Jordan Fisher, Liza Koshy and Sabrina Carpenter sit down with CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb to discuss their dance movie inspirations, internet-fame, Hamilton, and much, much more.
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Short filmTranscript
00:00 - Your work at competition is in five months.
00:02 I don't need you stinking up the place.
00:04 - Fine.
00:06 I'll start my own damn team then.
00:08 - There it is.
00:09 - Say what?
00:10 (upbeat music)
00:13 - So the film is this kind of classic,
00:16 rag tag group of kids who pursue their art.
00:20 I was wondering during reading the script,
00:22 if there was any other films that it reminded you of,
00:25 or if you watched anything else to prepare for the role.
00:28 - Definitely, we watched all the quintessential
00:30 dance movies.
00:32 I can't tell you how many times I've uttered the words,
00:34 step up and dirty dancing and honey and center stage.
00:37 And if you have any more lies,
00:38 I just like add them to the list.
00:40 But as far as the tone for the humor in the movie,
00:45 honestly, if you think of any real present day comedies,
00:49 I think we just took a lot of inspiration
00:51 from those movies that kind of comment on themselves
00:55 as they're happening and sort of break forth wall
00:57 in a few ways.
00:58 - Beyonce, Queen Bey,
01:00 I pray that you make my feet swift tomorrow.
01:03 And then you make my moves have swagger.
01:05 In the name of the single ladies video
01:07 and the lemonade short film, I pray.
01:11 - Yeah, and I think that that's kind of like
01:12 the sense of humor in our movie
01:15 that made it a little different
01:16 from the rest of the dance movies.
01:17 But adding in the dance kind of gives it
01:19 a whole new language.
01:20 - Well, cinema blend, it is a bit of a blend of cinema.
01:24 There's that classic dance,
01:27 hey, we incorporated the brand in there.
01:29 There's the classic head nods to all the dance movies
01:33 that we grew up with and love so much.
01:35 But then there's also such a current underlying humor
01:38 of you're watching these kids of the internet
01:41 join together.
01:42 Like one character in the movie
01:44 is literally from the internet.
01:45 She makes dance videos online, which I highly relate to.
01:49 And I think it's really cool.
01:50 It's today's humor, which is effortless, like Sabrina is.
01:53 So it's just effortless fun, is what it was.
01:57 - Wow. - Yeah.
01:57 - I should do these more often, these interviews with you.
01:59 - I know, I never suck up to a compliment
02:01 or any other time, so.
02:02 - I think the thing that I love most about this,
02:05 and especially if we're talking about
02:07 a very defined culture of one specific genre
02:10 and that being dance film, it felt different.
02:13 Yes, dance was like the big catalyst.
02:15 It was the big vehicle that takes the film
02:18 from point A to point Z,
02:19 pulling this ragtag team of different people,
02:24 human beings, super character-driven individuals
02:27 that are quirky in their own ways
02:29 and the ways that we all are, especially as artists,
02:31 how they all come together.
02:33 And it's an underdog story, it's a Cinderella story,
02:35 and who doesn't love that, right?
02:37 And I think that the thing that excited me really
02:39 was the fact that it was about people
02:43 and it was about evolution as human beings.
02:46 And that's what informs your journey with these characters.
02:51 It's like, it's not just about the fact
02:54 that there's really great dance numbers in it,
02:56 but it's that you really root for everyone here.
03:00 - Look, you guys aren't the most skilled dancers,
03:03 but that's what we're up against.
03:05 - You think I don't see you staring at Jake
03:06 like he's a pop quiz?
03:08 - Untrue.
03:08 (upbeat music)
03:14 - Speaking of your internet days,
03:17 I gotta say that at the office,
03:19 there is not one day that goes by
03:21 where a Vine isn't referenced.
03:23 Like it's just such a huge part of our culture.
03:27 I just have to ask about that idea
03:29 of going from an ultra short form concept
03:32 to now starring in feature films that-
03:35 - It's a long, it's a long Vine.
03:37 - It's a long Vine.
03:39 - It's just one long Vine.
03:41 - Conflation, honey.
03:44 - Oh, it is wild.
03:45 First I wanna compliment your workplace.
03:46 You guys are doing it right.
03:46 Speaking my Vine language.
03:48 Six seconds.
03:50 Like it was the culture at a time
03:51 and like still short form content so much, very so is.
03:55 But like to do, go from six seconds
03:57 to like YouTube videos to now,
03:59 this is I think the longest you can get,
04:01 but like 90 minute movie of dancing,
04:04 like combining two things that I really love to do,
04:07 dancing and acting is just like such a dream come true.
04:09 So like pretending to be in a dance movie in my shower
04:13 from the age of like six and beyond
04:15 has paid off literally and figuratively
04:17 of like I get to be and play this role.
04:20 So it's wild.
04:21 It's all in Papa Netflix's hands.
04:22 So yeah, it was really, it's a really cool transition.
04:25 I'm excited to see like kids of the internet
04:27 know that if they work hard
04:29 and stay true to who they are,
04:30 that they can end up in this position too.
04:32 - Did you watch "Hamilton" on Disney+
04:35 and does that type of format make you excited
04:40 for the future of theatrical productions
04:43 being done in that manner?
04:45 - The answer is duh and yes, absolutely.
04:48 Absolutely.
04:49 I miss the show a lot.
04:50 You know, I mean, it took me right back to the theater.
04:52 It took me right back to standing off stage, right?
04:56 And you know, with my coat on and my sleeves out
04:59 and getting ready to walk on stage and do the show.
05:02 And that felt so good to me.
05:04 I also got to share that with some family friends of mine
05:06 that had not seen the show yet.
05:10 Didn't know anything about it really.
05:12 And it wasn't like they didn't see me do it, you know?
05:15 So to be able to kind of like relive that
05:17 and watch it with people that I love so much
05:19 that was experiencing it for the first time
05:22 was just the best thing ever.
05:24 And yeah, no, it does excite me for the future
05:27 of theater in general and just people's access to it.
05:29 You know, I mean, there's so many incredible plays
05:32 and musicals that are on Broadway in the West End
05:35 that so many people will never get an opportunity to,
05:38 it's expensive to fly to New York City, to fly to London,
05:42 to fly, you know, to get to wherever
05:44 and get the hotel and get the tickets.
05:47 Like there's so many people that are dying
05:50 to see this material and to experience it
05:52 that don't have the opportunity to.
05:55 So to be able to give that opportunity to people at home,
05:58 I think is a really special thing.
05:59 And I don't think that it's detrimental to the lifeblood
06:03 and the success of the show on Broadway.
06:04 People still want to see it
06:06 and they'll continue to want to see it for forever.
06:09 It's one of those shows
06:10 that's just gonna be there for forever, you know?
06:11 And there are other shows,
06:12 there are other beautiful shows that are like that
06:13 that are on Broadway currently that I think
06:15 it would be wonderful for people to see it at home,
06:18 you know, especially during this time.
06:20 - The work at stage, it's huge.
06:22 And no new team has ever won it.
06:25 - This is our only chance.
06:27 - You ready?
06:34 - What a charming and hilarious duo
06:36 you two turned out to be.
06:38 - You turned out, I love.
06:40 - No one expected that.
06:42 - I expected, but a delightful surprise.
06:45 - I'm just gonna sit here and flatter you the whole time
06:49 if that's cool, yous all.
06:50 - Please.