Addison Rae Stars In Mysterious NERDS Teaser Ahead Of Super Bowl Debut
By Rebekah Gonzalez
January 23, 2024
Addison Rae is starting 2024 with a bang! On Tuesday, January 23rd, NERDS revealed that they've enlisted the star to help with their first-ever commercial airing during the Super Bowl. The collaboration also marks Rae's first Big Game campaign and she couldn't be more excited to be working with NERDS.
"It's such a huge honor," Rae told iHeartRadio ahead of the announcement. "When I got the call, it was just such a huge moment for me. Not only is this one of my favorite candies since I was a little kid,— a tiny little girl eating my NERDS ropes— but this is also just such a huge, huge opportunity. I'm from Louisiana, from the South, so football is huge [there], and watching the Super Bowl is like an event in itself."
In the newly shared teaser, Rae is seen using her dancing chops to help train the mystery star of the commercial, who won't be revealed until game day. "I was nervous," Rae said of the mystery lead's dancing skills. "I was like, 'Is this going to work out?' But it all came together so amazingly. [They're] quite a star if you have to ask me. I'm excited for the final reveal."
Rae's Super Bowl debut is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to her recent career accomplishments. Last year, the 23-year-old released her self-titled debut EP and starred in Eli Roth's slasher Thanksgiving, both of which were positively received by fans and critics alike. She had previously dipped her toes in the world outside of TikTok, where she made her name as a public figure, by making her acting debut in the 2021 Netflix romantic comedy He's All That.
Going from the leading lady in a rom-com to a scream queen in a slasher flick was no easy feat. "I feel like it's almost like a NERDS Gummy Cluster," Rae laughed, plugging her snack of choice in the commercial and real life. "The inside is the rom-com and the horror movie is outside. There's such a juxtaposition between the two but they're a nice combo."
"I learned so much [on] both [sets] and challenged myself a lot and overcame different types of challenges and obstacles," she shared. "I hope that happens every time because I never want to stop learning."
As for Addison Rae the Recording Artist, she's "constantly in the studio, trying to do my best at growing as an artist. It's truly just an honor to be able to create in general."
The lessons she's learned over the past few years and her enthusiasm to create proved useful when she was approached for the NERDS campaign. Addison's role in the campaign doesn't stop at appearing in front of the camera. She also played a part when it came to the development of the commercial, including the Flashdance-inspired choreography.
"NERDS and I were super collaborative on the concept," Rae revealed. "I got to work with my friend Marissa Heart and she's an incredible choreographer. We pretty much worked together on creating something that felt very authentic to the core of dancing." She added, "[NERDS was] super collaborative and just willing to make it the most authentic to me as possible. With the dance [and candy] combined, it couldn't be more like me."
Find out who Addison is coaching when the NERDS spot airs during Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11th.