In this exclusive interview the Paper Girls cast discusses time travel, dinosaurs, and comic books, as well as what is in store for fans in season 1.
Paper Girls is a new series, based off of the popular graphic novels by the same name, coming to Prime Video on July 29th. During an exclusive interview with Mama’s Geeky the cast talks all about time travel, pet dinosaurs, and the comic books.
Participating in the interview are:
- Adina Porter (Prioress)
- Jason Mantzoukas (Grandfather)
- Sofia Rosinsky (Mac)
- Fina Strazza (KF)
- Camryn Jones (Tiffany)
- Riley Lai Nelet (Erin)
All About Time Travel
The series is all about time travel, as four girls on their morning newspaper route are transported to the future and unknowingly into the middle of a time war. When asked about describing the series, Jason Mantzoukas says Paper Girls has it all — ” giant robot fights, dinosaurs and girls getting their periods.” What he loves so much about the book is that it is a time travel story that is careening through the far distant future and the much distant past.
The girls get to meet multiple iterations of themselves, helping them discover who they are.
“That kind of a human story, of coming of age, of growing up, of what it is to be cognizant of the choices you make impacting the future life that you have, set in this backdrop that has dinosaurs and spaceships and laser guns and prehistoric time — it’s epic storytelling, but on a humanist level, which I think is the best of everything.” – Jason Mantzoukas
Adina Porter adds that it is on a humanist level, but also a very female level. It is from the girls’ points of view, which is pretty awesome.
Seeing as the girls get to meet their future selves, we asked them what they would do if they ever came face to face with their future selves, and what they would talk about.
Fina Strazza: How’d you get here? And then I’d ask how she’s doing. I’d ask if she had stayed on track with what I think my life might turn out like. If I’m still living in New York, if I have a dog. If I’m happy. If I’m doing well. Just you know, a little bit of a checkup.
Riley Lai Nelet: I think I would ask myself, are we still into the same music? Music is another big part of my life and I love the choices that they used in the show. And yeah, I think music is such a reflection on who I am today. So I would probably ask what type of music we’re into.
Camryn Jones: I would ask who invented time travel? Are we still dancing? Are we still acting? Are we happy? And what stocks should I invest in now?
Sofia Rosinsky: We would probably talk about food.
The Paper Girls Comic Books
Since this series is based on a collection of graphic novels, we had to ask the cast if and when they were able to check them out. While most of them picked up the books after their first auditions, Mantzoukas admits he has been a fan since they first came out. In fact, he lobbied for the role of Grandfather, one that he finds to be iconic. We have to admit, he is a great choice and really does justice for the character.
“I was a Brian K. Vaughan and a Cliff Chiang fan since before Paper Girls. So when it was announced that they were going to be doing a book together. I was in as of issue one, and was a massive fan. So much so that I gave Ali Wong the comics, Paper Girls. The fact that Ali and I are both in this show is a testament to fandom. You know, it really is we were fans of these stories.”
Adina devoured the comics after the contract was signed. She explains that she doesn’t like to do a lot of research before securing her roles so that she doesn’t get too excited and get her hopes up. Not only did she love the books, she went to her local comic shop and purchased a first edition of the first issue, which she has framed in her house.
As for all the young girls, they ordered the books after auditioning, and each of them are big fans now.
Pet Dinosaurs
Paper Girls not only has dinosaurs in it, there is something of a pet dinosaur, so we couldn’t let the cast go without first finding out what dinosaurs they would choose as a pet, if they could.
Fina Strazza: I have a pet dinosaur. His name is Doug. And he’s a stuffed animal. He’s a Stegosaurus. And I go everywhere with him and I can’t fall asleep without him. And he’s the greatest. So there’s my answer.
Riley Lai Nelet: I would have a pet T Rex. And I would name it. Webster.
Camryn Jones: I’m gonna be a bit basic. I’m gonna go pterodactyl because then I can hop on its back and I can fly up above the clouds. And I would probably name it Cheesy. But it’d be an orange pterodactyl so that Cheesy makes sense.
Sofia Rosinsky: Stegosaurus. Velociraptor, although I think that that might not end very well for me. And then there’s that little one that has the long finger that to get the stuff out of the trees. You know that that one? I can use it to get some cups off a higher shelf.
Adina Porter: I would choose a pigeon, because they are decedents of dinosaurs.
Jason Mantzoukas: I would probably choose something like a brontosaurus or something gentle and chill. Some sort of herbivore that maybe I could ride like a horse or something like that? I don’t know. Certainly nothing with lots of teeth. That’s gonna like turn on me.
Full Paper Girls Cast Interview
Be sure to watch the full interview with the Paper Girls cast here to learn how they would describe their characters, what it was like all working together, and what is in store for fans in the first season!
NEXT: Meet Young Actress Zaris-Angel Hator
About Paper Girls Season 1
In the early morning hours after Halloween 1988, four paper girls—Erin, Mac, Tiffany, and KJ—are out on their delivery route when they become caught in the crossfire between warring time-travelers, changing the course of their lives forever. Transported into the future, these girls must figure out a way to get back home to the past, a journey that will bring them face-to-face with the grown-up versions of themselves.
While reconciling that their futures are far different than their 12-year-old selves imagined, they are being hunted by a militant faction of time-travelers known as the Old Watch, who have outlawed time travel so that they can stay in power. In order to survive, the girls will need to overcome their differences and learn to trust each other, and themselves.
Based on the best-selling graphic novels written by Brian K. Vaughan, Paper Girls is a high-stakes personal journey depicted through the eyes of four girls, played by breakout leads Camryn Jones as Tiffany Quilkin, Riley Lai Nelet as Erin Tieng, Sofia Rosinsky as Mac Coyle, and Fina Strazza as KJ Brandman. Ali Wong also stars as the grown-up version of Erin, with Nate Corddry as Larry, and Adina Porter as Prioress.
Paper Girls comes to Prime Video July 29th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.