Booboo Stewart is no stranger to movies that achieve ultimate fandom status. I mean, he was a major part of the Twilight series. I sat down with him in LA a few months ago to talk about Descendants 2 after seeing some of the footage. To say this film is going to be amazing is an understatement. I am beyond excited for it, and will be tuning in live on July 21st with my girls. Booboo had a lot to tell us about his role as Jay and the storylines of the movie.

Being Back on Set

The first thing we asked Booboo is what it was like to be back on the set of Descendants. “It’s really nice going into the second movie with the first one doing as well as it did. But this movie stands alone. It’s its own thing. So [it feels great] that we’re making [a second] movie.”

We then followed up asking which film, if either, was more difficult to make for him. “Physically, this movie was more demanding. The first movie was [more of a mental challenge] because I didn’t know what to expect. It’s very physically demanding, but the preparation was nice. You know who your character is going into it. There’s a little bit of a change because they’ve matured from the [first movie.] So, the mental preparation was there, but I didn’t expect [the intensity of the physical challenges].”

Ways to Be Wicked

We had just watched Ways to Be Wicked, which you have likely seen by now, and we were blown away. We had to let Booboo know how awesome it looked. “Thank you! It was actually hard [to film] because we didn’t use real apples to rehearse. We just used tennis balls and things like that. That was one of the trickier [challenges] because you have this army of dancers, and if one person drops [the ball] then you have the tennis ball rolling around [while everyone else dances].”

Jay’s Storyline

We asked Booboo what his favorite lesson from Descendants 2 is. In his answer, he let us in on some of Jay’s Storyline – which I am so excited to see. “For Jay, specifically it’s the ability to change. There’s a really nice, subtle storyline that he has with the character Lonnie. He’s the captain of the Swords & Shields [fencing] team and it’s in the rule book that it’s a guy sport. [Lonnie] shows up and pushes him to let her be on the team. As far as rules go, Jay has to decide between sticking to tradition or breaking the rules and being kicked off the team and losing his title. So he has to accept change and his decision there is a nice storyline.”

We all love Jafar, so we just had to ask Booboo if we would get to see more of Jay’s relationship to Jafar. His answer? “No.” We were all collectively a little bummed out about this, so he went on. “I know. Jafar’s a really cool guy. But this film really centers around us just going back to the Isle to rescue Mal, to bring her back, to figure out what’s going on with her, and just getting our lives together. Unfortunately [it does not focus on the relationship with Jafar], but I’d love them to.”

His Bond with Cameron Boyce

While interviewing Cameron Boyce, we learned that him and Booboo got really close on set. We asked Booboo about this. “Yeah! Cameron and I are always just laughing, honestly. I could see him from across the street, and I would just look at him [and laugh]. We have an older brother, little brother relationship. I don’t have a younger brother and he doesn’t have an older brother, so I feel like we found that [type of relationship] with each other, which is nice. It’s a very strong, female-driven shoot, so to have another dude to be friends with – it’s refreshing.”

The Takeaway

There are a lot of great lessons for young kids in Descendants and, we assume, in Descendants 2. We asked Booboo what he wants young boys to take away from this new movie. “I feel like this [lesson] is touched upon the first film, but even more so in this film. Young boys are very [competitive] and they want to be the best. And Jay, in the first film, is a [typical] guy. He wants to be the best. Just having an open mind is such a different, rare thing for a young boy to have. So I’d like it to not even be a question that young people should have an open mind. It just should be how it is. Jay’s opening the door for the people to follow. I [want to] make sure young boys come out of it with more of an open mind.”

Favorite Musical Number

These movies, like many Disney Channel movies, are filled with singing and dancing. We asked Booboo what his favorite musical number is and why. “I have to say ‘Chillin’ Like a Villain.’ It’s just really great. We had a great time shooting it. I say that we had a great time because it was actually a disaster in the best ways possible. It was a beautiful disaster! We were filming outside and it was not supposed to be a tsunami. Along with the wind and the rain, it was brutal, but you can’t tell when you’re watching it. I can’t help but smile watching, not just because of the song, but because of the energy that’s given to the performance.”

