17-year-old Malia Baker is one of Hollywood’s most promising starlets. Her outstanding portrayal of Mary Anne Spier in Netflix’s The Baby-Sitter’s Club, as well as her role in Paramount’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? earned her industry acclaim alongside a nomination for Favorite Female TV Star at the 2022 Kids Choice Awards.

Malia has garnered a massive platform since entering Hollywood at age 11, including almost 700k followers on Instagram. She’s also received one of the highest honors of the television industry. Baker was nominated at the Family and Children’s Emmys for her performance in The Baby-Siitters Club for OUTSTANDING YOUNGER PERFORMER IN A PRESCHOOL, CHILDREN'S OR YOUNG TEEN PROGRAM.

The actress stars in Disney’s Descendants franchise in its fourth installment, The Rise of Red, as Cinderella and Prince Charming’s daughter, Chloe. Beautytap caught up with Malia to learn about her current fashion house obsession, her secret to keeping skin hydrated during long winter shoots, and the product that saved everyone’s hair on set.

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Malia Baker: I’m leaving New York literally in a couple of hours. I feel so prepped, honestly. I’m kind of killing it today. My bags are packed. I’m chilling. How’s your day going?

Beautytap: It’s been great. I’m so happy to be able to welcome you to Beautytap and congratulate you on your latest project, Descendants: The Rise of Red, which is premiering next week! That’s such a big deal.

M: Thank you so much. I’m so stoked. It’s going to be crazy. My co-star, Kylie Cantrall, and I have been here together, and every time we go out, we’re like, “Do you see a billboard?” We’re so excited; it’s wild.

B: I’ve seen Descendants posters everywhere, including at my bus station this morning. You guys are everywhere. That must be such an incredible experience to have this newfound publicity for a project you’re so passionate about.

M: It definitely is! I really can’t believe it.

B: I’d love to start by talking about your involvement as a Champion and Global Ambassador, respectively, for two special nonprofit organizations: Girl Up and She’s the First. These organizations are both committed to bettering the lives of girls and young women worldwide. I’m wondering how you became involved with them and why it’s important for you to support their missions.

M: I remember first downloading Instagram when I was 12 years old, and it wasn’t out of my own satisfaction. I only had an iPad and was like, “What am I going to do? Post on my iPad?” And that’s exactly what I did, as I was told by the company I worked for at that point that I needed to post three times a week to boost viewership, which is obviously a little stressful for a gal who never had Instagram before.

I later decided to use my account not only for myself but also for the people that I admired and valued. I wanted them to have a platform rather than myself because I really got tired of posting selfies and “Get ready with me” in the morning. It wasn’t my vibe back in the day.

I initially connected with She’s the First over Instagram. They have an amazing community that I felt welcomed and inspired by. Our collaboration led to my becoming a Global Ambassador for them last year, which is so wild.

I later got connected with Girl Up, a United Nations organization. They flew me out to D.C. last year to do this panel with Monique Coleman, whom I had admired for years. I mean, High School Musical is iconic. And if I don’t want to use my platform for myself and what I’m doing at that moment, then it’s always going to be for Girl Up because I really admire everyone involved.

B: I love that you’re taking this platform, which can be toxic towards young women and their self-perceptions, and using it for good. Speaking of, you have a big following already. You’re officially joining the Disney family. Do you feel responsible for serving as a role model for your audience?

M: Oh, absolutely. I feel like I was gently – not even gently – it was a smack to the face the other day at VidCon. It was like, “Oh my gosh, you have hundreds of these little girls dressed in red and blue with their best friends holding your face in doll form. You have to be a role model.

If you’re not showing up for yourself, you’re showing up for the people watching this movie.”

I’m a big sister. My sister is four years younger than me, and this is the only project she’s ever thought I’d been cool for. If that’s saying anything, I want others to see me in a big sister form because I hold myself to that high standard and feel like it’s a big part of my identity. If I can be a role model for other youngsters in the industry or outside, I’m so grateful to be in that position.

B: I have a younger sister, too, and it’s the same thing. If she’s proud of me, then does anything else matter?

M: The shade is so real! It’s like, “So you hate me? I don’t understand. So you don’t want to be my best friend anymore? That’s so confusing.” Like, “Oh, steal my clothes. Break my heart.”

