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Cheaper By The Dozen Cast Shares Favorite Breakfasts & More

In this interview, the Cheaper By The Dozen cast shares their favorite breakfast foods, talks about the chaos on set, and more. On Disney+ now.

Cheaper By The Dozen 2022 movie review

Kylie Rogers as Ella, Luke Prael as Seth, Caylee Blosenski as Harley, Sebastian Cote as Bronx, Gabrielle Union as Zoey Baker, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Luna, Christian Cote as Bailey, Aryan Simhadri as Haresh, Andre Robinson as DJ, Journee Brown as Deja, Leo Abelo Perry as Luca, and Zach Braff as Paul Baker on the set of 20th Century Studios’ CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Cheaper By The Dozen has been updated and modernized for 2022, but it is still a whole lot of fun. This new Disney+ movie (streaming now) teaches important lessons to kids, adults, and families everywhere, while bringing the chaotic fun that comes with large families. To celebrate the release, the cast sat down with Mama’s Geeky and some other members of the press to talk about this adorable movie. 

Participating Talent:

  • Gabrielle Union (“Zoey Baker”)
  • Zach Braff (“Paul Baker”)
  • Erika Christensen (“Kate”)
  • Timon Kyle Durrett (“Dom”)
  • Gail Lerner (Director)
Cheaper By The Dozen 2022 movie review

Sebastian Cote as Bronx, Andre Robinson as DJ, Luke Prael as Seth, Aryan Simhadri as Haresh, Gabrielle Union as Zoey Baker, Zach Braff as Paul Baker, Journee Brown as Deja, Kylie Rogers as Ella, Caylee Blosenski as Harley, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Luna, and Christian Cote as Bailey in 20th Century Studios’ CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Merrick Morton. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Favorite Breakfast Foods

If you have already watched Cheaper By The Dozen, you know that Paul Baker is the king of breakfast (and sauce). The family restaurant only serves breakfast foods and so of course, we just had to know what the cast’s favorite breakfasts are. The answers have inspired us to try some new things.

Zach Braff says that he grew up a member of the Semites so he loves a good bagel with cream cheese, lox, tomato, capers, and a little bit of salt. For Gabrielle Union, she is all about the bacon — literally, just a platter of bacon will make her happy in the morning and Erika Christensen completely agrees with – coffee and bacon. Gabrielle adds that she loves all the pork products though, and if she is feeling frisky she might start the day with a polksa kielbasa.

Director Gail Lerner sticks with the Jewish breakfast vibe and admits she loves a good Challah French toast. Timon Kyle Durrett says that his mother was very health conscious growing up, so for him breakfast was always a bit platter of fruit. To this day he drinks a fruit smoothie or have an apple in the morning.

cheaper by the dozen interview

The Exes Aren’t Villains 

One of the best things about Cheaper By The Dozen is that even though this is a blended family, the exes are not made out to be the villains. This is something that happens all too often in movie and television adaptations that feature this kind of family. In Cheaper By The Dozen they are all a part of the village, and doing whatever they can to help raise these children right.

Erika Christensen, who plays Paul’s ex-wife Kate, says that she fits in wherever she can get it. She is, quite literally, there all the time. Erika explains that she knows many families that operate like this in real life. “I actually have so many friends that have this sort of a situation where they’re making it work with multiple parents involved.” 

“It makes me so happy. It just gives me so much hope to see that the kids come first. We put everything else aside and make it work and remember the things that made us love each other in the first place. And find humor in all the ways that we disagree. Just put the kids first — that’s clearly what’s happening with this dynamic. It makes perfect sense that Kate and Paul are no longer married.” – Erika Christensen (Kate)

Timon Kyle Durrett plays Dom, Zoey’s ex-husband, and he completely agrees with this. He represents other situations that real life blended families deal with. “With Dom’s character, he’s this larger-than-life rich guy who has to humble himself and understand that he’s not the only man in town.” Cheaper By The Dozen touches on a level of his acceptance and humilty that Timon thinks is representative of what a lot of people should get an understanding of.