Being A Role Model

We asked Booboo Stewart about being a role model for young, multiracial kids, as well as casting directors in terms of diversity. “Not only in the movies but in life, I hope we’re heading away from [a lack of diversity] being the norm. In movies, you shouldn’t have to cast people of ethnicities just to be diverse. That shouldn’t even be a thought. It should just [represent all the cultures you see when] you walk down the street – you see an Asian person and an African-American person and a Hindi person. That’s just how it is in life, so why isn’t it like that in movies? The person working a cash register can be any ethnicity, so it shouldn’t have to be [a conscious thought] that we have to be diverse [in movies]. I’m really happy that stuff like ‘Descendants’ shows that the world is diverse. I don’t want [the inclusion of diversity] to be a question among actors or people [in general].”

Fandoms

As I mentioned above, Booboo is no stranger to fandoms thanks to Twilight. We asked him how he handles all of the attention. “I’ve been around [the industry] from such a young age that I feel like I know how to handle it. I know who I am, so I try not to let that affect me. I have friends and family who can tell me when it’s gotten to my head a little bit. It’s really important to surround yourself with people who you know are your true friends. You can have friends that know you through things that you’ve done. But we just have to engage and really know who your friends are who will bring you down to that level where you can be [down-to-earth].”

“It’s really easy [for fame to go to people’s heads], and I see it happening. I see people go up and up [in popularity] and when it’s over, when the attention isn’t there anymore, that’s when you have people fight. They go [off] the deep end, or you feel like you should be looked at a certain way. People forget [about celebrities] super fast. As quick as they love, they just as easily forget. So it’s very important to know that this is something that will not be around forever and just enjoy the time that it is here. I’m happy that I’m able to be part of it. But I know that I probably won’t get to be in ‘Descendants 10!’

“Twilight and stuff like that will never leave me! I’ll be in my grave, and people will be [talking about it]. I love it! And hopefully the same for [‘Descendants’]. But there’s a part of me that knows that this isn’t forever for me personally.”

Stay tuned for more Descendants 2 interviews coming to Mama’s Geeky all week!

Descendants 2 Synopsis

The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay (also known as Villain Kids or VKs) – try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Descendants 2 Premieres July 21st!

Descendants 2 will premiere Friday, July 21 at 8 PM simultaneously on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

Follow Descendants on Twitter: https://twitter.com/descendants
Follow Descendants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneydescendants/
#Descendants2Event | #Descendants2

After watching some footage of Descendants 2, our first interview was Cameron Boyce. Cameron plays Carlos in Descendants and Descendants 2, who happens to be one of my favorite VKs (Villain Kids). Cruela DeVille is one of my favorite villains and so naturally I like Carlos, who is her son. Cameron was amazing in the first film, and even better in Descendants 2 from what I saw. It seems like we will see a lot more of Carlos! In our interview, Cameron talked about the set, the training, and more.

The Set and Props

We all know the first movie was absolutely amazing – the sets, the props, they all made the film what it was. The set for Descendants 2 looks like it has 10 times as many props! We asked Cameron what that was like. “It was crazy. After the first movie we knew we were going to do the second one. The whole time we were thinking, ‘Okay, how are we going to top that? How are we going to make something that’s bigger and still better?’ You don’t want to just go bigger but you also want to go [deeper with] the characters.”

“The physical sets themselves are just insane in the second one. I’m really excited for you guys to see it. But it’s just like I said, everyone was really committed to taking the next one to bigger and better places, and I feel like we accomplished that. I think that you guys saw that, especially in the pirate set. It was all green screen and then through the magic of whatever they do in post-production, they made it amazing. In the beginning of the process, they showed us all the renderings [of] what it [was] going to look like. It helps you as an actor to get in that space.”

