<\/p>\n
When I connect with Alicia Silverstone on Zoom, she\u2019s in animal rescue mode.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy is your collar so tight?\u201d she says to the off-screen canine who\u2019s materialized at her side in the sunny loft where she\u2019s crashing for her New York stay. Her friend\u2019s dog declines the assist: \u201cHe doesn\u2019t want me to,\u201d she says when she reaches down to loosen his collar. Ah well. The Los Angeles-based Silverstone is a longtime dog person; at one point, she tells me, she had 11 dogs. \u201cIt was insane, but it was awesome,\u201d she says with a laugh. These days, she\u2019s down to just one: Pinto Bean, a pit bull who occasionally stars in her Instagram posts<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Izel gown, $895 at Simkhai<\/a><\/strong>; Chinese Laundry<\/strong> Thorie sandals, $80 at DSW<\/a>; Gema earrings, $580 at Swarovski<\/a><\/strong>; Ring (Silverstone\u2019s right pinky finger) in 14-k yellow gold with diamonds, price upon request, and ring (Silverstone\u2019s left ring finger) in 14-k yellow gold with diamonds and emeralds<\/a>, $5,175, both at Grown Brilliance<\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n Silverstone, 49, has long been known for her animal rights activism, almost as much as she\u2019s known for being the \u201cClueless\u201d queen of the \u201990s<\/a>. Lately, though, she\u2019s expanded her range across a variety of film and TV genres, coming into her own as a woman who can steal a whole movie with a small but key role (2023\u2019s \u201cPerpetrator\u201d), pop up in the edgy world of director Yorgos Lanthimos (\u201cThe Killing of a Sacred Deer,\u201d October release \u201cBugonia\u201d) or star in a thrilling murder-mystery, as with her current Acorn TV hit \u201cIrish Blood.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019s bringing her signature Silverstone twinkle to the Christmas season now, too: \u201cA Merry Little Ex-Mas,\u201d out now, is a warm, witty addition to Netflix\u2019s growing holiday movie collection. \u201cWhen I read the script, it made me cry, which is always a good sign!\u201d she shares. It\u2019s hardly a tearjerker, though the movie definitely has its share of feels. Silverstone stars as a small-town mom and professional handywoman who\u2019s given up her big-city dreams of green architecture to marry her sweetheart, from whom she is now \u2014 hat tip to Gwyneth \u2014 \u201cconsciously uncoupling.\u201d She and her soon-to-be ex-husband (Oliver Hudson) both find other love interests for the holidays (a very funny Pierson Fode and Jameela Jamil, respectively) \u2014 they\u2019re all thrown together and good-natured holiday chaos ensues. \u00a0<\/p>\n Tissy gown, $795 at Aknvas<\/a><\/strong>; Dolce Vita<\/strong> Poppi sandals, $140 at DSW<\/a>; Eva Tassel earrings, $375 at Nana Jacqueline<\/a><\/strong>; Custom ring (Silverstone\u2019s right ring finger) in 14-k white gold with diamonds<\/a>, price upon request at Grown Brilliance<\/strong>; Meteora ring (Silverstone\u2019s left ring finger), $189 at Swarovski<\/a><\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n One of the most IRL-aligned details is how eco-conscious Silverstone\u2019s character is. As she\u2019s the executive producer on the project, was this her doing? \u201cThis [character] was already a hardcore environmentalist, so I didn\u2019t have to ask for that,\u201d the actor says, adding that she did help flesh out some character details (and, one suspects, the addition of vegan treacle tarts to the movie\u2019s parade of seasonal delicacies). \u201cI loved how it was so environmentally grounded, that this character\u2019s trying so hard to be good in the world,\u201d Silverstone says. \u201cShe\u2019s sort of fighting this battle that nobody seems to be on board with her about.\u201d<\/p>\n Coat, $3,490, and skirt, $2,190, both at Carolina Herrera<\/a><\/strong>; Leslie pumps, $83 at Charles Keith<\/a><\/strong>; Norma earrings<\/a>, similar styles price upon request, and Arista necklace<\/a>, $248, both at Loren Hope<\/strong>; Petite Spencer ring (Silverstone\u2019s right pinky finger) with white sapphires<\/a>, $520 at Dorsey; Ring (Silverstone\u2019s left pinky finger) in 14-k white gold with diamonds<\/a>, $4,850 at Grown Brilliance<\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n Silverstone is an expert in that area: She\u2019s been a loud and proud advocate for going meatless \u2014 going vegan back in 1999 \u2014 and has periodically appeared in PETA ads over the years.