Kensington Tallman, Chase Vacnin and Artyon Celestine talk about their brand new Nickelodeon comedy
Drama Club, with MyWabashValley.com! The all new series premieres digitally on
nick.com and the Nick App on Saturday, March 13, followed by on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT)!
The curtains have risen on Nickelodeon’s new mockumentary-style comedy series
Drama Club. From creators and executive producers Monica Sherer and Madeline Whitby (
All That,
Betch), the series (10 half-hour episodes) follows a group of middle schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club.
In the premiere episode of Drama Club, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.
Drama Club stars Telci Huynh (
God Friended Me) as “Mack,” Nathan Janak (
All That) as “Oliver,” Lili Brennan (
Silicon Valley) as “Darcy,” Kensington Tallman (
Side Hustle) as “Bianca,” Chase Vacnin (
The Many Saints of Newark) as “Bench” and Artyon Celestine (
Dancing with the Stars: Juniors) as “Skip.”
Drama Club is produced by
Awesomeness (
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,
Trinkets,
PEN15), with Shelley Zimmerman and Brin Lukens serving as executive producers. Eric Falconer (
How I Met Your Mother,
Blue Mountain State) serves as executive producer and showrunner. The series premiere is directed by Nancy Hower (
Teachers,
Those Who Can’t). Production of
Drama Club for Nickelodeon and Awesomeness is overseen by Shauna Phelan, Senior Vice President, Live-Action Scripted Content; and Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action.
VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE: The Cast Of Nickelodeon’s “Drama Club” Talks About Fave Moments From Working On The Series And They Give Their Characters Class Superlatives In Their Interview With Alexisjoyvipaccess!
Lights, Camera, Action! The curtains are raised and a group of amazing middle-schoolers are taking center stage in the brand new, Nickelodeon series, Drama Club premiering digitally on Saturday, March 13th on the Nick app and Nick.com. The remarkable, mockumentary series truly stands out as something that has never been seen before on the network and parallels the great comedic chops and format of The Office. With a brilliant ensemble of the most immensely talented actors and actresses and tons of hilarious moments in every scene, this is your cue to get ready for your new show obsession, Drama Club!
Drama Club follows a group of middle-schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club. “In the premiere episode, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help” (source: press release).
The sensational series stars a magnificently gifted cast comprising of Telci Huynh as “Mack,” Nathan Janak as “Oliver,” Lili Brennan as “Darcy,” Kensington Tallman as “Bianca,” Chase Vacnin as “Bench” and Artyon Celestine as “Skip.”
Huynh, Janak, Vacnin, Celestine, Brennan and Tallman make the absolute dream team to bring out such a fun and entertaining show that will literally make you laugh out loud. Each character in the series has their own unique personality – from the total jock Bench, to the drama club superstar, Oliver, the oh, so glam Bianca, the fun-loving best-friend everyone needs, Skip, the hilarious Darcy and the determined go-getter, Mack. All of the characters’ vibrant personas shine in the series and when joined together, they make one stupendous Drama Club family.
Filled with awesome props and fantastic costumes, Drama Club is taking us all back to middle-school and will make us feel like we’re right there with the cast on opening night of the school play. This isn’t a run-through, it’s the real deal, Drama Club is bound to bring show-stopping excitement to our screens as the talented crew makes sure the show must (might) go on!
Alexisjoyvipaccess had an extraordinary time interviewing the cast of Nickelodeon’s Drama Club and had a stellar time chatting with Telci Huynh, Nathan Janak, Lili Brennan, Kensington Tallman, Chase Vacnin and Artyon Celestine all about a moment that sticks out to them the most from working on the series, which class superlatives they would give to their characters in the show, and so much more only in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interviews. The phenomenal cast even took on a fun acting exercise and showed how their characters would react if they got the lead part in the school play, how their characters would react if they forget their lines on opening night and they even showed how their characters would pose if it were school picture day at Tookus Middle School – it all happens in our VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interviews below!
Check out my VIPAccessEXCLUSIVE interviews with the cast of Drama Club below and don’t forget to watch the premiere of this incredible series on the Nick App and Nick.com on Saturday, March 13th with a special encore presentation airing on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20th, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT)!
The sensational series stars a magnificently gifted cast comprising of Telci Huynh as “Mack,” Nathan Janak as “Oliver,” Lili Brennan as “Darcy,” Kensington Tallman as “Bianca,” Chase Vacnin as “Bench” and Artyon Celestine as “Skip.”
Huynh, Janak, Vacnin, Celestine, Brennan and Tallman make the absolute dream team to bring out such a fun and entertaining show that will literally make you laugh out loud. Each character in the series has their own unique personality – from the total jock Bench, to the drama club superstar, Oliver, the oh, so glam Bianca, the fun-loving best-friend everyone needs, Skip, the hilarious Darcy and the determined go-getter, Mack. All of the characters’ vibrant personas shine in the series and when joined together, they make one stupendous Drama Club family.
Filled with awesome props and fantastic costumes, Drama Club is taking us all back to middle-school and will make us feel like we’re right there with the cast on opening night of the school play. This isn’t a run-through, it’s the real deal, Drama Club is bound to bring show-stopping excitement to our screens as the talented crew makes sure the show must (might) go on!
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Nickelodeon's Drama Club: Mack and Darcy Give Tour in First Look of Show | J-14 Magazine
Nickelodeon has a brand new show premiering called 'Drama Club,' and we're giving you a first look at the new series. In the premiere episode of #DramaClub, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.
The series premieres digitally on the Nick app and Nick.com on Saturday, March 13, and airs on #Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20, at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The series stars Telci Huynh (Mack), Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), Chase Vacnin (Bench) and Artyon Celestine (Skip).
The show must go on in Nickelodeon's 'Drama Club'
The drama is just beginning for the drama club as they welcome a new member.
Nickelodeon’s new show “Drama Club” is a different type of show as people are calling it a “mock”-a-mentary.
Cast members of the new show Kensington Tallman and Chase Vacnin spoke to PIX11 News’ Ojinika Obiekwe about the series and what we viewers can expect.
“Drama Club” airs Saturday night on Nickelodeon. You can also catch it on the Nick app and Nick.com.