The Success of Descendants

Descendants was a pretty huge movie. We asked Cameron if he had any idea going in to it what a huge national phenomenon this would become. “You had the feeling because of the people that you’re working with, specifically Kenny [Ortega] with his resume and “High School Musical” and things of that nature. So going in, we felt like if we all really bought into it, it could be something special. And I think we accomplished that. That’s why we’re so excited for the second one to come out – because people are going to flip their [lids] and that’s exciting.”

The Dancing & Choreography

One of my favorite things about Descendants is all of the dance numbers. I was lucky enough to see a few of the dance scenes in Descendants 2 and they seem bigger and better! We asked Cameron which one he thought was the hardest to learn and perform. “I would say the finale probably. There were a lot of variables that we had to take into account. That probably [took] over four or five really long days. It was intense honestly because there were some elements that we added that made it a little difficult and [that were not a part of] how we rehearsed it. It was challenging, but we got through it and it looks amazing. The finale is probably my favorite number.”

We learned that Cameron has been dancing since he was six years old! So he definitely knows his stuff. We asked him which movie’s choreography was harder for him, Descendants or Descendants 2. “I wouldn’t say [the first movie’s choreography was] harder or more technical but there’s a certain mindset that you have to bring because it can be challenging. We go three weeks before we shoot anything just getting into shape. A lot of people aren’t dancers, they’re just actors, so they have to figure that out and it’s really difficult. So you have to really buy in and Kenny asks a lot from everybody. He expects a lot. He does the important things, whatever he has to do, during the day and he comes back and he’s expecting [us to have something done]. It can be a little scary at times. But I would say that on the first one I learned how to completely go hands-on and in the second one I was just excited to do that again. You have to be comfortable. On the first one there was a learning curve, but on the second one I was ready to dive into it.”

The Cast Is Family

A lot of times when interviewing celebrities they say the cast becomes their family while filming. That is exactly how Cameron described being back on set with the cast of Descendants. “You should have seen us. We were doing a photo shoot just now and we couldn’t stop [having fun]. We’re giving each other noogies and it’s the craziest thing. It’s really cool. Every time we see each other it feels like we’re back on the set. We’re all a family which is rare and special. I think we all are very grateful for that.”

We then brought up the new cast, and asked how that changed the dynamic on set, if at all. “It was amazing. It’s so exciting because obviously you want to see what happens to the characters from the first movie but these new characters all bring something that’s so special. Everyone is so talented. It’s insane. I’m very excited. They definitely blended in with our family immediately. There was no real transition.”

Carlos in Descendants 2

We asked Cameron what he is hoping to see for Carlos in the future of Descendants. “People are really excited to see what happened to these kids [in the second movie]. When you leave them, they just left this horrible, desolate place to go somewhere that’s this beautiful new world and they’re still getting used to it. The world in Auradon is really important, and then some other stuff happens where we have to return to our roots. That is hard for us too because we’re getting used to this newer place and we’re still fighting with that. That doesn’t stop.”

“For Carlos specifically, in the first movie he was like the younger brother, a little bit of the comic relief. [He was] just the guy who was not really helpful to the group and [they were] sort of dragging Carlos along. In the second movie he finds out how he can bring something to the table for the team, and it’s different than everybody else. Obviously Jay’s the muscle and Mal is the brains, and Carlos figures out that he’s a sensitive guy. He realizes that he can use that [sensitivity] to bring the whole group together and it’s pretty cool.”

Descendants 2 Synopsis

The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay (also known as Villain Kids or VKs) – try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Stay tuned for more Descendants 2 interviews coming to Mama’s Geeky all week!

Descendants 2 Premieres July 21st!

Descendants 2 will premiere Friday, July 21 at 8 PM simultaneously on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

Follow Descendants on Twitter: https://twitter.com/descendants
Follow Descendants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneydescendants/
#Descendants2Event | #Descendants2

One of my favorite things about Descendants was the costumes. I am a huge fan of the villains and so I loved seeing all the badass costumes that were inspired by them. Don’t get me wrong, the princess and prince costumes were great too, but I fell in love with the VKs clothes. While in LA a few months ago, I not only got to chat with the cast and see some of Descendants 2, I was able to talk with costume designer, Kara Saun. I loved hearing about her inspirations and the process that she goes through. Descendants 2 airs on July 21st, don’t miss it!

