Julia Stiles’ latest music obsession is one that would undoubtedly have Kat Stratford dancing on a table.
“I know I’m a little late to the party, but I cannot get Chappell Roan out of my head,” Stiles, 43, exclusively tells in the latest issue. “And I know the album came out a year ago—she broke out a year ago—but it’s such a great party to join.”
Roan, 26, has rapidly risen to stardom since the release of her 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Her breakout success earned her six Grammy nominations for 2025, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. At this year’s ceremony on Sunday, February 2, she took home the award for Best New Artist.
During the awards show, Roan performed her hit single “Pink Pony Club”—a track that also happens to be a favorite of Stiles. “First, it was ‘HOT TO GO!,’ and I even know the dance. Then it was ‘Pink Pony Club,’” she shares with Us. “It just won’t leave my brain. I think she’s incredible.”
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While Stiles’ music playlist is filled with pink ponies, her TV screen is often occupied by the beloved blue cartoon dog, Bluey. “The show I’m watching the most is Bluey,” she admits.
As a mother of three, Stiles relates deeply to Mum (voiced by Melanie Zanetti) on the Australian children’s series. “She’s very relatable,” Stiles says, adding, “I like the dad [David McCormack] too. The dad’s pretty fun. Dads always get to be fun.” (Stiles shares her three children with her husband, Preston Cook.)
Grammys Winner Chappell Roan’s Music (Photo: Getty Images)Julia Stiles Is Obsessed With Chappell Roan
Between parenting, acting, and directing her first feature film, Wish You Were Here, Stiles dreams of a well-earned beach getaway. “I love a good beach. I’m all about the beach, saltwater, and sunshine,” she reveals.
“I filmed a TV show for a few years in France and a little bit in Italy—it’s such a wonderful place. I’d love to go back. But a beach in Costa Rica? That’s definitely a happy place.”
No beach vacation is complete without a great book, and Stiles has a few current favorites. “Nightbitch, because they turned it into a great movie,” she tells. “I’m in the middle of The Pro, and it’s such a good book—I’m really enjoying it. … All Fours is amazing.”
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She continues, “I read Desperately Seeking Something, Susan Seidelman’s memoir, because her movie Desperately Seeking Susan—which put her on the map—was a huge influence in my childhood.”
Stiles also notes that Desperately Seeking Susan served as a creative reference while making Wish You Were Here, particularly when it came to the film’s color palette and design.
Julia Stiles Is Obsessed With Chappell Roan
Wish You Were Here, which premiered in theaters last month, stars Isabelle Fuhrman as Charlotte, a woman whose deepening romantic connection with Adam (played by Mena Massoud) is complicated by his terminal illness. The film also features Stiles’ sister, Jane Stiles, alongside Kelsey Grammer and Jennifer Grey.
In addition to her acting experience, Stiles credits motherhood as invaluable preparation for directing her first movie. “Being a mother is incredible training for being a director,” she explains.
“You have to master time management, multitasking, and balancing the present moment while thinking ten steps ahead. You need to operate well on little sleep, handle people’s emotions and needs, and guide them. It’s absolutely the best training.”