LI teen stars in Nick's 'Drama Club,''Sopranos' movie
Newsday spoke with Merrick's own Chase Vacnin, who is a cast member in the new Nickelodeon series "Drama Club," premiering this month. He also has a role in "The Many Saints of Newark," the "Sopranos" movie slated to come out later this year. Credit: Newsday
Most actors dream of some day winning an Oscar and making a grand acceptance speech in which they thank every member of their family. Merrick native and rising star Chase Vacnin has an even clearer idea of how he wants to show his gratitude to his family.
"I have a very specific success in my mind. My vision is to be able to get my mom that Tesla [and] to put my brother through law school. I want to be able to give back to my family," Vacnin, 19 says.
He's well on his way to making that happen. Vacnin is one of the stars of Nickelodeon's new mockumentary-style sitcom "Drama Club" and in September he'll be seen on the big screen in "The Many Saints of Newark," the feature film prequel to TV's "The Sopranos."
In "Drama Club," which airs Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., Vacnin plays the most popular kid in middle school. a football star who's failing in his classes and is forced to take drama club as an elective. "My character, Bench, is this boisterous, athletic guy. He’s a total bro," Vacnin says. "He's the fish out of water in the drama club, which is cool because it shows the welcoming arms of the show, how it really accepts diversity no matter who you are or what your background is."
While "Drama Club" is family-friendly fare, Vacnin gets to tap into his dark side as a mobster in "The Many Sides of Newark," which stars Michael Gandolfini, son of James Gandolfini, playing a young version of his dad's character, Tony Soprano.
"Originally I wasn’t supposed to have as big a role as I do, but I had to fight for that. I had to charm my way into gaining more spots in that film," Vacnin says. "I was fortunate enough to go out to lunch with Gandolfini. He took me around New York City. He and I still text and talk about the release on Sept. 24."
With his career gaining momentum, Vacnin recently moved to Los Angeles where he has an apartment. Saying goodbye to Long Island, however, wasn't easy.
"I’m going to miss all my boys. I’m going to miss all my friends for sure," he says. "I'm very grateful I went to a public school and made those real long-lasting friendships. That came from a football field."
As for what's next, Vacnin has another film, "Once Upon a Time in Staten Island" with Bobby Cannavale and Naomi Watts, awaiting release. And in case you were wondering, Vacnin also imagines that moment when he might be standing at the podium accepting an Academy Award.
"Big dreams, big dreams," he says, "but you need to have them."
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Get To Know 'Drama Club' Actor Chase Vacnin, aka Bench, With 10 Fun Facts!
Drama Club is premiering on Nickelodeon this weekend and JJJ is getting to know the stars of the new series!
If you don’t already know, the show is a mockumentary-style comedy about a group of middle schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club.
Chase Vacnin stars in the series as Bench Logan, the not so bright football player who joins the Tookus Middle School Drama Club because he forgot to sign up for an elective.
You may recognize Chase from his role on Ramy or as Butch in The Little Rascals Save the Day. Find out 10 Fun Facts about Chase below!
While Drama Club has already premiered digitally, it will make it’s network debut on Nickelodeon THIS Saturday at 8:30pm ET/PT, following an all new episode of Side Hustle.
New episodes of Drama Club will continue to air in the 8:30pm time slot, Saturdays on Nick.
1. My favorite Xbox games are Madden and the NHL series.
2. My favorite food is bacon.
3. I am a rapper.
4. My tongue can touch my nose.
5. I can juggle.
6. I enjoy cooking.
7. I played on my high school football, lacrosse and basketball teams.
8. I’m obsessed with cars.
9. I write music.
10. I love roller coasters .
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Learn More About Drama Club's Kensington Tallman With 10 Fun Facts!
Kensington Tallman is making her presence known in the new Nickelodeon series Drama Club!
The actress plays Bianca in the show, the loud and quirky influencer, who also has a crush on Bench.
Drama Club, if you haven’t heard by now, is a mockumentary-style comedy which follows a group of middle schoolers as they shine a light on the inner workings of their school’s overlooked drama club.
You may recognize Kensington from her role as Ruby on another Nickelodeon series, Side Hustle. She’s also been on episodes of Black Monday and The Good Cop.
JJJ has been getting to know the cast of Drama Club with 10 Fun Facts. Check out Chase Vacnin and Lili Brennan‘s right here!
Be sure to tune in to Drama Club on Saturday nights at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon. Check out Kensington Tallman‘s fun facts below:
1. I am a vegan! I love animals and am passionate about their wellbeing. My favorite animal is a sloth because they are just so cute!! I have a pet Teddy Bear Hamster named Potato and I really want to get pet chickens.
2. I have lived in 4 different states and 10 homes! I was raised in New York City and my favorite place back home is Central Park. There is always so much to see and experience!
3. I grew up playing the violin and have performed not only on the streets of New York City but also at Carnegie Hall through the School of Strings! I am currently learning how to play the ukulele.
4. My favorite Subject is History! I love learning about different cultures and historical figures. I am part of the National Junior Honor Society at my school and my hope is to go to Yale University. I speak basic Latin, French and I am learning Italian. My dream is to go to Italy and see the Colosseum in Rome.
5. I love aerial dance! I think it’s such a beautiful artform. For my birthday this year I am asking for a scarf so I can practice every day.
6. I have a little brother named Zealand. He is adopted! I also have 2 cousins who are adopted along with my grandfather. My family is passionate about adoption.
7. I love doing impressions and accents! My favorite impression to do is Bjork and sometimes on my off days I take an accent class over Zoom.
8. My favorite food is avocado sushi rolls and Vegan mint chocolate chip ice cream from Nada Moo.
9. I love all forms of art!! One of my favorite things to do is crochet. I love making baby blankets for family and friends’ new babies.
When I grow up, I want to continue acting and start a production company, along with a charity with my best friend Samantha Smith, who is also an actress. We met doing a Dunkin Donuts commercial and have been best friends ever since.
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Find Out More About 'All That'& Drama Club's Nathan Janak - Exclusive!
Nathan Janak has been gracing our TV screens for a while now on All That, and now he’s killing it on the new series Drama Club!
The almost 16-year-old is perhaps most known from Nickelodeon’s All That reboot, and for his Ariana Grande impression and his “Cancelled” segment.
Nathan now stars as Oliver Olivier on Drama Club, who is basically the Sharpay Evans of the Tookus Middle School Drama Club – starring in every musical alongside Mack… until now.
In the first episode, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.
While the new series has already premiered it’s first episode online, it will be premiering in it’s regular Saturday night time slot TOMORROW (March 20) at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon.
