Emma Stone Reveals Why She’s One of the Few Stars Without Instagram

Emma Stone is currently navigating a digital world that she largely chooses to watch from the sidelines. The 37-year-old actress recently opened up about her decision to avoid Instagram, citing a deep-seated need to protect her internal peace. This revelation came during a discussion with Rolling Stone regarding her upcoming Super Bowl commercial, a project that reunited her with a frequent creative partner.

The black-and-white advertisement is set to air between the first and second quarters of the big game on Sunday, Feb. 8. In a meta-narrative twist, the commercial features Stone trying to purchase her own domain name on the internet. This was a task the two-time Oscar winner admitted she actually performed in real life while working on the campaign.

When asked if this newly acquired personal domain would eventually transform into a lifestyle brand or website, Stone was quick to shut down the idea. One hundred percent no. That’s why I don’t even have Instagram, she explained. She noted that her absence from the platform is a deliberate choice for her well-being. I’m too afraid of my own mental health to be engaged in that way, and that’s why I’m such a lurker and love following other people’s stuff, she added.

Stone admitted that she had not actually secured her namesake domain until this partnership prompted it. I don’t know [why] I never actually did that, she remarked during the interview. She praised the hosting company for helping her secure the address, noting that her digital presence would have been quite confusing otherwise. Squarespace kind of had to deal with my lack of foresight. So I’m very grateful they did or else the commercial really would not have worked. It would have been weird if you went to EmmaStone.com and it was… I don’t even know what might have been going on over there, she said.

While she avoids modern social networking, Stone is no stranger to the technical side of the web. The actress, who shares 4-year-old daughter Louise with husband Dave McCary, recalled being very into building kind of prototypical sites using early 2000s services like Angelfire and GeoCities. These hobbies started in her youth and were a source of significant pride for the burgeoning star.

I was really into that. I built a presentation for class when I was in elementary school and I remember that I had to bring people to the library to see my presentation, she told the outlet. She specifically enjoyed the design elements of these vintage platforms. I was really proud of my drop-down menus, and you know, all the things that you could do on Angelfire, basically. So I was very into that, she said.

This childhood interest in blogging eventually evolved into a modern obsession with subscription-based reading. I also remember the LiveJournal time, and I was such a blog reader for so long. It was like my favorite thing, and so now I’m truly one of the Substack freaks. I’m spending a lot of money on Substack, Stone shared. She mentioned that she particularly enjoys reading creative writing, fashion commentary, and even a bit of the gossipy stuff.

Her professional life remains just as busy as her digital reading list. Stone is heading into the upcoming Academy Awards on March 15 with high stakes, as she is nominated for Best Actress for her performance in the sci-fi satire Bugonia. She also serves as a producer on the film, which has earned a Best Picture nod. The movie marks her fourth feature collaboration with director Yorgos Lanthimos, following their success with The Favourite and Poor Things.

Bugonia features Stone as a high-powered CEO who is kidnapped by two conspiracy theorists convinced she is an alien. The film also stars Jesse Plemons and Alicia Silverstone, continuing Stone’s trend of choosing avant-garde and daring projects.

What is your favorite early internet memory or favorite Substack to follow in the comments?