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI remember being on Jay Leno and David Letterman when I was, like, 21, and both having bits about it. Leno was like, \u2018Going vegan? Is that an alien?\u2019 You know, it was this whole bit. It was funny, they\u2019re comedians, but the word really was so foreign to people,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I feel good that I had a part in bringing it to the mainstream. I\u2019ve pushed this subject for so long, and I care so much about it.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019s also written two books, \u201cThe Kind Diet\u201d and \u201cThe Kind Mama,\u201d and publishes advice for building a more eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle on her blog, \u201cThe Kind Life.\u201d\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Hypnotic gown, $1,850 at Zimmermann<\/a><\/strong>; Jade earrings in 18-k yellow gold with diamonds and rubies<\/a>, $9,800 at GuitaM<\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n Her leap into activism came only a handful of years after her entry into showbiz. The Northern California native\u2019s first role was in 1992 on \u201cThe Wonder Years,\u201d in a one-episode role as Fred Savage\u2019s object of affection<\/a>. About a year later, she won the lead in the thriller \u201cThe Crush,\u201d in which she played a 14-year-old girl who\u2019s dangerously obsessed with an author<\/a> (Cary Elwes), a \u201cLolita\u201d-like premise that, one imagines, probably wouldn\u2019t get greenlit today. The film led to a trio of starry appearances in Aerosmith videos (\u201cCryin\u2019,\u201d \u201cAmazing,\u201d \u201cCrazy\u201d), and then to the really big time: Amy Heckerling\u2019s \u201cClueless,\u201d that indelible 1995 riff on Jane Austen\u2019s \u201cEmma.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Among its many cultural contributions, the film\u2019s fashion sense was a breath of fresh air in the grunge-soaked \u201990s, with Silverstone\u2019s character, Cher Horowitz, wearing designer, candy-colored and tailored outfits that were the polar opposite of the slouchy flannels and jeans that dominated the era. Since then, Silverstone has made splashes in real life in fashion; her striking red-floral Carolina Herrera gown (with pockets, no less) at the New York \u201cBugonia\u201d premiere garnered plenty of notice.\u00a0<\/p>\n Michael Kors Collection <\/strong>dress, $9,500 at Michael Kors<\/a><\/strong>; Vienna ear cuffs<\/a>, $448, and Vienna ring<\/a>, $243, both at Swarovski<\/strong>; Arista necklace<\/a>, $248 at Loren Hope<\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy philosophy when I\u2019m looking for clothes is to always start with used,\u201d she says. \u201cBecause then we\u2019re not making new things, right? And the second place I would go is eco, because there\u2019s a ton of great eco brands. These sweatpants I have on are by Mate, this wonderful [sustainable] brand. The shoes I have on are vegan, made of environmentally sound materials. My underwear is all made of organic cotton by Pact.\u201d When she can\u2019t find used or eco-friendly items, she\u2019ll go to her third tier, which is new vegan. \u201cEco is very hard with the red carpet!\u201d she shares. \u201cSo, vegan is usually where I land with that.\u201d<\/p>\n Our Alexa fashion editor, Anahita Moussavian, catered the wardrobe to the actor\u2019s values. \u201cThe clothes were so beautiful, it was a dream!\u201d Silverstone raves. \u201cShe had all the vegan shoes on one side and all the used shoes on the other. And all the vintage things! Everything was vegan. I was just blown away. I felt like we were doing something cool.