JJJ got to know more about Nathan with 10 Fun Facts. Check out what he revealed below!
1. During my downtime, I love to paint with gouache and watercolor.
2. I enjoy playing strategy games such as chess and Monopoly.
3. My sun, my moon, my ascendant, my Mercury and my Venus are all in Aries.
4. I secretly love to analyze a celebrity’s astrology natal chart.
5. Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift are my most listened to artists on Spotify!
6. The Crown is my favorite tv show right now! I LOVE EMMA CORRIN!
7. Legally Blonde is my favorite musical.
8. I am constantly on Pinterest.
9. I love to skateboard around set.
10. World History is my favorite subject in school!
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Get To Know Drama Club's Artyon Celestine With These Fun Facts! (Exclusive)
Artyon Celestine is one of the stars of the new Nickelodeon series Drama Club!
The 13-year-old plays Skip in the show, which follows a group of students in the Tookus Middle School Drama Club.
Artyon is no stranger to the stage or screen. The teen has appeared in Sia‘s “The Greatest” music video and her new movie Music, and on shows like Little Big Shots, Lip Sync Battle Shorties and America’s Got Talent, and he even competed on Dancing With The Stars Juniors, where he was partnered with Ariana Greenblatt. They took second place!
On the acting front, Artyon has most recently appeared on the latest season of Attaway General. He’s also been on Jane The Virgin, Claws and Bob Hearts Abishola, as well as A Christmas Story Live!
Drama Club will make it’s network debut on Nickelodeon TOMORROW night (March 20) at 8:30pm ET/PT.
We got to know more about Artyon with 10 Fun Facts, and you can see what he shared below!
If you missed them, be sure to check out our other fun facts posts with Artyon‘s co-stars.
1. I love to Skateboard. Picked it up during quarantine and couldn’t stop!!
2. I can do some voice impressions from some cartoons.
3. I can sing, love to do it while playing Ukulele!!
4. I am a professional dancer. Trained in ALL styles, but my favorite has to be tap.
5. I did gymnastics for 9 years and never stopped tumbling. I was even flown out to watch the Olympic Trials by Ellen!!
6. I love knitting and have made Scarves blankets and pillows!!
7. I love to play sports like Football and Track!!
8. My name is a combination of my dad’s name ARThur and my mom’s middle name YvONe.
9. Ever since doing Nickelodeon’s Lip Sync Battle Shorties my nick name has been PARTYON ARTYON!!
10. Out of all 6 family members in my house, including our dogs, every name starts with an A!!
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ExclusiveNickelodeon’s ‘Drama Club’ Cast Shares Their Funniest On-Set Memories
The stars of Nickelodeon’s new series Drama Club spilled some behind-the-scenes secrets exclusively with J-14. Telci Huynh, Lili Brennan, Nathan Janak, Kensington Tallman, Chase Vacnin and Artyon Celestine recalled some pretty hilarious moments that went down when the cameras weren’t rolling, including when they flooded the toilets! Be sure to watch the video above, and check out Drama Club‘s series premiere on Nickelodeon on Saturday, March 20 at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The cast of Nickelodeon's new show Drama Club — Telci Huynh (Mack), Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), Chase Vacnin (Bench) and Artyon Celestine (Skip) — chatted with J-14 all about their new series and revealed some of the funniest moments on set. From flooding toilets (ok, that was more of an embarrassing story) to accidentally dumping white powder all over themselves, these stories are too good.
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Meet Drama Club's Lili Brennan, aka Darcy, With 10 Fun Facts! (Exclusive)
Lili Brennan is one of the rising stars in the new series Drama Club!
The young actress stars as Darcy in the Nickelodeon show, which is a mockumentary-style comedy about a group of middle schoolers in drama club.
In the first episode, the Tookus Middle School Drama Club has a new student director who is excited to take over, change the school’s perception of the club, and earn their new principal’s support. However, when their choreographer suffers an injury, the kids quickly realize that their only hope to save the situation is to turn to a rival on their school’s beloved football team for help.
You may recognize Lili if you have also been watching the Nickelodeon pet competition series Unleashed. She’s a part of the Kid Jury!
Drama Club has already premiered on Nick.com, but it will be premiering on Nickelodeon THIS Saturday at 8:30pm ET/PT.
JJJ is getting to know the cast of the new series with 10 Fun Facts. Check out Lili‘s below!
1. I love the ocean and sail competitively in an optimist sailboat, which is a very small boat for solo sailing. The highest wind speeds I sailed at is over 20 knots! I hope to start sailing FJs (a bigger sailboat for two people) soon!
2. My whole family is scuba certified and I truly love and appreciate the amazing creatures and beauty down below.
3. My favorite animals are actually sharks! They are so magnificent and misunderstood. On my first open ocean scuba dive a shark swam right in front of us! It was amazing! (I was 10!)
4. My love for nature and animals goes deep and I decided to go vegetarian! I never really liked any meats and I feel happy and healthy!
5. Baking is one of my favorite hobbies and I love baking cake, brownies, cookies, cake pops and more!
6. I am learning guitar and love it! I hope to write my own original music someday!
7. I started learning aerial arts when quarantine began. I’ve had the silks for years, but I decided to start learning actual tricks during quarantine! I enjoy it so much, it’s the perfect at home workout!
8. Also over quarantine my mom and I created a garden, I love relaxing, and tending to it. But my favorite thing about it is the fresh vegetables and herbs we get! They taste so good and I love making teas, scrubs and essential oils with them!
9. I have many cats and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! One of them is a polydactyl meaning she has extra toes! And another meows a TON; I think he wants to be a singer!
10. Lastly, in my free time I love streaming on twitch, whether it’s Minecraft, Stardew Valley, or really anything else! I stream under the user Merakii_3 and it’s one of my favorite things to do!
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Drama Club's Telci Huynh Shares 10 Fun Facts With JJJ - Exclusive!
We are so excited for the premiere of Drama Club – and to celebrate, we’ve been getting to know the stars of the show!
Telci Huynh is starring in the Nickelodeon mockumentary-style comedy series as Mack, who becomes the new student director, much to Oliver’s dismay.
The first episode has already been released on Nick.com, and will premiere on Nickelodeon TOMORROW night, Saturday, March 20th, and we highly suggest you don’t miss it. Telci and the whole cast are so funny!!