B: The clothes! There is no bigger fight than when she walks in wearing my shirt, I’ll tell you that much. But also, speaking of Disney, you’re on the press tour for Descendants right now, right?

M: Yes, we’re in New York right now. We did Good Morning America yesterday, the Empire State Building today, and a couple of other things. It was a packed day. And before that, we were in L.A. for a week and a half. So, it’s a fun little journey.

B: What’s coming up for you in the next week or two before the movie’s premiere on July 12th?

M: I get to be home [in Canada] for four days, and then I go back out to L.A. for fittings. I’m going out early because, you know, you gotta show up for the big day and get everything prepared for then.

B: Do you have a favorite press tour look?

M: I’ve been into Chanel recently, which is so random because I never saw myself fitting into that arena growing up. And then my stylist, Marc Eram, said, “You would love this. You’re going to wear this today.” And I was like, “Oh, I don’t know. I can’t see myself-”

As soon as I put it on, I was like, “This is happening.” Everything came together but from all different brands. It was this pink Chanel coat, pink shoes from By Far, and Versace rings. So cute.

I also wore this vintage two-piece Betsey Johnson look on Good Morning America yesterday, and it was just adorable. I loved it.

Those have been the two looks I’ve held in my heart the best so far, but I’m most excited about the premiere look. I don’t even know what it is yet, but it’s going to be good, I promise.

B: I don’t doubt it for a second. From what I’ve seen, Marc has been seriously killing it. What’s the best part about working with him?

M: Oh my gosh. I think he’s just so collaborative. I feel like we share the same brain sometimes, and when I don’t feel like I’m guiding us in the right direction stylistically, he’s able to do it in such an expert way. Like exactly what I just said with the Chanel piece. I was like, “No, I don’t think it’s gonna be great.” And it turned out to be one of my favorite looks I’ve worn – all because of him. He’s able to have that vision and work so closely with brands that we’ve built a rapport of, “This is who I wear now, and this is what I want to be doing and how I want to be viewed.”

He’s also just so collaborative. I’ll text him at midnight, and he’ll respond in five minutes. I’m like, “You’re thinking about tomorrow. I am, too.” It’s just so great. So, he’s incredible. I love him.

B: Is there a designer you both look up to or draw a lot of inspiration from?

M: I actually don’t know who he draws inspiration from designer-wise. He went to designer school for years in Australia, which was crazy to hear about and what drew me to him. He legitimately was able to pin me in such a specific way that I was like, “So you’re crazy - in the best way. You’re legit insane.”

I’ve really loved Chanel recently, so I’m going to stick there as my answer.

B: That is a very solid choice.

M: You can’t go wrong, right?

B: Another person on your team Tiarra “Bobbie” Riley. I know she did your makeup for VidCon, and you guys have recently started collaborating. Is there anything that you can share about working with her and finding what makeup look suits you the best?

M: We met a couple of weeks ago. As soon as I met her and as soon as she worked with my hair person, Miles Jeffries, I was like, “You guys are the team. I can see this. It’s all piecing together.” And now she’s just so incredible.

Honestly, I can’t even take any credit. I’ll have some idea of what I want to do that day, depending on the outfit - whether that’s a clean look, a dewier look, or a cat eye. But she always comes in and can assess the situation, see the outfits, see the hair, and understand which moment needs to be shown in its brightest light. This is an underrated skill that I feel many artists don’t understand and respect, but I trust her and that brush with my life.

B: It sounds like she was the latest addition to your team, so it’s great that she’s able to

transition in so smoothly and play off what Miles and Marc are doing.

M: Oh, totally. She slid in there, and she stayed. She was like, “I’m here for a long time actually.”

B: That’s awesome, as is your hair. The different styles that you can pull off are unbelievable. I love it when you keep it long and flowy, and I also like your slicked-back looks. I especially loved the one you wore a few days ago at VidCon, where it’s slicked in the front, and the rest is loose, long, and curly.

M: Oh my gosh, I loved that one. That was so fun.

B: Can you tell me a bit about landing on that style?

M: Miles is crazy. He is wild. I love him.