“Sometimes the ego can be fragile and hurt. But then — I don’t wanna give anything away — but there are scenes that Zach (Braff) and I have that are very personal to me because of things that I’ve witnessed in my family in my life. I think Dom represents an aspect of the family dynamic that I some people are starting to miss. It’s not always about you. And Dom is representative of that maturation, but also that humility that comes along with it. And I liked that Dom wasn’t just this jerk.” – Timon Kyle Durrett (Dom)

Cheaper By The Dozen 2022 movie review

Zach Braff as Paul Baker, Gabrielle Union as Zoey Baker, Sebastian Cote as Bronx, Leo Abelo Perry as Luca, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Luna, Christian Cote as Bailey, Andre Robinson as DJ, Aryan Simhadri as Haresh, and Caylee Blosenski as Harley in 20th Century Studios’ CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Merrick Morton. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Chaos On Set

It can only be imagined how crazy it was on the set of Cheaper By The Dozen with ten children and two dogs. That is a lot of bodies to take into consideration and to keep focused on what they are doing. Zach Braff praises Director Gail Lerner and says he is very happy he wasn’t the one directing.

“I remember one scene. I think it was a big confrontation scene in the kitchen — I don’t wanna give spoilers — but I remember, as a filmmaker myself, just going to Gail, ‘I want you to know, this is the most double-block diamond directing I’ve ever seen.’ There are like 11 kids. There’s four adults. There’s two dogs. Everyone’s fighting with everyone. And the kids are on a short time clock because of the union rules and I just remember thinking I am so happy I’m not directing this.” – Zach Braff (Paul Baker)

Zach goes on to explain that the kids were all wonderful, but it was difficult because the young ones are so little and crazy. The boys wanted to wrestle and touch everything to find out what it did, but Gail did a wonderful job holding down the fort.

Cheaper By The Dozen 2022 movie review

Gabrielle Union as Zoey Baker and Zach Braff as Paul Baker in 20th Century Studios’ CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Merrick Morton. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

Every Family Will Be Able To Relate

Gabrielle Union took the time to express how every single family out there can relate to Cheaper By The Dozen in one way or another. She points out that everyone is born into some sort of family and whether you love them or try to escape from them, they are your family. Literally everyone can relate to family drama, family fun, and family problem solving.

“More and more, you see these blended families having to co-parent, multi-generational families all living under one roof. This is the norm. You know? When folks started using the word ‘traditional’ families, I think that’s just meant to shame. To shame folks for surviving, basically. So, this is a movie that calls all families in. And says, you know what? You will find someone that you can relate to, that looks like you. That feels like your family somewhere in this movie.” – Gabrielle Union (Zoey Baker)

Director Gail Lerner Interview

Check out this interview with Cheaper By The Dozen Director Gail Lerner where we chat about casting the kids and so much more! 

NEXT: Cheaper By The Dozen Delivers An Incredibly Important Messagecheaper by the dozen movie poster

About Cheaper By The Dozen 

An all-new movie premiering on Disney+, Cheaper by the Dozen is a fresh take on the 2003 hit family comedy. It is the story of the raucous exploits of a blended family of 12, the Bakers, as they navigate a hectic home life while simultaneously managing their family business.

The movie stars Gabrielle Union, Zach Braff, Erika Christensen, Timon Kyle Durrett, Journee Brown, Kylie Rogers, Andre Robinson, Caylee Blosenski, Aryan Simhadri, Leo Abelo Perry, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Christian Cote, Sebastian Cote and Luke Prael.

The movie is directed by Gail Lerner, with a screenplay by Kenya Barris & Jenifer Rice-Genzuk Henry based upon the novel by Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Kenya Barris is producing, with Shawn Levy, Gabrielle Union, Brian Dobbins and Donald J. Lee, Jr. serving as executive producers.

Cheaper by the Dozen is streaming now on Disney+.