You may recognize Telci from some of her other roles, including Tiffany on Team Kaylie, Dirty Danielle Jr on Just Roll With It, or from God Friended Me, Reverie or Coop and Cami Ask The World.
Be sure to tune to catch Telci in Drama Club on Saturday nights at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nickelodeon!
JJJ got to know more about Telci with 10 Fun Facts and you can see them all below:
1. My celebrity crush is Henry Cavill.
2. Favorite foods are sushi and any kind of soup.
3. I enjoy longboarding and snowboarding.
4. My hobbies include singing, making natural skin care products, tumbling and knitting (You can call me grandma Telci 😉).
5. I have participated in traditional lion and dragon dancing.
6. I have a phobia of bees. I almost got hit by a car, because I ran into the street since a bee was chasing me!
7. My biggest idol is my dad. He is the hardest working man in the entire world. Without my parents’ guidance and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
8. My sun is in Capricorn and my moon is on Leo.
9. I’m of Latin and Chinese descent.
10. My comfort food is dark chocolate and matcha ice cream.
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EXCLUSIVE: GET TO KNOW THE CAST OF NICKELODEON’S ‘DRAMA CLUB’
There’s theater, there’s comedy, and there’s drama!
Nickelodeon’s latest laugh-out-loud series, “Drama Club,”centers around Tookus Middle School’s overlooked drama club and its theater-loving members who eagerly work to change the school’s perception, while trying to earn the support of their new principal at the same time (*insert applause emoji*). When the choreographer accidentally takes the phrase “break a leg” a bit too literally, the students turn to a rival on the football team because, obviously, the show must go on!
We caught up with the cast, including Telci Huynh (Mack) Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), Chase Vacnin (Bench), and Artyon Celestine (Skip), who shared the biggest lessons they hope viewers take away from the fun-filled series, the surprising yearbook superlatives they’d give each of their cast mates, and more!
How would you describe your character in three words?
Telci: I would describe Mack as passionate, hard-working, and very loyal.
Nathan: If I could describe Oliver in three words, I would say bold, very upfront, and honest.
Lili: I would say bold, loyal, and energetic!
Artyon: Skip is supportive, outgoing, and a little bit nerdy.
Chase: I’d say “total bro,” athletic, and genuine.
Kensington: Bianca [is] definitely a diva, self-involved, and most of all, she’s confident and bold.
In what ways are you similar and different to your character in real life?
Telci: I’m definitely very similar to Mack because we share a lot of the same personality traits!
Nathan: I feel like Oliver and I both share different things. We’re both on the same scale, but just opposite sides of it, if that makes sense.
Lili: I think I am very similar to Darcy, except I’m not as bold, but I’m very glad I’m playing her because I’m having a lot of fun being bold in these public scenarios!
Artyon: I have a lot of Skip’s personality…I feel like our swag is the same. But something different, I feel like I’m a bit more athletic than Skip is. He’s not the most athletic, but we love that about him!
Chase: I am similar to Bench in the sense that we’re both athletes. I come from a public school and I played football my entire life, as did Bench. We’re different because I’d like to think I’m a little more cerebral than Bench. Sometimes, he can space out, but it’s hysterical when he does!
Kensington: I’m very much like Bianca because she’s very bold and confident, and she’s not afraid of anything!
Besides “Most Likely To Be On Broadway,” can you decide which yearbook superlative each of your castmates would be?
Nathan: I think that Ms. Darcy, who Lili plays so well, would probably be “Most Likely To Never Leave Town.” I feel like Darcy would just stay in Tookus until the end of the days!
Lili: I think Darcy would have a great time on the dairy farm! Darcy would think that is the best life ever, do crazy things, go out into the wilderness, and go camping.
Telci: I think Oliver would definitely be the best-dressed, fashionista person. He’d also be the one to be “Most Successful” because of his drive. Lili’s character, Darcy, I agree with Nathan. I think she wouldn’t leave town, but she would be like the most positive person in the school.
Nathan: I would actually contraire you there, Telci. I would say Mack would be the “Most Successful” because of her drive, charisma, and her dedication to doing what she loves, much better than Oliver!
Lili: I think Mack would go out and be a manager, own a business, or take on directing fully. I feel like she’s very organized and very much a leader!
Nathan: Yeah, I feel like Mack is “Most Likely To Become President.”
Chase: I would have to nominate my guy Skippy, Artyon, to be “Most Likely To Become A Famous Dancer.” He’s already done that!
Your characters squash a lot of the stereotypes that come along with being a “theater kid” or being a “football kid.” What’s the biggest lesson you hope viewers learn from the series?
Telci: I hope watching “Drama Club” helps kids going through this COVID time learn to truly be themselves without fearing judgement, and to accept others for who they are. A drama club is a place for all unique people from all different backgrounds, so I really hope they learn to be supportive of everybody and everything.
Nathan: I totally agree with Telci on that. I always say this: just be you, really be fearless, and march to the beat of your own drum!
Chase: To appreciate and welcome others! Bring in those who don’t feel like they belong. A lot of the time, people associate the drama club with the kids who aren’t doing sports or other things. The fact that Bench is an athlete, joins the club, and is a fish out of water is a nice parallel to real life and how we go through clubs in school. I definitely think it promotes diversity and welcoming others!
Kensington: [And also, that] it’s okay to be different. It’s okay to not be perfect at something and to really love people who aren’t like yourself. Love an athlete in a drama club! It’s so special to have that connection and I really hope our viewers see that.
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Exclusive : Nickelodeon Star Reyn Doi Dishes on Nabbing His ‘Side Hustle’ and ‘Drama Club’ Roles
Budding superstar Reyn Doi is making a major name for himself in Hollywood! The 12-year-old kicked off 2021 with his big screen debut in Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar alongside Saturday Night Live legend Kristen Wiig. Now, he’s taking over Nickelodeon with roles in two of the network’s newest shows, Side Hustle and Drama Club.
The Hawaii native appeared as Horrigan in Side Hustle, which stars Jules LeBlanc and Jayden Bartels. Although Reyn didn’t have any scenes with the girls just yet, the young star told J-14 exclusively to “stay tuned for more to come!”
When it comes to Drama Club — Nickelodeon’s very own mockumentary series — the young star “auditioned multiple times for different roles” before nabbing the part of Kurtis, “the lighting booth manager.”