Designing for Kids

Kara started right off by explaining to us how early her process starts. We learned she has a huge say in the products that are released because she is also the fashion consultant for them. “I start really, really early in the process. It is my job to build the fashion for the whole ‘Descendants’ world. I started out as a fashion designer and just transitioned into costume designing. Even though I’m creating costumes for kids, [I’m not thinking about creating specifically for kids].”

“Kids are so sophisticated and mature anyways. They know fashion. They know brands. They know what they like and so I never see a kid and think, ‘I’m going to design for a child.’ If I design for a child, the mother is going to want something. The big sister is going to want something. Remember when you were young and you’d watch movies for kids but they had all these little adult things? I do the same thing for fashion. I just went full couture for ‘Descendants 2,’ from the accessories to the silhouettes. The fashion for ‘Descendants 2’ is really about the story of the kids and [where they are now]. They’re in Auradon and so it’s really my job to show how they’ve transitioned and how they’ve matured.”

Mal

Kara told us her inspiration and process for all of the VKs’ costumes. She started with Mal. “In ‘Descendants 1,’ she was just getting to Auradon and now she has become a whole princess. So I really wanted to create something for her that showed that she’s been in Auradon for a while and she’s transitioned so she’s a little more polished. In ‘Descendants 1,’ it went from straight punk to a preppy punk, and now it’s more of a polished punk. The fun thing I love about Mal is I really did create princess looks for her.”

“She started out with this blonde hair. She’s really trying to be a princess and she has little lavender gels and that’s because even though she’s trying so hard to be a princess, she’s still the girl from the Isle. There’s that whole story – about keeping part of who you are no matter where you go – and so it was really fun to create these little princesses for her. A lot of Mal’s dresses were very embellished and had lots of sparkle whereas in ‘Descendants 1’ it was more leather and hardware and gold. This time it’s rhinestones and embellished. Dove is just stunning in all of her wardrobe that was from the Isle.”

Evie

We then moved on to Evie. “What I loved about Eve was that she’s the designer of the group. Her business has picked up tenfold and she’s designing for all her classmates and honestly it reminded me of when I was in high school and what I did. She’s creating Cotillion gowns for all her classmates but I really wanted Evie to look like a young junior designer and so she has these great purses. Everything from head to toe for all the characters is custom. The shoes are custom. The handbags are custom and the accessories are custom. One really fun part about all the wardrobe is that all of these [outfits] are detachable. For instance, when you see Evie she’s in the full dress. I can take the sleeves off. The sleeves came off. She has the vest, then it separates at the waist and she wears it as a skirt.”

“So it can be a jacket or it can be a vest or it can be a skirt. That happens for all of the characters, so when you’re watching the movie and [clothes are used in different ways,] do not get nervous. It’s not a continuity issue. It’s done on purpose because when they’re in certain scenes and they’re dancing and they’re fighting I just wanted them to have that freedom. I thought it would be fun if everything was detachable for Evie and for the guys and for Uma as well.”

Uma

We then moved on to the newest VK and who I think will be the breakout star of Descendants 2, Uma. “I loved all the new characters – and Uma’s braided hairstyles. Part of the reason I created the braids and the fringe is because people asked, ‘How did you get this look from Ursula?’. Uma doesn’t have that purple but does anyone know where the turquoise came from on Ursula – the ridiculous eye shadow. When I watched the movie, I just kept on looking at the eye shadow. Every character has to have their own color. Mal already had the purple. The turquoise reminded me of the sea and it’s very aquatic. I tapped into Ursula through the fringe because when Uma moves it’s like her tentacles are flaring up, and her hair and her braids look like tentacles too.”