We were going to do a blowout that day, and then I was like, “I need to take a chill pill on the blowouts. I need the curls to shine a little bit. I can’t have it too damaged.” and he was like, “Okay, I know what we’re gonna do.” And I wanted something completely opposite. And he was like, “You don’t understand the vision.” And he killed it. It took only an hour. He just did my front pieces and put them behind in a ponytail, then did the rest of my curls how I would usually and then diffused it. And we were set for the day.

Being a curly-haired girl in the industry, finding people who know how to do curly hair is more of a struggle than you think. I worked with him for the first time doing this shoot back in April, and I needed to hold on to him forever. I was like, “You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying with me.” And he’s just been so down for it, which I’ve loved.

B: Do you even need to do touch-ups throughout the day?

M: No, it was a do-and-go. He did it for literally that hour in the morning, and it stayed.

B: Are there any specific products, whether hair, makeup, or skincare, that have been your go-to while on the Descendants press tour?

M: It’s funny. I haven’t been much of a lip girl in the past. I’ve usually kept it very nude, but Bobbie has had a different vision—and she’s honestly converted me.

I’ve been loving the Fenty glosses. When I want a red lip, we go for the Chanel red, of course. And then, when we want a pink lip, something sweeter, we do Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk. I love a Pillow Talk moment. That’s my color till I die.

For hair, we’re obsessed with Maui Moisture. And then Oribe. {He T.K.} collaborated with them a while ago, and he’s put me on. It’s like all I’ve been using recently. So that’s my little holy grail of products as of now. I’m sure it’ll change in the next few months, though.

B: Do you like experimenting with other beauty products or stick to what you know?

M: I feel like makeup is a new realm for me. And hair, honestly, too. I’ve loved doing it. I feel like everyone likes to play dress up now and then. And having these press opportunities where you’re not necessarily dressing up as yourself every day - it’s like you’re wearing a look, you’re wearing whatever fits the occasion – it’s been fun to experiment outside of my comfort zone because that’s how you find your new favorites.

And I never thought I’d be doing most of the things I’m doing, but I’ve loved it. It’s been a fun journey.

B: Is there anyone who worked on the set of Descendants that let you in on any beauty secrets, tips, or tricks?

M: Yes! We were filming Descendants in Atlanta during the winter. It was freezing, and my skin was so dry. My makeup artist, Caroline Monge, gave me this moisturizer to slather on my face before I went to bed, and it was so uncomfortable, like the type of slather where you can’t sleep on your side. I thought, “This isn’t a vibe whatsoever. I’m going to wake up and be so grossed out.” But I woke up and was hydrated for the day. The week! It’s wild. So, I think that’s been my favorite secret. Now, whenever I feel a little flaky somewhere, I’ve slathered myself and been completely fresh.

B: Do you use a specific lotion?

M: I use Skinbetter Science’s Trio Luxe Moisture Treatment, and it’s lovely. I recommend it - it’s very neutral to your skin. But if it’s not that, then CeraVe. I mean, drugstore things, you can’t go wrong with them most of the time.

B: Which princess is your beauty icon, and why?

M: Ooh, I’d say Tiana. Not just because she’s my favorite princess but also because I feel like her beauty shows from her inside, and it just transfers out to whoever she’s with and whatever situation she’s in. Also, she can do everything. She can go from a full beat to fresh-faced.

B: Full beat to fresh-faced to frog.

M: Yes! To Frog.

B: That’s interesting because when it comes to identity and expression, Chloe Charming’s blue hair is so vibrant. It’s such a big part of her character. Did you feel any pressure being the main blue character in a movie called The Rise of Red?

M: I haven’t even thought about that. Damn. That’s a really great point. But yeah, Chloe and Red wear such contrasting colors that they look so explosive on screen. We always joke that a cotton candy bag exploded on set.

Having the blue and red contrast is great. On set, I told Kylie, “I’m Sharkboy, and you’re Lavagirl.” And I think it just holds true. I mean, you remember them for their colors! And I think you’ll remember Chloe because she’s legit blue from head to toe - and if she’s not blue, she’s glittered out. And I think that’s her identity at the end of the day. I mean, the glitter. I was trying to recall which scene she has time to bejewel her face for, like, an hour. I was like, “Girl, get the pocket watch!” Like, she's on a time crunch, and she’s sitting there, like, “One more jewel!” But I think that just wraps her up as a whole.