“Kurtis is a very unique character much like the show itself,” Reyn explained. “The show is about the six members of the drama club who are all very devoted, and doing their best work. You’ll see much more drama whenever Kurtis gets involved.”
Drama Club premiered on Nickelodeon on March 20, and according to Reyn, “Viewers will continue to watch the episodes because [the show] has such an unusual twist, and it is funny. Each character is very lovable.”
What can fans expect from his character specifically? Lots of food-related scenes for Kurtis!
“Drama Club is the first show that I ever ate food while filming a scene,” Reyn gushed. “The first food was a pickle with ketchup. I also got to eat chicken wings — those were very good.”
Aside from his Nickelodeon roles, Reyn also has bunch of epic opportunities on the horizon. “You can expect to see me in the new Boss Baby 2 movie coming out this year!” he said. It was also announced earlier this month that the young star would appear in the upcoming ABC comedy series Adopted.
“It’s a very heart-warming, sweet, and funny family show,” Reyn teased. “This show can carry the true meaning of trust in a relationship, especially during the pandemic. People need a little more positivity right now, and I think Adopted brings exactly that.”
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Reyn said he feels “lucky to be able to go on set.” While he continues his studies as a sixth grader, the actor does his “best to think of the positives.”
“I’ve made a commitment to both my passion and my education, so every day I aim to try my best,” he explained. “I feel very blessed to have all these opportunities and roles.”
Be sure to watch Reyn in new episodes of Drama Club on Nickelodeon on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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Working at a Milford video store jump-started this Nickelodeon director's career
MILFORD — Award-winning director Matthew Pollock has learned that making films is a whole lot more rewarding than renting them.
Pollock, a Milford native who recently directed a Nickelodeon program called Drama Club, said his experience in Milford helped him make a career in directing.
“I worked at a video store in Milford and my boss pushed me to make shorts whenever I could,” he said. “We would be out filming in the parks and people wouldn’t tell us to stop, we would be allowed to do it. It felt like it was possible which I don’t think everyone gets to experience, which is unfortunate, but I wish that could be more of the case because living in Milford really helped for sure.”
Pollock attended Joseph A. Foran High School, graduating in 2002, and it was there that he got into directing even more.
“I was into film making on my own but at Foran, they had classes where you actually learn about the idea that film can be an art form,” he said. “It really embedded in me this idea that the arts are a fantastic form of entertainment and form of expression and also something that could be a legit career path.”
Paul Gulyas, a childhood friend of Pollock, remembers that towards the end of their senior year at Foran, they were trying to finish editing a full-length movie before losing the ability to use the school’s editing room.
“We were scrambling, skipping classes and staying late,” he said. “It came so down to the wire that the exact moment we were outside Foran wrapping up our graduation ceremony, the final scene of the film we’d all made together was being transferred to a master copy VHS tape in the TV production room.”
Patrick Beck, another one of Pollock’s film-making friends from high school, said some of his favorite memories from the old days was listening to Pollock play music under the name DJ Red Smurf.
While at Foran, Pollock and some friends, including Beck and Gulyas, managed to get some of their short videos broadcast on a local public access channel.
“It wasn’t a very good show, but we had fun with it,” Pollock said.
From Foran, Pollock moved on to the School of Visual Arts in New York City. But he never really left Milford behind. After college, he directed a comedy film that his Milford friends, Gulyas and Beck and Jorge Gonzalez III, wrote called Graduates.
“We contacted Matthew to direct the film because, since high school, he always directed our creative endeavors,” said Beck. “He attended film school in college and was, and still is, the most technically sound. It just made sense for him to bring our vision to life.”
Guylas said Pollock was the natural choice for director because they had known and worked with him for so long.
“We have that shorthand that comes in handy when collaborating on stuff. And we don’t have to feel like we need to be polite or censor ourselves when critiquing one another’s work,” he said. “We can just be honest and know we’re not hurting feelings.”
The film helped Pollock land a job at the Los Angeles-based online comedy company CollegeHumor, first as an editor, then a director.
“It sounds fake in a way because of how perfect it is, but that’s really what happened,” he said.
After seven years at CollegeHumor, Pollock struck out on his own, forming the company Matt Edits Inc. His work has since taken him to numerous U.S. states, and Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Sweden, China and England. His work in London, a Mentos commercial, remains one of his career highlights, he said.
“That was a really hard project that was magical to do,” he said. “The concept was that as an adult, it’s hard to make friends, but as a kid, it’s easy.”
He said that they gave adults hidden earpieces to walk around London, and everything they said and did was being fed to them by children watching them on a monitor.
“It was this weird hidden camera and social experiment that went very well and provided a lot of funny moments and a great time,” he said.
In the commercial, offering someone a mint was the ultimate icebreaker.
“It was such a satisfying project because it was so hard to pull off and it actually worked,” he said.
The commercial earned Pollock a Cannes Lion, a global award for creativity in advertising, and led to similar work across Asia.
But despite making successful commercials, and some television directing with the TruTV comedy show Adam Ruins Everything, Pollock was still looking for a way to break into some of the larger networks. And then, the day before Thanksgiving, 2020, his managers called to tell him Nickelodeon was looking for someone to direct two episodes of a new project called Drama Club.
“They sent me the script and I loved it. It’s such a fun and creative show that it’s both funny for kids and funny for adults,” he said.
A few weeks later, he landed the job.
“Every day there were 100 to 150 people on set and we are all dealing with COVID by keeping spaced out, wearing masks/face shields and getting tested every day,” said Pollock. “But at the end of the day, it is just more of the same, you have a script, you have performers, you have cameras and you’ve got to do what you can do.”
A plus of working with Nickelodeon is that they had great talent working on the show, he said. Though the work was stressful, Pollock said he was able to direct the kind of show that he would have liked to watch when he was growing up in a single-parent household in Milford.
With money tight, Pollock said he played sports, and did OK in school. But his heart was in movies and television.
“The way it happened is that I followed my gut and followed my dream and instincts and had determination,” he said. “I had the urge to make funny videos with my friends, and we did it. I submitted some of those videos to a film school, and I got in.”
Of course, it wasn’t all getting breaks and being in the right place, he said. There also was a lot of hard work.
“It’s a thing of working hard and staying true to yourself,” he said.
With technology today, there’s no reason why another teen in Milford, or anywhere else, can’t also become a film director, he said.