“I met with Kenny Ortega one day and he said, ‘I want Uma to look like you dragged her on the bottom of the sea.’ I said, ‘Okay, we can do that.’ Kenny said, ‘I want some oil slips’ so I added that to the mix. I love her shoes. She has fishnet and seashells and just literally everything on her shoes so you can hear them when she’s walking.”

“Her outfit detaches as well. The sleeves come off and she has pants that she wears for certain fight scenes but it’s all detachable, all leather, all hand painted. One of the reasons it was so fun was that I let the kids look for all the icons on the outfit. China’s outfit has hundreds of little icons on it – shells, starfish, crabs and just everything. Mal has the dragons, Evie has hearts. It can literally be a game to go through it and find all the icons for everybody.”

The Boys

“And then of course you have Carlos. I love that Carlos is a techie now. He’s grown too. I needed to show that Evie and the guys have all matured in Auradon and that everybody came full circle and each person is doing their own thing. Jay is the athlete so even his Isle look has that athletic look. One thing I really loved is that Ben is now on the Isle. It was so much fun doing costumes for someone from Auradon and turning his look into the Isle, like going in reverse. So he was so cute. This just fit him so well and still kept his Auradon look. He’s the king now but it still has that fun kind of Isle twist to it. As I said, one of my favorite things in ‘Descendants 2’ was all the new characters and there were quite a few. You already met Uma. There’s also Dizzy, the daughter of Drizella and there was Harry. Everybody, you will be hooked!”

“[Thomas Doherty] asked, ‘Do you have more rings?’ I joked, ‘Do I have more rings?!’ There are literally rings on every one of his fingers. As soon as he put the jacket on, he was Harry. And then we also have the sun of Gaston, Gil. It’s so fun to create these Isle costumes. I call them Scallywag Swag because it’s really a mix of pirate punk, military and bohemian [fashion]. It’s a really fun fashion-forward twist.”

Dizzy

One of the characters I am most looking forward to in Descendants 2 is Dizzy, Drizella’s daughter. We saw a little bit of her in the footage we watched and she is amazing. Kara let us know about how she created her look. “I love Dizzy. I don’t know if you can see Dizzy but she must have hundreds of fabrics sewn to this dress. I went crazy with mixing but it’s so much fun to create all the icons and the colors and the prints for her. It’s hand-painted and splattered. All of the leather costumes are hand-painted and we distress them. We had so many costumes this time. It’s so fun to create this world of ‘Descendants.‘”

The Actor’s Inputs

We asked Kara if she took any input in from the actors while designing the costumes. “After ‘Descendants 1,’ I know what everybody loves. Dove is sophisticated in her look so it was easy to do princess for her. She’s my little princess and every day she would come in and say, ‘Oh my god, I just feel like a princess.’ As a fashion designer, learning everything from her size and her fit and making sure the fit is right [is important to me]. Thomas, Harry Hook, is from Scotland. He asked, ‘Can we have a little Scotland fabric?’ So you can barely see it but there’s a little bit of plaid underneath in his jeans. The actors come to me when there’s something that they like. Sofia wanted to go straight old Hollywood glamour and I said, ‘We can do that.’”

The Cotillion Gowns

“I had so much fun with the Cotillion. Everyone’s fashion-forward and more sophisticated. You see Evie’s gown and it’s totally old Hollywood glamour with one shoulder and the train coming down in the back. Everybody’s just more fitted. Everything fits everybody like a glove. I love the story of the Lonnie this time. All the girls are so [strong] in this movie. They’re so powerful in this movie. Every girl in this movie has a story. It’s very powerful and so for Lonnie I created a look that suits the daughter of Mulan.”

