Podcast Summary: Not Skinny But Not Fat — Amanda Hirsch with Dove Cameron
Episode Title: "Dove Cameron Isn't Goth, She Just Grew Up"
Release Date: March 3, 2026
Episode Overview
Amanda Hirsch welcomes actress and singer Dove Cameron for a candid, funny, and insightful conversation covering Dove’s transition from Disney fame to adult roles, her perspective on Hollywood’s changing ideals, her relationship with fame, her personal growth (and turning 30!), and her artistic journey. They touch on everything from managing public perception (especially around appearance), professional challenges, her close relationships, her approach to acting, hair color fixations, love, and finding happiness. Dove debunks rumors about her “goth” image, discusses her romantic life, and gets deeply appreciative about her mother’s support.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Hollywood’s Obsession with Thinness
- Amanda’s Opening Commentary [00:04-04:56]
- Amanda opens with commentary on body image in Hollywood, the dangers of extreme thinness, and the pressures from the proliferation of weight-loss drugs:
“This is an epidemic in Hollywood...I'm not against the drugs...but I'm against, like, it being on the verge of unhealthy and really promoting skeletal skinniness to the world.” [03:44, Amanda Hirsch]
- Amanda opens with commentary on body image in Hollywood, the dangers of extreme thinness, and the pressures from the proliferation of weight-loss drugs:
2. Dove Cameron on Interviewing and Media
- Podcast Experience and Pressure in Traditional Interviews [05:18-06:44]
- Dove prefers podcasts for actual conversations over superficial, rapid-fire interviews:
“I like talking to people. I feel like it's so much better than, like, short form interviews… I do struggle to say everything I want to say concisely.” [05:32, Dove]
- Both jokingly discuss their mutual inability to produce “specific examples” on demand.
- Dove prefers podcasts for actual conversations over superficial, rapid-fire interviews:
3. Film & Pop Culture Preferences
- Dove’s Taste [07:08-10:18]
- She prefers creative, high-concept or emotionally resonant films (“Pan’s Labyrinth”) over familiar dramatized relationships.
- Notes loving Emma Stone’s “Begonia” and appreciates films that are out-of-the-box and sweep her away.
4. Her New Show: 56 Days
- On Playing Ciara [11:01-16:40]
- 56 Days is described as a “psychosexual thriller” centered around mystery, a timeline countdown, and morally ambiguous characters.
- Dove is drawn to layered female characters — not just “complex”:
“I try to avoid the word complex…it feels diminishing...she [Ciara] gets to be morally gray and complicated…and, you know, be immutable and changing around different people.” [13:13, Dove]
- Discussion of an emotional scene wiring money, with Dove describing acting choices and moral ambiguity:
“The crying happened organically because it was like this moment of...animal relief. And...it's so inappropriate that she would be crying in that moment.” [15:13, Dove]
5. On Sex Scenes, Nudity, and Body Image
- First Intimate Scenes [17:45-29:45]
- No chemistry test with her co-star; chemistry is described as unpredictable and not manufactured.
- Her first time appearing nude onscreen:
“I always say that if you are afraid of something, that's the very next thing that you should do.” [26:16, Dove] “On the other side…I…kind of broken down a sort of a shame about my body...in Western culture, you know, we're so trained as women to hide our bodies for fear of what it's going to make someone else feel...” [28:14, Dove]
- Stresses autonomy, comfort, and the value of challenging personal boundaries.
6. Hair as Identity & Public Perception
- The 'Goth' Misconception [30:13-35:27]
- Discusses how people equate her hair changes to emotional shifts (“sad Dove”, “goth Dove”), which she refutes:
“If the goths heard you saying that about the way that I present, they'd be so pissed. You're so far from goth, it's crazy.” [34:28, Dove]
- Reveals that hair color changes are mostly for hair health and practicality, not emotional statements.
- Discusses how people equate her hair changes to emotional shifts (“sad Dove”, “goth Dove”), which she refutes:
7. Disney Days and Transition to Adult Career
- Liv & Maddie, Descendants, and Growing Up Publicly [35:32-42:22]
- Clarifies no twins were auditioned for Liv & Maddie — the point was for one actor to play both roles.
- On growing up in the public eye:
“For me, it's been half my life…there is this weird expectation that you…keep up a brand that you choose when you're like 16.” [32:38/32:50, Dove]
- Warm, neutral relationship with her Disney past:
“That was such a good time in my life professionally…no complicated relationship with that, I have a very lovely warm neutrality. Like, I'm just like, that was such a good time in my life professionally.” [36:36, Dove]
- Wouldn’t do more Descendants without Cameron Boyce:
“We're not going to do a Descendants movie without Cam. That would just be…impossible.” [42:12, Dove]
8. Friendships with Former Cast
- Sophia, Boo, Cam [50:41-51:31]
- Friendships from Descendants have evolved — especially close to Boo now, but less frequent contact with Sophia due to busy careers.