“It doesn’t matter where you are growing up because of the cameras that you have on your phones,” he said. “It’s definitely possible to make anything at any moment.”
Drama club can be watched on Nickelodeon at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday nights and it can be streamed on nick.com.
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Get To Know the Cast of Nickelodeon’s Newest Series “Drama Club” (Watch)
Celeb Secrets sits down with the young actors to learn more about their new show!
Warm up your vocal cords, thespians! We found your new favorite TV show and it’s Nickelodeon’s mockumentary-style comedy series Drama Club.
On Saturday, March 20, the curtains rose and the world was introduced to Tookus Middle School Drama Club where they showed off not just their jazz hands and box squares, but how they are stepping up their game to be the best extracurricular on campus, too.
Students of Tookus Middle School might know Mack (Telci Huynh) for her starring roles in their drama productions, but this year the resilient and determined actress is taking on the responsibility as a student director and she’s ready to bring the department to new heights. In the first episode, Mack flexes her problem-solving skills as she tries to find a new choreographer in a short amount of time.
“Mackenzie is definitely this headstrong-driven girl. She’s very passionate about what she does,” says Telci in an exclusive Celeb Secrets interview. “She’s very supportive of all her friends in the drama club and she definitely takes on the leader role and helps everybody as they go on through the journey of middle school.”
Mack and her fellow classmates – Nathan Janak (Oliver), Lili Brennan (Darcy), Kensington Tallman (Bianca), and Artyon Celestine (Skip), turns to the star football player Chase Vacnin (Bench) to save the day and to fill in as choreographer after their lead dancer gets injured!
Bench enters drama rehearsal with a coach-like mindset to whip the cast into tip-top shape, in order to get them ready to perform for their new principal, who happens to be a former professional dancer. Their goal is to gain respect and support from their principal to make their organization the best it has ever been.
“I am now the dance captain because the other dance captain got injured. I’m running this dance practice as if I’m the coach. All I know is ‘Okay, do it again!’ but, it’s really super funny because he’s so out of place and everyone’s looking at him like ‘do we have to do this?’ ‘This is what we have to do?’ shared Chase, while explaining his first day as captain.
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| DESCRIPTION: Episode 101: Pictured: Mack (Telci Huynh), Skip (Artyon Celestine), Darcy (Lili Brennan), Bianca (Kensington Tallman), Oliver (Nathan Janak), Bench (Chase Vacnin), Gertie (Neska Rose), Curtis (Reyn Doi), Mr. Sniffet (John Milhiser) and Principal Gibson (Ithamar Enriquez) in DRAMA CLUB on Nickelodeon. Photo: Robert Voets/Nickelodeon ©2021 Viacom, International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
The brains behind the relatable teen sitcom are Monica Sherer and Madeline Whitby. The two did not just create a series about an overlooked drama club, but they carefully crafted a show that breaks down “typical” high school stereotypes. The Nickelodeon series produced by AwesomenessTV has life lessons implemented in each episode – such as, not sticking to the status quo, how to be your true authentic self, and the importance of following your passion.The creators of the lively production have casted a diverse company that many viewers can find repeatable and inspiring.
Celeb Secrets sat down with the Drama Club crew to learn more about their characters, the atmosphere on set, and some behind-the-scenes secrets that you would never know when watching the show.
New episodes of Drama Club air every Saturday at 8:30PM ET/PT on Nickelodeon.
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QUITE THE WHIRLWIND: 13-year-old Amaya talks newest role, life in Hollywood amid COVID-19
It's been quite the whirlwind for Brady Amaya, who moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue a career as an actor and dancer.
The Carleton-born 13-year-old has had guest spots on popular television series like Fox’s "9-1-1," ABC’s "American Housewife," and NBC’s "This Is Us."
He’s appeared in theater, in commercials, and even on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Amaya also dances regularly with the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks’ LA Sparkids Dance Team, and he’s also shown off his moves in several music videos. Most recently he’s had a stint as a recurring guest star on the Nickelodeon show, "Drama Club."
It's a lengthy resume, especially considering that the son of Amaya’s Fresh Mexican Grill owner Faustino “Tino” and Jennifer Amaya of Monroe and Kathy Norman of Carleton hasn't even graduated junior high school.
“It’s been amazing,” Brady said in a recent phone interview. “You hear a lot of people saying how challenging or hard it can be to be a child actor - and I’m not saying it isn’t hard or challenging – but you hear so many bad things about the community and the acting industry. But to be honest, I haven’t had any of those bad experiences. It’s all been great, being on set and working with different directors, writers, producers and even the other actors...
“Everyone has been great.”
Stepmother Jennifer, who lives with Brady in LA, said that the duo rarely stop moving. If Brady isn’t on set or at rehearsal for a job he already has, he’s likely filming audition tapes, participating in acting or dance workshops to perfect his craft, or catching up on his schoolwork via Airport Community Schools' Airport Virtual Academy (AVA) program.
“We just go day by day,” Jennifer explained. “After six months we look back and go ‘Holy cow, we did all that?’ We’re both amazed at how much we’ve done. It’s crazy.”
Brady first auditioned for "Drama Club" in January of 2020, initially reading for the role of Oliver and making it through several rounds of callbacks over the next couple of months. Then in March he was informed that the showrunners were interested in bringing him in to instead play Fenton, the confident captain of the titular drama club.
Then COVID-19 hit, suspending productions throughout Hollywood as the entire world essentially stood still for the next several months.
Brady didn’t find out he had booked the role of Fenton until receiving a call at the end of November. In January 2021 he filmed scenes for four episodes, two of which have already aired.
“It was very fast-paced,” Brady said. “Two episodes were taped within two weeks. They’re taped (two episodes) at a time...”
Despite new protocols on testing, social distancing and mask use, the entire production had to halt yet again just shortly after filming began after someone on set tested positive for the coronavirus. At that point, Brady had only shot scenes for the pilot, and he and his family weren’t sure when he’d be asked back to shoot more episodes.
"We thought he wasn’t going to be in another episode for a while,” Jennifer said. “Then all of the sudden they called and were like ‘Hey we want Brady in this episode too.’ It was just crazy...”
When asked to describe Fenton, Brady said “he’s definitely not an insecure character.”
“Jen says my character is sassy, but I don’t really think he’s sassy; I just think he’s more confident,” Brady explained. “He’s very awesome, to be honest, very fun, very upbeat, very passionate about dance and the drama club... I had so much fun on that set, and I really miss it...”