B: Would you say that Chloe’s hair reflects her personality? Is she big and loud and crazy, or the complete opposite?

M: I think Chloe’s hair definitely reflects who she is. The curls are bouncy, and Chloe’s is bouncy. She’s more of a cutesy, very energetic person in the friend group. When people say, “golden retriever energy,” that’s her. Or “blue-en retriever,” I guess? And her hair stands out because she wants to stand out in all her ways. And she looks after it like her mother does, too, so it’s a sweet family connection.

B: Speaking of Chloe’s mother, Cinderella, what motifs from the original Cinderella (1950) movie play into your Descendants costume?

M: One of my favorite parts about this character is that we can see so many things and be like, “That’s an Easter egg!”

Our original take on Chloe is that she has this family emblem, which is new to this movie. Each character has one, which you’ll find in the dolls, the merchandise, and the film itself. Chloe’s is a diamond with two swords. It’s on her belt, on the back of her coat, everywhere. Her mom, dad, and brother have it, too. The swords represent her dad, and her mom is the diamond portion.

But my favorite thing that I’ve taken from the past movies is the iconic glass slippers. There’s a sweet scene that you’ll see where I get them for the first time. It was a big moment.

B: What was it like working with Paul Cha, head of makeup on set?

M: Paul was incredible. The other day, he texted me that he saw our billboard and said, “I’m just so proud of you guys.”

He’s such an O.G. He would show us photos on the set of touring with Britney Spears. He’s a legend in the industry and was an expert in everything skin and makeup. Even coloring-wise. Sometimes, you walk into a makeup room, and you’re like, “Will they be able to match shade me perfectly?” There’s a moment of fear and doubt. But Paul and Caroline nailed it. I had no control in the best way. I was like, “I trust you guys. Whatever you do, I’m happy to show up for it.”

Paul was even in charge of our nail colors, and he worked closely with Mattel to figure out how they would look on the dolls and all the other merchandising, which is so expertly crafted. So, they were incredible.

B: What was the experience of shooting action scenes in a wig?

M: Let’s talk about it because I haven’t been asked this question yet. This was one of the biggest conversations on set. And now we’re doing press, and I’m like, where did it go? It’s like we just forgot about the trauma. Like, we’re all bonded for a reason!

But we were on set doing boot camp for a month before filming. So we were told to do crazy things, like, “Okay, we’re going to do weightlifting for an hour, and then you guys are going to go into the dancing portion, and then you’re going to school for two hours, and then you’re going to come back, and you’re going to weight lift again.” It’s just like the wildest thing for a 16-year-old to be doing on their day-to-day.

On top of that, we would test out scenes with the costumes, hair, and makeup and how it would feel to be on set for ten hours while still dancing and looking happy. As you can see in many of the photos that have come out, my co-star, Dara Reneé —she's an icon—has these really long locks. And all of our hair actually started that long – it’s literally at her feet. I don’t know how she did that. She’s in a harness for half the movie. She killed it. Don’t know how that was possible.

But as soon as Kylie and I started practicing stunts, production said, “This can’t happen.” I’m so grateful that they came to that realization because it would have been a much longer shoot if they hadn’t.

B: Wow! It’s interesting that it was an actual drama to figure out how to work with the wigs.

M: Yes, it was so much drama! But they figured it out in their expertly ways.

B: Are there any specific products or techniques they used to keep the wigs laid perfectly?

M: The wigs were honestly the biggest divas of this set, the main characters of the movie. They were number one on the call sheet every single damn day. And I hope that they shine through and get their moment.

During screen tests throughout boot camp, the wig’s laces were so difficult to figure out. At first, they told me I was going to have to dye my hair. Kylie was the one who broke the news to me. She sent a selfie of her hair in tin foils and was like, “First day!” And I was like, “I’m not coming in. Can’t do it, girl.” But they figured it out where they didn’t even have to dye my hair. Kylie wasn’t so lucky, but she loves it. She rocks the pink.

