Hailee Steinfeld is using 'society's fixation on women's breasts' for a good cause - chof 360 news

Hailee Steinfeld and her Buffalo Bills quarterback fiancé Josh Allen might be watching Super Bowl LIX from home. But the Oscar-nominated actress will still be making an appearance during the big game, starring in a Super Bowl ad that’s all about breasts.

Steinfeld’s new commercial shows the 28-year-old star in full glam mode as she hits the red carpet amid flashing lights from the paparazzi’s cameras. “Let’s give breasts the attention they deserve most,” she says. By that, she means focusing on breast health.

It’s part of Novartis’s new “Your Attention Please” campaign focused on redirecting the emphasis on women’s bodies to something much more meaningful: early detection of breast cancer. Steinfeld tells chof360 Life that it’s a message she’s “honored” to help spread.

“It's so empowering to take society's fixation on women's breasts and turn that into what we've turned it into, which is raising awareness for a much more serious cause,” she says.

It’s estimated that 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. As diagnosis rates climb — particularly among younger women —Steinfeld is determined to catch the attention of people her age who might think they have plenty of time to worry about whether or not their breasts are healthy.

“You hear about all these things and you think you're fine. You're young, you'll get there when you get there, you'll handle that down the road. And then it sneaks up on you,” she says. “Knowing that we can start being screened as early as in our 20s is so important. … There are life-saving implications within that.”

Screening guidelines recommend that women start having regular mammograms at age 40. But it’s important that younger women keep up with monthly breast self-exams and be proactive about identifying any risk factors (such as genetic markers or a family history of breast cancer) that might require getting screened sooner. “I'm learning the importance of doing it sooner rather than later,” says Steinfeld, who completed a risk assessment recommended by YourAttentionPlease.com. “It takes minutes and opens up a bigger conversation that is absolutely worth having as soon as possible.”

Steinfeld hopes that the campaign empowers young women to get their own risk assessments and follow up with their doctors in the event of any increased risk. “I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to share with a 25-year-old that there's so much power in knowing your body and knowing your risk and prioritizing your breast health, [and also] your health in general,” says Steinfeld, “I think that this will help start that conversation with their families, with their doctors, with friends, with women in their circle.” She thinks the commercial’s “cheekiness” will help get people talking. “I hope that it is a conversation starter.”

Paying attention to her health as a whole has been in Steinfeld’s playbook for a while. “Day to day, I'm just checking in with myself and meeting myself where I'm at, giving myself patience and treating myself with kindness,” she says. “I know that a wellness routine can change and look different as you get older, depending on your schedule, your work, your surroundings, whatever it is.”

She’s previously talked about her favorite workout routines. Today, she’s most focused on moving her body for the sake of her mental health. “I love a good workout. I love what it does for me mentally more than anything,” she says. “Waking up early in the morning and going to the gym isn't always the most wonderful thing, you know, when you could lay in bed and stay warm and be cozy. However, I love the feeling of actively taking steps that I know my body and my mind are thanking me for and benefiting from.”