Other than the slightly-more-chaotic-than-normal shooting schedule on "Drama Club," and auditions being held remotely via pre-recorded tapes and Zoom meetings, Brady says that the pandemic hasn’t greatly affected his ability to continue chasing his dream. Even when productions were halted during the worst of the pandemic last year, Brady continued submitting audition tapes and taking online seminars in an effort to continue to get his name out there in front of the right people.
But while he’s a working actor and dancer, Brady is also still an eighth grader with classwork to complete. Jennifer said that none of what her stepson has accomplished would be possible without the support of Airport Community Schools and its Virtual Academy.
“It’s just incredible, and you don’t see that out here (in LA),” Jennifer said. “There are so many horror stories out here about that, so we’re grateful for the support of Airport Schools so that Brady can continue his education at his pace and be able to do this.
“Without that support, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”
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Q&A: The cast of Nickelodeon’s ‘Drama Club’ talk about getting in the film industry
Finding your tribe can be daunting but incredibly rewarding. Nickelodeon’s mockumentary-style comedy “Drama Club“ features an eccentric group of theatre kids maneuvering the troubles of their middle school’s newly formed drama club. Through its unique range of characters and ability to poke fun at the woes of the middle, the series thrives on its humor, fun spirit and unabashed theatre kid passion.
Telci Huynh, Lili Brennan, Nathan Janak, Chase Vacnin, Artyon Celestine and Kensington Tallman spoke about the series, their characters and how they grew into acting.
What is your favorite aspect of the show?
Telci: “I like that Drama Club is a place where you can be yourself, and it welcomes all different backgrounds. You can really be unique and bring your own talents into whatever scene that you’re taking place in.”
Lili: “Everyone on set is incredible. Everyone is so kind and so hardworking and nice, we always hype each other up for a scene. It’s a lot of fun when you’re working with amazing people and that’s probably what I liked the most.”
Nathan: “It’s always, always busy. Every single day filming there’s a new thing, we’re never just sitting around bored waiting to go do something, we’re always in hair and makeup, we’re always in school, we’re always changing, we always have a fitting. It’s always go-go-go and it feels so good.”
Chase: “I like that it’s very funny. It’s a very hysterical show with great comedic timing, and the fact that it’s shot in the mockumentary style is something I’m very interested in because it’s like ‘The Office’ for kids in a way. And I guess my final thought would be the fact that it’s very welcoming and filled with diversity. Everyone’s accepted and everyone’s loved in their own way. There’s no resentment towards anyone that’s deeper than the surface.”
Artyon: “It has to be doing our group scenes because they’re always so fun since I get to do it with the whole cast. I’m always just having so much fun, and definitely the musicals we get to do are fun too.”
Kensington: “Oh, that’s such a tough question. The thing I love most about the show is definitely the different types of characters because there’s nerdy ones, there’s smart ones, there’s funny ones, there’s bold ones. Every character is so special in their own unique way, and this show definitely expresses this idea that anybody can join the drama club whether you’re a jock, whether you’re a theatre kid. It really is just welcoming anybody you want.”
How similar are you and your character?
Telci: “I also work hard and I’m very determined and I put my mind to whatever task that I’m up to. Mack and I definitely share all of those traits together. I like that Mack is the mom of the group and she’s very supportive by listening to her fellow classmates. She’s definitely a perfectionist, but she gets the job done.”
Lili: “Darcy is pretty much me but with way more energy, which is so much fun to play. Honestly, I admire Darcy in my life, I want to be a bit more bold like Darcy. So in that way, I’m a little bit quieter but I love playing her.”
Nathan: “I would say that Oliver and I are kind of different because we go about how we would want to do things very differently. He would go to the extremes, but one thing we do share in common is our passion for theatre and acting.”
Chase (Bench Logan): “We’re both similar in the sense that we’ve both been playing football for a long time. I like that he’s accepting and he’s not a bully, like your typical jock character. He’s a loving one and maybe he’s not the brightest guy, he’s not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he’s definitely a very lovable character and he’s definitely someone that will resonate with you.”
Artyon (Skip): “I think I’m really similar to my character with our personalities; I think I have the same energy as my character. The way I dress, the way I move, our love for our friends and the passion for what we do. Those are some things I have that are similar.”
Kensington (Bianca): “We’re actually pretty different. She’s very self-centered and she really only cares about herself for the most part, which is not exactly who I am, but she’s kind in her own way. She’s really outgoing and she’s really courageous and she’s really confident, which is kind of who I am, and I’ve learned a lot from her.”
What is something you wanted to demonstrate in your character?
Telci: “I wanted for kids to look up to her and to really relate to her. Mack also has struggles; Mack has anxiety and she gets stressed easily. I want kids to learn that it’s okay to make mistakes and that it’s okay to be who you are and not feel judged.”
Lili: “Be yourself. Just be who you want to be in the world. Darcy wants to be there for Mack and wants to help Mack and her goals, and I just love that about her.”
Nathan: “Because it’s based in a middle school, I really wanted to show that Oliver thought he was above middle school really and he shouldn’t even be in school. He thinks that he’s this fully prepared and mature actor, so I wanted to come off as very classy and mature.”
Chase: “All my athletic abilities, and I think I did. I think I was able to demonstrate that from lifting other cast members in scenes to playing football in other scenes.”
Artyon: “I wanted to demonstrate that no matter who you are and what you do, just be you because even though Skip is the nerdy one and he’s different, everyone loves him and he’s just himself. Whether you love the drama club or you love sports, just do what you love best and do what makes you happy.”
Kensington: “How she’s written, it almost seems like she’s the mean girl, but she’s really not. She’s really kind and as the series progresses she turns out to be really smart, and I really wanted to show that she’s got the biggest heart and that she’s not mean in the slightest way at all.”
What’s it like working with the rest of the cast?
Telci: “We’re all best friends. The minute I met them, I was really nervous, but we all clicked and we all got along, no matter the age difference. They’re really really incredible and they truly are my good friends.”
Lili: “It’s incredible how amazing everyone on the set is. We would FaceTime before the show because we couldn’t see each other in person. We would hang out after hours and during lunch and we’d take pictures and it was so much fun.”
