“If I got a dollar every time someone said I looked like Belly.”
Those words created sophomore Elise Hunt’s first viral TikTok. She only made the video because people online told her she looked like Lola Tung, who plays Belly in the Amazon Prime video series, “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Since then, Elise has started a small business, gained over 58,000 followers and 14.7 million likes on TikTok.
“I didn’t even believe [I was an influencer] until [I had] 20,000 followers,” Elise said. “Then I started to realize this wasn’t just a dream, because [being an influencer] is something I’ve wanted my entire life.”
Elise’s love for being on camera started before TikTok. Throughout her childhood, she often had her mom take pictures and videos of her. When Musical.ly came out, she took her grandma’s iPhone 4 and propped it up anywhere she could to do whatever was trending at the time.
“Thinking back on it, it’s kind of embarrassing,” Elise said. “But I was having so much fun. I would wake up extra early, dress up and just take videos outside [at] 2-times speed because that’s what everybody used to do. I was obsessed with it.”
In July of 2023, Elise gave a review to SummerFriday’s first viral product: the Lip Butter Balm. She made two TikToks, hoping anyone’s questions about the product would be answered by her videos. They remain some of her most viewed videos.
But then the negative comments rolled in:You’re ugly.This video is so stupid.
Elise tried to mentally push them away.
Delete, ignore, forget.
“I try to not let it affect me,” Elise said. “There was a time where I would get really upset over it, but I’m very lucky because TikTok puts my videos out to nice people, so I don’t get too many mean comments. Usually I just brush it off. It’s OK, they’re probably just dealing with something. Social media is an outlet for a lot of people.”
From fitchecks, to product reviews and content about Taylor Swift, Elise tries to post videos she thinks others will relate with.
“As I’m growing and changing, the content that I post changes too,” Elise said. “For example, if I got new classes, I might post a video about chemistry. At the end of the day, I try to be general, open and real.”
While studying in the hallway one day, Elise and sophomore Ashlynn Nguyen got distracted and made a TikTok together about getting distracted; the TikTok went viral, getting millions of views and 527,000 likes. Now, they are both in Journalism and plan to be a part of the “Hawk TV” broadcast program next year.
“[Elise] is very kind,” Nguyen said. “If you really get to know her, she’s sweet and cares for people. Something that makes her the way that she is that she’s very inspired to be a good role model to others, and she wants to spread positivity in life.”
Elise’s mom, Gwyn Ngan said she was worried when Elise first went viral. She wanted to make sure Elise was protected against the exposure. Ngan talked to Elise to make sure they were on the same page about online behavior.
“Elise is very authentic — she cares a lot about the people around her,” Ngan said. “These qualities make me really proud of her because I know that she tries her best at everything she does, and she stays true to what she believes in.”
Elise has continued to experience the ups and downs of being a content creator. She started her jewelry business, “Gems by Elise,” on TikTok Shop last summer, and dealt with the uncertainty of the TikTok ban over winter break. But through the experience, Elise said she has learned so much.
“[TikTok] shouldn’t be taken from people for numerous reasons,” Elise said. “[TikTok is] doing a lot of good for the world. There’s so many jobs being created because of it. TikTok is trends — and [for] music artists, that’s where they blow up. Trends blow up, people blow up [and] even advertisements [do.] Big brands wouldn’t be big brands without this app, so I think it’s crucial to the success of a lot of things.”
Since being on the app, Elise said she has learned so much from being a content creator.
“I just hope to keep doing what I’m doing,” Elise said. “If you do what makes you happy, everything else will follow.”