The Surprising Way Captain Marvel Changed Brie Larson's Life

In the future, the question of "What did you do during quarantine in 2020?" will be everyday small talk to open a meeting with. For many people, the answer appears to be some combination of binge-watching Netflix, learning to cook, working on home improvement projects ... or simply going to work as usual, if you're an essential worker. As for actress Brie Larson, of Captain Marvel fame, she recently started her own YouTube channel, and became the new celebrity fronting the 50th anniversary campaign for Decorté, a Japanese beauty brand. 

In an interview with Yahoo! Style, Larson said this was an easy fit — "I was super excited when they asked me to be a brand muse because it's so easy to talk about products that I use and like," she explained — particularly because, during her quarantine time in 2020, she had made a point to take charge of her own makeup routine, to feel more confident in herself, and to take time for self-care, even if she's not going out anywhere. "It's felt really good to do, even if the only outing I get is to the grocery store," she said. "I can put on lipstick and then put on a mask, and that lip is just for me. I get a little bit of pleasure out of the fact that I can care for myself however I want and it's truly just mine."

While the interview itself was mainly related to matters of style and fashion, though, Larson did have one answer regarding the huge impact that her Marvel Cinematic Universe role has had on her career, her life, and her outlook. 

When Brie Larson isn't blasting away alien spaceships, the Oscar-winning actress is also known for being an outspoken activist for gender equality. The strange nature of 2020 has deepened her commitment to this, she explains, stating that, "I feel like I've learned so, so much during this time, and that I'm going to continue to learn, so I just can't even anticipate it. The thing that I've learned most is to cherish is feeling confident in my own body and feeling safe at home. I'm realizing how much of my activism and what I bring out in the world is about that as well, and wanting others to feel this same confidence and safety in themselves."

Larson was later asked which of her characters she connected most deeply to, during this time, and her answer was straightforward. "Carol Danvers will always live in me in some degree because she helped me grow into my adulthood. I now feel more comfortable, confident, and understand how much potential I have. I went from thinking I'm just an introvert with asthma to deadlifting 200 pounds. The other part is caring for our planet and other people by helping and protecting them. I'm just forever grateful to her and seeing how the image of what she represents has been a symbol of confidence for a lot of other people."

Carol Danvers, as Larson says, has indeed become an inspirational figure for people all over the world. Her film was a box office smash, and she now stands both as Marvel's most powerful superhero and a role model for young girls everywhere. It's heartening to see that Larson herself has been just as inspired by the cinematic character she helped bring to life.

Thankfully, it seems that Captain Marvel has a bright future ahead, as a second film is currently planned to release in 2022.