Nathan: “We always find a way to do something in between takes, or even at lunch or even after the studio or after filming. Sometimes we play iMessage games like crazy eights, and we group FaceTime a lot and play 20 questions. It’s just great working with them, they’re all so so sweet.”
Chase: “It’s a blast. It’s just really fun, especially our lunches together because we all sit together, it’s like one big family. Everyone’s very mature, dedicated, extremely talented.”
Kensington: “Really, we are the best of friends. When we immediately met we were like, ‘okay yeah, we’re best friends, this chemistry is amazing.’ We Facetime each other basically every day, and we love having lunch together. We have a whole group chat set up, and you can really tell in our chemistry throughout the show. We just have the best bonds and nobody can ever take that away from us.”
What made you want to be an actor?
Telci: “What’s crazy though, is that when I was four years old and I was watching Yo Gabba Gabba, which is a Nickelodeon show, I asked my mom, ‘Are those real people?’ and she goes, ‘Yes, they’re actors.” And at four years old, I said ‘I want to do that.’ Ever since I’ve been doing it, and it’s crazy that now I booked a Nickelodeon show.”
Lili: “I did a lot of theater as a kid and a lot of acting as well. I was kinda just trying a lot of different things. I really like acting because it’s a way to almost be someone else but still have yourself show within the character. And it’s just really cool watching all the different working pieces to make a production. It’s really interesting to see all that happen.”
Nathan: “I was five years old and I did a summer program play for my elementary school called ‘Chicken Little,’ and I played Chicken Little. And after that, I just knew I wanted to do acting forever.”
Chase: “Growing up, I was always getting in trouble in school. And one day, my mom and I, we sat down and someone asked me to model for Babies R Us. And after I did that, later on in life I was still getting in trouble at school, people always called me a character. I ended up getting a role that I ended up doing with my mom. It was a kid fighting over jelly beans. Ever since then, I really just try to hone in on the craft and make it a career for myself. So yeah, it was some pivotal moments when I was younger.”
Artyon: “So I first started off with dancing, and that was the main thing I was doing, but when I was nine, I got my first acting audition and I had no training or anything, but I went in there and did my best. And I was like ‘this is so fun, and if I’m able to start working on it and taking classes, it would be just an amazing opportunity.’ “
Kensington: “So my brother actually started acting, and I wanted to become an actress because I went to one of his auditions and I actually booked it. I thought it was something really unique and something really cool. And I actually had stage fright when I was little, so to overcome that fear for me was really special and really exciting for me.”
Who are your role models?
Telci: “Of course, my parents. I love them to death. They have always taught me to work hard, give 100% if you want to get 100%. For actors and actresses in the industry, it would be Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lawrence, Will Smith and I really love Adam Sandler as well.”
Lili: “I really admire our writers, Monica and Maddie, who are really awesome people. Their writing is incredible and they’re so kind. My mom is also someone I really admire because she’s really hard working and I love her.”
Nathan: “I definitely have to say Audrey Hepburn, I absolutely love her. She is an amazing actress, amazing human and humanitarian, and she’s really inspiring to me. I even have a photo of her in my room, just to keep her as a little inspiration reminder.”
Chase: “I’m a huge Jonah Hill fan, and I’m gonna have to say, Chris Pratt. Those are the two career arcs that I really like and I love the characters that they play.”
Artyon: “It’s definitely Kevin Hart. I’ve always looked up to him, he’s just so funny. He’s able to play a big wide range of characters and with every character he does he just nails it.”
Kensington: “One of my role models is Catherine O’Hara, I love her. She’s so funny, and she makes me laugh in every movie I see her in. I love Jim Carrey; he’s really funny, his physical comedy is just brilliant. I’ve seen so many different comedy actors and actresses and I just love watching comedy, it’s so cool to me. I also love Julie Andrews, she’s so good at singing in every classic movie she’s in and I love her so much.”
Do you have any advice for kids who want to get into the film industry?
Telci: “Being in the industry is definitely an experience. Like I was saying before, you have to give 100% if you want to get 100% back, and you have to be committed, you have to work hard, you have to have passion for it and you can’t give up. You’ll receive more rejection than you do booking, but that’s how you learn, that’s how you become a stronger actor and learn new things from new people each time you take part in this industry.”
Lili: “It is a lot of work, but if you enjoy it and you love it, go for it and just put in your heart. Try your best, always be confident in yourself but still be able to take criticism, that’s a big part of it. If you love it, just work hard at it and have fun doing it.”
Nathan: “I would say definitely know what you’re getting into. Do your research and stay committed and make sure that this is what you want to do and be willing to put in the work.”
Chase: “Don’t give up, because it’s very easy to. Rejection is something that I became so accustomed to that I don’t feel that pain because I’ve been doing it for quite a long time. In the beginning, being told, ‘You’re not good enough’ or ‘you’re not the right person’ or ‘the right character’ can be a little bit disheartening and can definitely distress people. But I definitely think persistence is the key in an industry like this, finding connections and who you know and constantly putting yourself out there. These are things that I feel really allow you to expand.”
Artyon: “Work on your acting. Put your best foot forward. Always be yourself because that’s what people like to see. And then once you start acting, make sure you look over your scripts. Really learn them, keep them in your head. Just be yourself and you are going to nail those auditions.”
Kensington: “If you’re going to start getting into the film industry, keep auditioning. That’s the best advice I give. And when you audition, make bold choices. Do something that no one else is going to do: maybe you shout a line or maybe you add some sort of prop in the scene. Do something that not everybody’s going to do that’s going to make you stand out and make the casting director say, ‘hey, we like this kid, let’s call this kid back.’ “
Would you work on the second season of the show?
Telci: “I can’t say if we are or not but I am hoping so. So you guys, stay tuned if you want to see!”
Lili: “One hundred percent, I’m here. We actually just wrapped the show yesterday and I’m like, ‘Season two please!’”
Nathan: “Oh absolutely! I would definitely love to work on a second season. I think there’s so many new topics and plotlines to explore.”
Chase: “I would be honored to.”
Artyon: “I would, hands down, work on a second season of the show and get back out there with my cast because I love it so much. I think that would just be an amazing experience. After the first season, I felt like I had a lot of practice, and for a second season I think I’d be ready.”
Kensington: “I would absolutely love to work on a second season! I have learned so much from this. It’s my happy place, and I love showing up to set every day and being with the people I love most. If we got a second season, I would be so happy.”
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Originally published: Thursday, March 11, 2021.
