Get ready to see a whole lot more of Addison Rae on your screens in the near future, because the TikTok star has just signed a huge deal with Netflix.
Variety reported on Wednesday that the new lucrative deal will see Addison not only star in, but also executive produce the various projects which Netflix will develop specifically for her.
Talking to Variety about the new deal, Addison said she is “thrilled to be able to collaborate” with Netflix, and went on to express that she is “excited to develop projects while continuing to strengthen my skills as an actress.”
“Getting the opportunity to work with Netflix was such a pinch me moment and now to be able to continue the relationship is beyond my wildest dreams,” she said.
Speaking about the streaming company’s decision to sign the 20-year-old for a string of future projects, Netflix’s director of family film, Naketha Mattocks, explained that Addison’s “charm and promise is undeniable as evidenced by He’s All That and her already passionate fan base.”
“We’re thrilled to be part of this next phase of her burgeoning career as an actress,” Mattocks added.
The morning of the announcement, Addison went to Twitter to celebrate the news, tweeting to her 4.8 million followers, “I am so grateful.”
I am so grateful
And while Addison certainly seemed to be excited about securing the big deal, not everyone is so pleased about the news.
The contract comes weeks after Addison — who is the third-most followed person on TikTok — made her acting debut with a starring role in Netflix’s He’s All That, a gender-swapped remake of the 1999 high school rom-com She’s All That.
The film — which dropped on Netflix on August 27 — has long been surrounded by controversy, with fans slating the project before it was even released.
@FilmUpdates so addison gets to act just because she does tiktoks??? what about those who actually go to classes in order to act and actually work for that matter???
But despite the initial criticism, the film is already looking to be a huge success for Netflix — and Addison — with the movie taking the number one spot on the streaming platform in 78 countries since its release last month.
In spite of the immense number of views it has amassed, fans weren’t entirely impressed with the remake, with many viewers turning to Twitter to criticize Addison’s performance, describing her acting as “uninteresting” and “dull.”
I KNOW we all have our opinions on Addison Rae, but her acting in He's all that is one of the most monotonous, most uninteresting thing i have EVER sat through. LONGEST 1.5 hours of my life. None of the aforementioned adjectives can TRULY describe how dull her acting was
“I really wanted Addison Rae to prove everyone wrong but the acting in he’s all that... I truly have no words,” one user wrote.
I really wanted Addison Rae to prove everyone wrong but the acting in he’s all that... I truly have no words
“The dialog is very cringy and Addison's acting was bad but it was enjoyable,” another added.
tbh i enjoyed he's all that 😭 even though the dialog is very cringy and addison's acting was bad but it was enjoyable https://t.co/ouxs6qLqeq
So, in light of the responses to Addison’s acting debut, some fans are unsurprisingly displeased to see that the TikTok star has gone on to secure such a lucrative contract with Netflix.
@Variety Putting aside how awful He’s all that was as a movie…obviously Netflix doesn’t care about quality because her acting in that movie was just beyond terrible. Who told her she could act? And sing for that matter
“She does the worst acting job i’ve seen in the longest time and she gets a NETFLIX DEAL?” one fan tweeted. “Im sorry but there are more deserving actresses out there and amazing shows that are getting cancelled to make way for movies with her so no thank you.”
@Variety She does the worst acting job i’ve seen in the longest time and she gets a NETFLIX DEAL? Im sorry but there are more deserving actresses out there and amazing shows that are getting cancelled to make way for movies with her so no thank you
In a similar response, many viewers were quick to highlight that Addison lacks the experience and training that many other budding performers spend years of time and money working to attain, suggesting that there are plenty of other actors who might be more deserving of such an opportunity.
“Imagine earnings [sic] a degree in the arts, Doing theater, learning about Shakespeare, learning meisner vs strasberg doin free shorts getting paid with food, being cast as background talent, constantly at networking events just to be beat out by a white girl that steals dances,” someone wrote in response to the deal.
@atomicwick Imagine earnings a degree in the arts, Doing theater, learning about Shakespeare, learning meisner vs strasberg doin free shorts getting paid with food, being cast as background talent, constantly at networking events just to be beat out by a white girl that steals dances ...🤦🏾♂️
“That friggin remake was her acting DEBUT and they threw a whole multi-picture deal at her. Clearly this industry doesn’t value talent. Not one bit,” another added in agreement.
That friggin remake was her acting DEBUT and they threw a whole multi-picture deal at her. Clearly this industry doesn’t value talent. Not one bit.
Not everyone felt the same, with some fans jumping to Addison’s defense and suggesting that the new deal would allow her to develop her skills as an actor in future projects.
“No need to hate on her simply because she's from TikTok. If Addison is serious about acting, she will take classes, get coaches etc to improve on her acting skills,” one put forward.
@Variety @whoisaddison No need to hate on her simply because she's from TikTok. If Addison is serious about acting, she will take classes, get coaches etc to improve on her acting skills
But once again, fellow viewers were quick to counter the proposition by explaining that Addison is still getting opportunities that she wouldn’t otherwise be qualified for, if not for her platform.
“Yes but she’s doing it the opposite way. She is getting opportunities that other people work years for and she is getting them because she can wave her arms around,” someone responded.
@VirgoAvenger @Variety @whoisaddison Yes but she’s doing it the opposite way. She is getting opportunities that other people work years for and she is getting them because she can wave her arms around.
And this isn’t the first time that Addison has found herself at the center of backlash.
Amid the commentary surrounding her new Netflix deal, some fans recalled Addison receiving criticism from Black creators when she performed a series of TikTok dances during a segment on The Tonight Show earlier this year.
View this video on YouTube
The segment, broadcast in March, sparked backlash after it failed to credit the numerous Black creators responsible for choreographing the various viral routines Addison taught Jimmy Fallon.
This contributed to a much broader conversation over the consistent failure to recognize and credit Black content creators for the trends they pioneer, while white people reproduce and benefit from the viral trends on more mainstream platforms.
In light of this, some viewers felt that Addison’s new deal with Netflix illustrated the power of white privilege in the media industry, going on to question why actors such as Lana Condor — who was at the helm of Netflix's globally successful To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy — wasn’t offered a similar opportunity.
I have never seen a finer example of what white privilege can do for someone in this industry. https://t.co/Qw2Saitcoz
“Lana Condor carried an entire trilogy flawlessly on her back, but she isn’t getting her own multi-picture deal with Netflix,” someone wrote on Twitter.
Lana Condor carried an entire trilogy flawlessly on her back, but she isn’t getting her own multi-picture deal with Netflix.
While it remains to be seen what projects will arise from Addison’s Netflix deal, we are intrigued to see how she might utilize her new platform with the streaming service.
