Sofia Carson loves to “create a moment” with her style (could a “radical” beauty change be next?)

Sofia Carson is jumping for joy — literally — during her PEOPLE StyleWatch shoot in Los Angeles. Wearing a cape dress and Christian Louboutin high heels, the 31-year-old actress, singer and dancer leaps into the air as the photographer captures her defiance of gravity, sparking a spontaneous round of applause from everyone the world on the set.

After more than a decade in the spotlight, the star certainly knows how to nail a photo. “I like to create a moment every time I step on a mat,” Carson says.

The actress and UNICEF ambassador got her start on Disney Channel. Austin and Ally in 2014, then landed a leading role in the cult film Descendants trilogy. Since then, she’s been charting her path in Hollywood, guided by what she calls a “very natural” transition to more adult roles in films like the Netflix hit. Purple hearts opposite Nicholas Galitzine and the new thriller Continue (broadcast December 13) opposite Jason Bateman and Taron Egerton.

While the star continues to evolve with the characters she plays on screen, she is determined to stay true to herself off screen, particularly when it comes to her personal style, which has always been inspired by Audrey Hepburn and , more recently, by the minimalist-chic ambiance of Angelina Jolie. .

“As soon as you get in front of a camera, you learn a lot about what suits you, and also what you feel most comfortable in,” she explains. “For a long time, it wasn’t cool to lean toward sleek and timeless, and I was always being asked to be sexier or cooler, whatever that meant,” she says of her penchant for ball gowns rather than bodycon dresses. “And (my glam squad and I) never did it, because it just wasn’t me.” She adds: “There is such power in embracing absolute femininity and I love being able to do that often.”

So, would she call her look, shall we say, demure? She wonders if she awards the word of the year. She loves to spice up bold moments, but “restraint could apply to my style. I think there’s an element of restraint that I definitely carry with me.”

Whether she’s wearing a sparkly dress or a tailored tuxedo, one thing remains certain: the girl loves to dress up. “We have a running joke on my team that if it ever comes up as a cocktail, it definitely won’t be a cocktail. I love drama,” Carson says with a smile, joking that when it comes to her hair, there’s “probably a side part involved,” no matter the look (although she also admits that she’s been “dying to do something drastic” with her hair for a while). role).

Carson will have plenty of opportunities to display her fashion flair this holiday season, including when she promotes “White Christmas,” her latest collaboration with Andrea Bocelli that was just released. (Carson calls singing “my all-time favorite Christmas ballad” with the Italian tenor “simply the greatest joy.”)

As Christmas approaches, Carson plans to join his loved ones in his parents’ native Colombia, where his late grandmother’s house has long been a joy-filled gathering place. “We always open presents on Christmas Eve and my mom gets us presents from Santa, even though we’re too old,” says Carson, whose most memorable holiday ensemble remains “the year my sister and I wore matching jumpsuits, red lipstick.” and heels.

Looking ahead to 2025, Carson already has a busy schedule with upcoming films The life list (with Connie Britton) and My year at Oxfordan adaptation of the bestselling novel. She also hopes to focus on something she keeps private: dating. “I’m going through a moment where I’m busier than ever,” she shares. “But I also feel more balanced than ever, I’m really prioritizing my personal life in a really beautiful way and I’m learning that the two can and should coexist.”

With a plate as full as his, Carson still finds time to connect with his nearly 20 million Instagram followers by sharing his work, travels and red carpet moments. “I’m so grateful that fans who met me 10 years ago have grown up with me now and feel like the stories I tell still speak to them.” So we asked some of her biggest fans (of all ages!) to send Carson their burning questions, and here she answers them and offers advice on everything from anxiety to breakups.

Do you consider yourself a dancer, an actress or a singer? -Skyler, 11 years old

I consider myself a storyteller, and it is the greatest gift to be able to tell a story, whether through dance, music, or cinema. And I started with dance and music, but as I moved into theater, I quickly learned that it was the same thing. It’s the concept of being able to tell stories in different ways, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do all of that.

Sofia, I heard that you like opera. Do you prefer that to musical theater? – Tatjana, 10 years old

I was actually recently singing with Andrea Bocelli, who is one of the greatest singers of all time, and I’m very honored to be able to release music with him. And we were in London playing and he was listening to my vocal warm-ups and he asked me if I sang opera. And I said no, but that I had classical training. And Andrea Bocelli told me I should sing opera and I think I could have died right then and there. And ever since then, I thought maybe I’d like to explore that in cinema. My favorite musical is The Phantom of the Operawhich brings the two worlds together.

I was wondering: do you ever get nervous on stage when you’re performing? Because I’m also a dancer and I want advice. -Riley, 9 years old

What gives me ease is preparing as much as possible, rehearsing with my coach so that everything becomes part of my muscle. So when I go on stage the butterflies still go off, but when you control your muscles it won’t affect you as much.

But recently I was shooting a film in London and I had to go straight from there to some really big performances with Andrea Bocelli and I was just a wreck for a few days. And the only thing I did to help was just focus on doing reps as much as possible. But I think it’s a beautiful thing to have nerve because I think it means you’re absolutely passionate about what you’re doing, and I think that’s a beautiful thing. I think it was Emma Stone who talked about the power of anxiety and using it as a superpower. And I have anxiety myself and thinking about it that way was really empowering.

Sofia, are you still friends with Dove Cameron? – Ofelia, 7 years old

We are! Dove, Boo, Cam and I will be bonded for life after what we have been through. Filming Descendants was a fairy tale. It was a dream come true in every sense of the word. And we come together every year for the gala (Cam for a Cause) to support the Cameron Boyce Foundation.

How has your style evolved and what is it today? -Catherine, 33 years old

I’ve always been drawn to anything that seems timeless and elegant. Audrey Hepburn has always been my guide when it comes to fashion and style. So I am always, always attracted to the timeless, the elegant and the chic.

Who is your favorite Disney princess? -Cali, 9

My favorite Disney princess has always been Belle de Beauty and the Beast. Growing up, I think she was the first to feel like she looked like me because she was brown. And she always had her nose buried in a book and she wasn’t chasing a prince, and I felt very seen by that as an independent young woman. So Belle has always been my favorite.

How to find your spark after a breakup? – Michelle, 26 years old

I think about surrounding yourself with people you love, who fill your spark, who fill your cup. For me, when I was going through a difficult breakup, I turned to music as a way to express how I was feeling. And I’ve written so many songs, like the amount of really sad, heartbreaking songs that are in my notes page has really helped me. It was a catharsis and it really helped me, I think, get through it.

Who is the first person you call when you need advice? – Kaylyn, 10 years old

My mother. My mother is everything to me, my compass. No one knows me like her. This is my first call, several calls a day, I would say. And she gives the best advice.