9. Turning 30 & Personal Growth
- The Nonchalant 30th [51:31-52:38]
- Dove didn’t care about turning 30, threw a pajama party at the last second.
- Prefers small, intimate gatherings over going out:
“Would rather die [than go out]. Hate it. Hate it.” [52:55, Dove]
10. Romantic Life: Fiancé and Relationship Dynamics
- How They Met, Communication, Proposal [53:38-63:23]
- Met at the VMAs (twice); started as a music collaboration; details their “accidental” and sweet courtship, her usual role as the initiator in relationships:
“I'm either the person who is doing the flirting. Like, I'm either asking you out, or I'm, like, deciphering...” [59:12, Dove]
- Long-distance strategies: voice notes, constant updates.
- The engagement was meant to be private but leaked due to paparazzi:
“So we were pretty pissed when that came out…we weren't ready to make the announcement. We wanted to make it on our own timeline.” [62:29, Dove]
- Reflects on having multiple definitions of love and being a “hopeful romantic.”
- Met at the VMAs (twice); started as a music collaboration; details their “accidental” and sweet courtship, her usual role as the initiator in relationships:
11. Living Bicoastal/International & Love for New York
- Lifestyle [64:50-67:33]
- Splits time between LA, New York, and Rome. New York has her heart:
“It's just like I land here and I'm like, ah, I'm home...it matches the stimuli in my brain.” [65:44/66:34, Dove]
- Splits time between LA, New York, and Rome. New York has her heart:
12. Mother’s Support & Moving to LA for Fame
- Emotional Gratitude [67:49-72:11]
- Amanda finds Dove’s mom’s blog, underscoring her mother’s immense support and sacrifices during years of struggle.
- Dove gets emotional recounting their financial hardships and her mom’s belief in her dream:
“We were flat broke…we were keeping track of how much gas we were spending on the way to the audition…It was really, really, really on a hope and a prayer and a dream…My whole career. I have my mom to thank for because she was so selfless…” [69:21-70:12, Dove]
13. Final Quickfire: Wellness, Music, and Manifesting New Goals
- Routine & Outlook [72:40-end]
- Keeps track of sleep/health with an Oura Ring (surprising to Amanda).
- Manifestations include finishing her album, well-being for loved ones, and openness to surprises:
“I am manifesting that I feel that magical, like it's done feeling…And, you know, general balance in my life, you know, health and dreams coming true…I try not to aim for anything specific…The best things in my life have been great surprises.” [73:59/74:50, Dove]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “If you are afraid of something, that's the very next thing that you should do.”
— Dove Cameron [26:16] - “For me, it's been half my life...there is this weird expectation that you, you relatively keep up a brand that you choose when you're like 16.”
— Dove Cameron [32:38/32:50] - “That was such a good time in my life professionally…no complicated relationship with that.”
— Dove Cameron [36:36] - “We're not going to do a Descendants movie without Cam. That would just be...impossible.”
— Dove Cameron [42:12] - “On the other side [of nudity on camera]…I…kind of broken down a sort of a shame about my body.”
— Dove Cameron [28:14] - “I'm not gonna go into that honestly. Like, [earlier engagement] it was real. Yeah, but we were never gonna get married.”
— Dove Cameron [64:06] - “If you're coming from a place of lacking or like desperation…It never happens. It's always when you're like open palmed...”
— Dove Cameron [75:58] - “We were flat broke...we were keeping track of how much gas we were spending on the way to the audition...It was really, really, really on a hope and a prayer and a dream.”
— Dove Cameron [69:21]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [03:44] — Amanda on Hollywood’s weight-loss epidemic
- [13:13] — Dove describes her attraction to “layered,” not just “complex,” female roles
- [15:13] — On an emotional scene in 56 Days: “The crying happened organically...”
- [26:16] — On facing fears: “If you are afraid of something…”
- [32:38] — On the challenges of growing up in the public eye
- [36:36] — On her relationship with her Disney past
- [42:12] — On not returning to Descendants without Cameron Boyce
- [51:34] — On turning 30: “Weirdly, I didn’t care at all..."
- [53:41] — On her fiancé and keeping the relationship strong
- [62:29] — On engagement news leaking before she was ready
- [69:21] — On her mom’s sacrifices and belief in her
- [75:58] — On serendipity and opportunity: “If you’re coming from a place of lacking or like desperation...”
Tone & Atmosphere
- Conversational, unfiltered, candid, emotional, real, intimate, occasionally irreverent and always relatable. Dove is open, self-aware, gracious, and reflective — Amanda is supportive, warm, and incisive with her questions.
For Listeners
This episode is a must for Dove Cameron fans, Disney nostalgia lovers, aspiring actors, or anyone interested in authenticity, self-acceptance, and the realities behind the “Hollywood image.” Dove’s personal stories, humor, and wisdom on navigating fame, body issues, acting, and love are not just entertaining but endearing and thought-provoking.