. They have a soap powder which is for skincare, but you can use it over your makeup as well.
B:Ā Power isĀ coming back for its final season? Do you still have a relationship with the cast?
DH: I do! They invited me to the table reads and the wrap party for this final season. I was sick but I still partied and had fun with everyone. We really are one big family, so if they are having anything, they invite me. Thereās a spin-off, too! I canāt give anything away, but, yes, we are super-duper close!
B: Whatās next for you? What can we expect to see from you in the future?
DH: Well, you guys can catch me inĀ The Bobby Brown StoryĀ on BET or on the BET app. I rap and sing as well, which many people donāt know. My new single, āCanāt Tell Me Nothing,ā is available everywhere; Apple Music, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify, everywhere! My EP, 3.2, was out, but we took it down because we are working on an album, which will hopefully be out by the end of August, beginning of September.
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Editor's note:Ā This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.