\u201d<\/p>\n Kiki gown, $4,500 at Houghton NYC<\/a><\/strong>; Vienna ear cuffs<\/a>, $448, and Vienna ring <\/a>(Silverstone\u2019s left ring finger), $243, both at Swarovski<\/strong>; Gwen ring (Silverstone\u2019s right ring finger) in 14-k white gold with diamonds<\/a>, $5,900 at Grown Brilliance<\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n Silverstone has made a life out of doing things her own way, from sticking to her guns on animal ethics to taking a more measured approach to the entertainment industry (as she told the Guardian, \u201cI stopped loving acting for a very long time\u201d). She rediscovered that spark in doing theater \u2014 taking a role in David Mamet\u2019s \u201cBoston Marriage,\u201d which he also directed, in 2006 \u2014 and began to show up in atmospheric, ominous indies like 2019\u2019s \u201cThe Lodge\u201d and black comedies like 2012\u2019s \u201cVamps,\u201d where she reunited with Heckerling as director. And, of course, Lanthimos\u2019 films: In \u201cThe Killing of a Sacred Deer,\u201d she plays the mother to Barry Keoghan\u2019s vengeance-seeking outcast, and in \u201cBugonia,\u201d she appears in black-and-white flashbacks as the addict mother of Jesse Plemons\u2019 troubled character. Suffice to say, none of it bears much resemblance to the wide-eyed, girl-next-door image initially popularized by those Aerosmith videos.<\/p>\n But Silverstone\u2019s son, Bear<\/a> (with her ex, Christopher Jarecki) \u2014 who\u2019s now 14 \u2014 recently joined his mom to hilariously reenact a beloved \u201cClueless\u201d scene on Instagram; it ties in with the much-anticipated Peacock sequel series announced earlier this year, in which Silverstone will reportedly return as Cher<\/a>. Beyond that, she tells me, \u201cThere\u2019s not much to say. We\u2019re in early development. We don\u2019t even have a shoot date.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Lily gown, price upon request at Lurline<\/a><\/strong>; Martella earrings, $425 at Jennifer Behr<\/a><\/strong>; Ring (Silverstone\u2019s right pinky finger) in 14-k yellow gold with diamonds<\/a>, price upon request, and ring (Silverstone\u2019s left ring finger) in 14-k yellow gold with diamonds and emeralds<\/a>, $5,175, both at Grown Brilliance<\/strong> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n I ask what it\u2019s like to look back on the \u201cClueless\u201d era from this wildly different vantage point. The year 1995, after all, was peak season for the media taking nasty potshots at famous young women. How does she regard memories of being in the spotlight at 18 from where she is now? \u201cI think it does feel different, for many reasons,\u201d she says. \u201cI mean, imagine being a little girl, and you\u2019re still just trying to go through puberty or whatever, and you\u2019re being stalked and harassed everywhere you go by the paparazzi.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Veronica blazer<\/a>, $440, and Josephine dress<\/a>, $510, both at Nana Jacqueline<\/strong>; Moreau earrings with white sapphires<\/a>, $320 at Dorsey<\/strong>; Vienna necklace<\/a>, $1,085, and Meteora ring<\/a> <\/a>(Silverstone\u2019s right pinky finger), $189, both at Swarovski<\/strong>; Custom ring (Silverstone\u2019s left ring finger) in 14-k white gold with diamonds, price upon request at Grown Brilliance<\/a><\/strong>; Betsey Johnson<\/strong> Mina pumps, $115 at DSW<\/a> Caitlin Cronenberg for Alexa Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n These days, though, \u201cthere\u2019s a punk-rock part to me that doesn\u2019t even care. I don\u2019t read most things. I try to just live my life. I\u2019m busy being a mom.\u201d She also feels the entertainment media environment has changed for the better. \u201cPeople are more respectful now. And also, I have a sense of humor about it. When people ask me stupid things, I just think it\u2019s sort of funny. Whereas when I was younger, it might have been harder to say no. Now, it\u2019s just like, you move on. I feel very comfortable saying \u2018no thanks.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Photographer: <\/strong>Caitlin Cronenberg; Editor:<\/strong> Serena French; Stylist:<\/strong> Anahita Moussavian; Photo Editor:<\/strong> Jessica Hober; Talent Booker:<\/strong> Patty Adams Martinez; Makeup:<\/strong> Brittany Leslie at The Wall Group using Rare Beauty; Hair: <\/strong>John D at Forward Artists; Nails: <\/strong>Stephanie Stone at Forward Artists using Essie; Fashion Assistants:<\/strong> Jena Beck, Gillian Hormel; Digital Tech:<\/strong> Clay Rasmussen; Lighting Tech:<\/strong> Zach Coco, Photo Assistant: <\/strong>Ben Thompson<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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