Cruel Summer, produced by Jessica Biel, is a teen drama thriller that follows two teenage girls and the repercussions that happen to everyone after one is kidnapped and the other seems to take her place. It premiered in April 2021 on Freeform. The show has taken audiences by storm and even sparked the hashtags #TeamKate and #TeamJeanette.
Harley Quinn Smith plays Mallory Higgins, Jeanette's ex-best friend and Kate's current new best friend. She gets jealous of Jeanette's sudden popularity and turns against her when allegations come out against Jeanette. Fans are not too sure if they can trust her.
While Cruel Summer has jump-started many of these young actors' careers, some of them have been around since before this series. Smith is one of those actors, even though you might not know much about her. Find out 10 facts you didn't know about Harley Quinn Smith. They may surprise you.
10 She Is a Vegan
Being inspired by her father's heart attack and her love for animals, Harley Quinn Smith went vegetarian and then slowly turned into vegan. Not only did she cut out animals from her food, but also from other aspects of her life. She took all of the leather out of her closet and made sure none of her make-up was tested on animals. Smith hopes to inspire other to follow in her footsteps by posting vegan meals on Tiktok.
9 Harley Is 21-Years-Old
Born on June 26, 1999, in Red Bank, New Jersey, Smith is 21-years-old- soon to be 22. Growing up at the end of the decade must have been tough to relate to the timeline on Cruel Summer, seeing as how the characters are supposed to be teens in the '90s. Some of her coworkers didn't know what a Walkman was. She stared in movies as a child, seeing as how both of her parents are in the entertainment business.
8 Her Parents Are Also Famous
Smith is a common last name, but she is not a common person. Her parents are actor, filmmaker, and comedian Kevin Smith, known best for his Silent Bob character in Jay and Silent Bob, and her mom is actress and journalist Jennifer Schwalbach Smith. Jennifer is a retired reporter for USA Today. Kevin and Jennifer met after she interviewed him for USA Today after rumors he wrote Good Will Hunting. The couple had a podcast together and have starred in movies that Kevin directed.
7 Yes, She Was Named After The Batman Character
If her name sounds familiar to you, it is because she is named after the Batman character, Harley Quinn. Her father is a frequent goer of comic cons and is a big fan of the superhero. He even runs a podcast called "Fat Man On Batman." Like any person, who is a big fan of something, it usually consumes your life, so if you could name your kid after something you really love, why wouldn't you?
6 Hosts A Podcast
Along with being a vegan and making vegan dishes on Tiktok, Harley Quinn Smith also hosts a podcast with her dad called "Vegan Abattoir." They launched the podcast in June 2020 to bust myths about veganism. The first episode premiered on her 21st birthday. However, they have not made any new episodes in the new year, with the last episode being in December 2020. "Vegan Abattoir" is available wherever podcasts are streamed.
5 Is A Big Disney Fan
Aside from being a big fan of Batman and attending Comic Con regularly, Harley Quinn Smith is also a huge Disney fan. She frequents Disneyland in her home state of California quite regularly. In an interview with Just Jared, she opened up about how devastated she was about Disneyland getting rid of the Tower of Terror. "The old timey Hollywood theme is something that is so unique to that ride and that ride only, that I’m so super bummed I’m no longer going to get to feel like I’m a part of the Twilight Zone."
4 Her Boyfriend Starred In An Episode Of 'Cruel Summer'
If you follow Harley on Instagram and watch Cruel Summer, you would have put two and two together after she posted about her boyfriend, Austin Zajur, being in an episode of Cruel Summer. He played a kid from out of town who was going on a date with Jeanette to the carnival. It is unclear when they started dating, but it looks like they became social media official in September 2019.
3 She Is In A Band Called 'The Tenth'
Besides being an actress and podcast host, Harley Quinn Smith is also a singer. She is the lead singer and plays bass guitar in the girl group, The Tenth. They describe themselves as a bubblegum punk-rock band. Besides Smith, the band consists of Eden Hain, Taylor Blackwell and Kelly Cruz. They released their debut album, Dunes, 2 years ago. She started playing bass at 12-years-old, stopped for four years and then picked it back up again because it makes her happy.
2 Starred In Other TV And Movies Roles
Smith has starred in some of her dads roles such as Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back and its reboot, Jersey Girl, Clerks II, and more. She had a small cameo in the show, Supergirl and in her dad's show, Comic Book Men. Besides Cruel Summer, her biggest role might have been when she played Froggie in Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. She loves working with her dad, but perhaps this role will open more doors for her.
1 Has Pets And Loves All Animals
As mentioned above, Harley Quinn Smith turned vegan because she loves animals too much. Her and her boyfriend got two adorable kittens during quarantine. Feeding into her Disney obsession, she named the kittens Mini and Mouse. She also has an adorable bunny named Cinnamon who gets along very well with her cats. Make sure to follow her on Instagram for adorable pet pictures.