Emma Roberts Teen Vogue April 2009

Eighteen-year-old Emma Roberts has come a long way, but she still has a lot to accomplish. “I remember being twelve and thinking, I can’t wait until I’m sixteen, because then I’m going to have a car, a driver’s license, a really cool boyfriend, and boobs,” she reminisces. But thanks to the demands of filming, she hasn’t been able to accomplish everything on her list quite yet. Of her driving test in particular, Emma explains: “I went to London for the summer to shoot a movie, so I couldn’t take it until I got back.” She claims to have flubbed the test in part because she forgot where the defroster button was, since, as she jokingly pointed out to her instructor, “We’re in L.A., so we don’t need a defroster.”

Fortunately, she says, the movie that threatened her with life as a perpetual pedestrian was worth it. The upcoming feature, Lymelife—which Emma describes as “American Beauty meets The Ice Storm”—is her first attempt at more dramatic fare: “Some people look at me and think, She’s just Julia Roberts’ niece. So I wanted to do something smaller and edgier, something that would show I really am an actress.”

And as for that third item on then-twelve-year-old Emma’s wish list, her burgeoning fame does allow her to consider some attractive boyfriend candidates—a topic she approaches with a skepticism that implies a maturity beyond her years. “I’m looking to musicians now,” she says, but the Jonas Brothers do not number among potential prospects, since they’re “a little tainted. I used to have a crush on Nick, but he’s kind of making his rounds in Hollywood, and I don’t know if I like that.”

Boy angst aside, the fashion-savvy side of Emma should have ample opportunity to celebrate, as numerous upcoming premieres will afford her the chance to wear her favorite designers. “I love Chloé, Graham & Spencer, and the Row, and I like those tight, Herve Leger–type styles,” she gushes. She even dreams of designing her own line one day, although finding the time may prove difficult given her current slate of obligations. She just signed on as a new face of Neutrogena and is hoping to attend college in the New York City area this fall. Then again, Emma isn’t afraid to tack more aspirations on her to-do list—which may just be one of the best things about her.


Get the inside scoop on Emma’s cover shoot with TEEN VOGUE here: . The April 2009 issue of TEEN VOGUE is on sale nationwide March 10.