Bella Thorne thinks high school is "mean".
The 17-year-old actress may have been home-educated from a young age but that doesn't mean she wasn't subjected to bullying during the brief period she went to public school, where she was diagnosed with dyslexia in the first grade.
Her current movie The DUFF [Designated Ugly Fat Friend] explores the subject of bullying among teenagers, a topic Bella thinks is important to bring to the forefront.
"I didn't know what The DUFF was before reading the script, but I guess it is something. For me, honestly, people tell me all the time: 'It's so mean, why do you guys say that' but really, high school is mean and if you dumbed-down high school to fit for the big screen, it wouldn't be realistic. And, it was a book before it was a movie, so calm down people!" she explained to the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show, adding that she isn't feeling nervous ahead of the UK premiere tonight.
"I've been doing [premieres for] so long that it doesn't freak me out; the only thing that freaks me out with crowds is reading in front of people and that's because I'm dyslexic and it gives me bad memories."
Bella plays the spiteful Madison Morgan in the film, who picks on honorary DUFF Bianca Piper (Mae Whitman), due to her appearance.
The flame-haired star admits she was originally keen to take on the title role as she didn't want to be type-cast as "the mean girl", but when director Ari Sandel urged her to audition for Madison, Bella couldn't refuse.
She's enjoying her travels as part of promotion and was able to take in the sights of London over the weekend.
"I did two of my favourite things; eating and shopping. They're both amazing. What didn't I buy' I think it's a problem! I'm pretty sure I have a photo of me with all these bags, it's just the most ridiculous photo of me outside... Covent Garden. I walked around there a bit and went for a little bike ride, they took me on a bike, you know the bike and the seats," she laughed.