It was just a lot of glue—so much glue. And then, afterward, a lot of Olaplex Bonding Oil. Olaplex was the biggest brand on the set because it kept all our hair intact. So, we thank them in every single way.

B: Are there any beauty products you can’t live without?

M: ChapStick. I am a ChapStick girly till I die. If I’m out and someone asks for a little lippy, I will pull out of my tiny bag and go, “Got you, girl.” Always.

B: Do you always have tons of different ChapSticks in your purse, or do you stick to one brand?

M: You know what’s super classic and never fails me? That even if I’m out and like, “I didn’t bring my ChapStick,” I will always find Burt’s Bees. Never, never dies. It’s so simple.

B: What’s your favorite mascara?

M: Maybelline’s Lash Sensational is my die-hard. I grew up in an all-girl household with my younger sister and mom. We would fight all the time if someone stole our Maybelline Lash Sensational. It actually is the biggest drama in our household.

B: The fists come out when someone steals the Maybelline.

M: Seriously. And then I’m like, “Mine’s dried out. Why is it dried out? Did someone not close it?”

B: Do you have a skin regimen or products you use daily – besides ChapStick?

M: I have a very rigid skincare routine, but it’s only that way because I used to break out so much. It’s been a journey of not being on set like, “Will you guys please cover everything?” and feeling confident in my skin. And it’s not that beauty doesn’t show through the imperfections of the skin; it’s just my comfort and how I feel whenever my skin is at its best place. It’s painful and pretty heavy to wear pounds of makeup while you’re on set, especially while also needing to wear an acne patch.

Sunscreen is the staple of my routine. I love Supergoop and have recently been using their Mineral Mattescreen. I’ll put you on it if you haven’t tried it before. That one’s my favorite.

B: Is it a difficult experience to figure out the best skincare products for your skin while also being on camera all the time?

M: I mean, I joke all the time, “Oh, the world is seeing me go through puberty.” But it’s true. I started acting at 11 and was on The Baby-Sitter’s Club until I was 14, and I’m like, “Wow. You went through big years. Good for you.”

B: I would love to know if you have any secrets for hair growth. Yours is so long and healthy, and I’m sure others want to know how you got it to where it is.

M: You know on Pinterest when you see those, “Here’s a hair mask that you can make from home that really helps hair growth?” That was me when I was like 10. And avocado was always the recurring ingredient. So, I would say a little avocado mask now and then really does the job.

B: Do you have any advice about being confident in and loving your natural hair?

M: It was honestly such a journey for me. I played Mary Anne Spier in The Baby-Sitters Club, and she went through her own hair journey, which forced me to go through it as well. I never really wore my hair down before that. It was constantly in a tight slipknot bun, and nobody ever really saw the curls out, which, now, looking back on it, is such a wild thought.

I now think of it as, do what you would want if nobody were watching. Do what you’d like to experiment with, what you’d wish your little sister and your kids to do in the future with their own hair. Be that role model for yourself, even in the moments when you don’t have anyone else to be a role model for you. Because there are moments where I’m like, “Oh, I can have my hair slicked back right now and feel way better,” but I always think of how impactful it was for me to see curly girls on screen and am hoping to pass that on.

B: I think it’s awesome that Chloe’s character lets you have that curly hair representation that feels true to who you are – even though hers is blue.

M: Exactly. They literally designed [her hair] off this photo of me when I was 13, and I was like, “Oh my God, why do you have that?” It’s so cool that the wig designers could figure it out in a way that’s so authentic to who I am.

B: What are you looking forward to in the future, either a specific upcoming project or general dreams for the rest of your career that’s already been so successful but is also just getting started?

M: I hope I’m just getting started! It’s been a fun journey so far. I don’t want to stop.

I have four projects in the vault right now. There’s this one called Hair of the Bear which is a passion project that I produced and starred in earlier this year. We filmed in the middle of Winnipeg in the very, very freezing cold, so please make the freeze worth it and watch it when it comes out. It was so much fun to be a part of and to have my opinion heard through a different lens than just as an actor. If you don’t agree with some of my producing opinions of the film, you’ll have to tell me!

Catch the mesmerizing Malia Baker starring in Descendants: The Rise of Red now streaming on Disney+.