Allison Williams Talks GIRLS Emoji, Her Next Haircut + How She’s Giving Back

You’re a big Instagrammer — what (or who) got you into using it? Let’s creep on your account right now and talk about the last couple things you Instagrammed, including the announcement you made today…

Allison Williams: I love Instagram (I’m @aw, by the way!). When I was cast as Peter Pan, I opened my account so I could spread the word about that experience to anyone who wanted to hear about it. I think the majority of my Instagrams are now about our puppy, Moxie. I try to pace myself. But she’s so cute I really can’t help it!

This morning, I announced that in honor of Giving Day, which is today, I’m going to give a hand-written note and a jar of my favorite candy (from Dylan’s Candy Bar!) to anyone who donates over $40 to Horizons National and sends the receipt to allisonloveshorizons@gmail.com. Go ahead and donate! Here’s the link!

How did you get involved with Horizons? And what exactly is it?!

AW: I’ve kind of always been involved with Horizons, but we’ve only just recently made it official. It was founded at my elementary school, New Canaan Country School (NCCS), in 1964. The headmaster at the time realized what a waste the empty campus was during the summers, so he started a program that invited students from low-income families to use the campus to continue their learning and also have enriching and fun experiences. Pretty brilliant idea, if you think about the vast numbers of private school and college campuses that are empty all summer. My grandmother taught at NCCS, my mother and her brothers went there on scholarships, and my brother and I went there. We are all involved with Horizons, because it becomes such an integral part of each of the schools that host it. My grandmother was on the board of the first Horizons program, my mother chairs the national Horizons board, my brother worked at the program for two summers, and now I’m formally engaged as well.

Why is your work with the organization important to you?

AW: As Horizons expanded, people quickly began to realize that it fixed something called the summer slide. Here’s a little video that explains summer slide and how the program works!

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that Horizons helps solve many of our country’s most urgent problems. Everything boils back down to education. Not all educations are created equal, but all children who need educating are. How is that fair? We need to fix that.

Psst, summer is almost here. Are you working through it or do you have any plans that you’re looking forward to? What advice would you give someone (recent grads! High schoolers! Those of us who want to do more than just lounge on the beach!) looking to volunteer or become more active in their community this summer?

AW: For most of the summer, I’ll be in New York with the rest of the GIRLS shooting Season 5 (can you believe it?? I can’t!). On weekends, I’ll most likely escape to the New Jersey Shore, where my family has a house. On other weekends, I’ll be visiting Horizons programs on the East Coast.

I would highly recommend looking to see if there’s a Horizons program near you and reach out to see if you can visit the campus or maybe volunteer. I think they’re still staffing up and it’s about the most rewarding thing you can do with your time!! If you want to take it one step further, ask your local private schools and colleges with unused facilities if they’d be interested in opening a program. Especially in and around major cities.

Okay, let’s get girly for a bit. Whether passed down from Mom or Pinned on Pinterest, our readers love a good beauty hack. What’s your best one?

AW: This is one I’ve pulled together from my Mom, traveling, and various hair experts. Every time I do my hair and apply lots of products, heat, etc., I give my hair a mask overnight. I combine jojoba oil, coconut oil, Argan oil, and Phyto Phytonectar Pre-Shampoo, put it all in my hair, comb it in and then braid it at the nape of my neck. It’s not THAT greasy, but if you’re worried about your pillows, you can sleep on a towel. Your hair will thank you — I promise!!

When you’re *not* spending time in a makeup chair, what is your go-to 5-minute morning beauty/hair routine when you have to get out the door quickly?

AW: If I really need to be quick, I’ll skip my morning face wash, dab some Armani Maestro Eraser Dark Circle Concealer under my eyes and on any red areas, curl and mascara my lashes and dab some cream blush on the apples of my cheeks. As a finishing touch, I use some highlighter above my cheekbones, under my brows, and down the bridge of my nose. Off I go!

Okay, Allison. Really important question. Everyone in Tinseltown is chopping off their locks or dying them a cotton candy shade of something. Do you secretly dream of doing a dramatic ‘do? What will your next cut be?

AW: What girl isn’t constantly thinking about their next drastic hair change?! I’m thinking of dying it dark, dark brown and getting bangs. The best advice I got was wait two weeks before getting any haircut. Sometimes it’s a passing phase!! Some of them are so drastic that you have to really like it — otherwise you can be completely stuck with it while it grows out.

It looks like you guys have a blast on set at GIRLS — what emoji perfectly encapsulates the spirit of your fellow cast members: Lena, Zosia, Jemima, Alex and Ebon?

AW: What a great question. Lena’s emoji would have to be the green tea emoji because she’s rarely seen without some kind of tea — be it green or chamomile — and it’s so consistent that I now associate the smell of tea with Lena. Z’s emoji would be the ladybug for no particular reason other than the fact that she sometimes calls us ladybugs. She also says “duders” and “kids” and “kittens.” Jemima’s would be the mouth emoji because she has the best lips on this Earth.

Alex’s would be a basketball because he is secretly very good at basketball.

Ebon’s would be the book emoji because he reads on set all the time on his Kindle, and I’m so jealous of the fact that he can focus on a book in the midst of the chaos of a set!. To be honest, I make fun of him a lot. But I’m secretly jealous of it.

What’s the last app you downloaded?

AW: I think it was Dubsmash… and my first ever Dubsmash was the one I posted to my Instagram. While Ebon’s reading, that’s what I’m doing.

And finally, our Brit + Co must-ask: What was the last thing you made that you were really excited about?

AW: Everything I’ve made lately has been puppy-related. Moxie is 4 months old now! Ever since we got her, I’ve been making these elaborate meals for her. My godmother is a dog guru, so she sent me a box of goodies when I brought the puppy home. Each meal takes me 10 minutes to make! There’s chia. There’s coconut oil. There’s enzymes. It’s too much. So, since I don’t cook, every meal I make for Moxie is something I get excited about!

Hi, anyone else as excited about the next season of GIRLS now as we are?! Are you giving back on Giving Day? Share with us below!

(Photos via Jamie McCarthy/Getty, HBO, Featured Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty)