Kaia Gerber Opens Up About Being Compared to Cindy Crawford: ‘The Only Person That This Hurts Is Myself’

Kaia Gerber has spent much of her life in the shadow of a name that is almost synonymous with supermodel history: Cindy Crawford.

As the daughter of one of the world’s most recognisable models, Gerber has often faced comparisons with her mother, from their similar features and fashion careers to the way they carry themselves in front of the camera. But while the resemblance may now be something she embraces, Gerber admits she once went out of her way to avoid anything that could make the comparisons even stronger.

The model and actor recently reflected on that experience while discussing her role in Ryan Murphy’s new series The Shards. Speaking to Metro, Gerber revealed that she deliberately avoided wearing her hair in a side part because she did not want people drawing comparisons between her and Crawford.

“I didn’t wear my hair in a side part for so long because I didn’t want to get compared to my mum,” Gerber said.

Eventually, however, her perspective changed.

“And then I was like: ‘The only person that this hurts is myself,’” she added.

Kaia Gerber Found a Connection to Her Mother Through ‘The Shards’

Gerber stars as Susan Reynolds in The Shards, a nine-part coming-of-age thriller based on Bret Easton Ellis’ semi-autobiographical novel.

Set in 1980s Los Angeles, the series follows Bret, played by Igby Rigney, as he navigates life at an elite private school. His world becomes increasingly unsettling after the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, played by Homer Gere.

Gerber’s Susan initially appears to be the quintessential popular girl at school. Beneath that polished exterior, however, the character carries insecurities and a more complicated emotional life.

Interestingly, the period setting also gave Gerber an unexpected connection to her mother.

Crawford was a teenager in the early 1980s, and Gerber discovered photographs of her mother from that period showing a hairstyle remarkably similar to Susan’s look in the series.

“My mum was a freshman in 1981, so there are images that I’ve seen of her with that exact hairdo in high school,” Gerber told Metro.

The coincidence appears to have made the similarities between mother and daughter even more noticeable.

Why Kaia Once Tried to Avoid Looking Like Cindy Crawford

The comparison between Gerber and Crawford is hardly new.

Both built careers in fashion, both became familiar faces to major international audiences, and both have moved beyond modelling into acting. Crawford became one of the defining supermodels of the late 20th century, working with some of the biggest names in fashion and appearing in campaigns for leading luxury houses.

Gerber has followed a different path while still establishing herself as a prominent model in her own right. She has also increasingly explored acting, taking on roles that allow her to develop an identity beyond the runway.

That journey has not always been easy.

For Gerber, the pressure to distinguish herself from her mother once extended to something as simple as the way she wore her hair. Rather than seeing their resemblance as a compliment, she worried that it would make it harder for audiences to recognise her as an individual.

Her eventual realisation — that avoiding certain choices only because they might remind people of Crawford was limiting her own freedom — appears to have changed her attitude.

Today, the similarities between the two are less something Gerber tries to hide and more a part of the visual connection people naturally notice.

From Modelling to Acting

Gerber entered modelling at a young age and quickly attracted attention because of both her appearance and her famous family background.

Her mother, Cindy Crawford, began modelling as a teenager after being discovered by a photographer in Illinois. She went on to become one of the most influential figures of the supermodel era, working with major fashion brands and appearing on countless magazine covers.

Crawford also experimented with acting, including a leading role in the 1995 film Fair Game, as well as television appearances.

Gerber has increasingly followed her own creative route. Although modelling remains an important part of her career, acting has become another significant focus.

Her role in The Shards places her in a darker and more dramatic setting, allowing her to move beyond the fashion-world image with which audiences first became familiar.

Kaia Gerber Is Not the Only ‘The Shards’ Actor Facing Comparisons

Gerber is not the only member of The Shards cast who has been compared with a more established star.

Graham Campbell, who plays Thom Wright, has attracted comparisons with American Horror Story actor Evan Peters. Campbell acknowledged the resemblance while also making it clear that he sees Peters as an actor worth admiring.

“I should be so lucky! Those are big shoes to step into, Mr Evan Peters,” Campbell said.

He added that he could understand the comparison and appreciated it because he respects Peters’ work.

Campbell has apparently also been compared with other well-known actors and musicians, including Shawn Mendes and Timothée Chalamet, depending on his hairstyle and appearance.

‘The Shards’ Gives Kaia Gerber a New Chapter

For Gerber, however, the bigger story is not simply about looking like Cindy Crawford.

Her comments suggest a more personal shift: learning that being associated with her mother does not have to prevent her from developing her own identity.

The similarities between the two may always be part of public conversation. After all, both women share an unmistakable resemblance and have built careers in front of cameras.

But Gerber’s growing acting career gives her another opportunity to establish herself on her own terms.

In The Shards, she is not playing Cindy Crawford’s daughter. She is playing Susan Reynolds — a fictional young woman whose confidence, vulnerabilities and secrets belong to the character.

That distinction may be precisely what Gerber has been working towards: not escaping her mother’s legacy, but making sure her own story exists alongside it.

The Shards is streaming on Disney+.