Inspiration

We asked Kara where she draws her inspiration from. “I call it the Disney vaults but I’ve been there quite a few times and I watch the movies over and over again. Even now I just watch the movies over and over again and then everything else is based on the storylines. I have to tell the fashion narrative for each and every character so that when we see them it makes sense. When you see the movie [“Mulan”], seeing Lonnie in those pants makes sense. I know what looks good on Dove. She has the tiniest waist and so no matter how small I make [her clothes] I always have to take them in. It’s fun knowing the talent too and knowing what they like, because to me when [talent likes their wardrobe] it helps their performances. So I really want the characters and the talent to love what they’re wearing.”

“The stories are so strong. Kids can relate to [the story of Mal and Uma and how they are different]. I love the story of Uma because everybody’s off the Isle and she’s still there and she [feels abandoned]. They are stories that people can relate to and so for me, it’s just ‘How can I [use costumes to] improve this story?’ It really is a combination. My first meeting with the production designer Mark Hofeling was at Blue Jam. We sat there for hours and we talked about color. Once we were done I put together reference books and my reference books are hundreds of pages long. It’s references of colors, of certain things. I do hair. I reference everything and we’re very cohesive so when you see these sets you’ll notice that the sets match the costumes. That’s because we collaborate. We send each other pictures. We send each other fabrics, props.”

Advice for Young Designers

We asked Kara what advice she has for young fashion designers that would like to do a job like hers one day. “I would say [put your ego into fashion]. I’m a huge ego enthusiast and so I shot vintage like crazy. When you see the background of the movie, know that all that is useable. Know that I have taken it, I have cut it up, I have painted it, I have distressed it and made it new. So starting out when I was in grade school and I would go shopping or window shopping I would just grab something. I would cut it up and do everything I do now. I started sewing in junior high. I was sketching in school and then I started sewing. My parents got me a machine and it was a wrap. I took that one class in junior high back when they had home economics. I made a three piece outfit and then I started sewing.”

“Back then I was the black Madonna at my high school. I had the bows and so I started sewing for my classmates. Then my first main job in high school was designing the cheerleading uniforms. I did all the fashion shows and so what I would say to her is each fashion season, have her create her own little collection. Even, you start to learn your aesthetic. You know, ‘Okay, this is what I like to do.’”

Descendants 2 Synopsis

The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay (also known as Villain Kids or VKs) – try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Stay tuned for more Descendants 2 interviews coming to Mama’s Geeky all week!

Descendants 2 Premieres July 21st!

Descendants 2 will premiere Friday, July 21 at 8 PM simultaneously on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

Follow Descendants on Twitter: https://twitter.com/descendants
Follow Descendants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneydescendants/
#Descendants2Event | #Descendants2

While in LA recently, I was lucky enough to check out some footage of Descendants 2 and talk with the cast and crew. One of my favorite interviews was with Director/Executive Producer/Co-Choreographer Kenny Ortega, Executive Producer Wendy Japhet, and Screenwriter Sara Parriott. Kenny Ortega is a legend guys – I mean, Hocus Pocus & Dirty Dancing. I always enjoy picking the brains of those that work behind the scenes to make our favorite movies. 

In this interview, we learned a lot of great behind the scenes secrets and tidbits. Descendants 2 airs on July 21st, and I cannot wait to watch it with my family.

The Importance of Writers

Right off the bat, Kenny started praising the writers.

“We’re nothing without the words. The writers are so responsible for why I’m here today. Sara and Josie, who have created ‘Descendants’ and who wrote both the first and second movies, really deliver. It’s feature work, and the kids and myself, all of us, everyone, the production designers, choreographers, music people, we get so much out of what they place there. It gives us permission to travel in the capacity that we travel in, to adventure, to journey, to play, to take chances, to sing and to dance and to develop these characters. It all starts right here [with the writing] and we’re so appreciative. I think that we’re going to have the ability to reach a far greater audience, a more dynamic range of audience.”

Kenny added,

“Not just because I directed it but because it entertains me. I laugh and I’m moved and I’m touched, and I think the big surprise here is that the Disney Channel has a movie for everyone.“

Movie Inspirations

One of us mentioned that the Mal and Uma [fight] on the pirate ship is very Hamilton-esque. We asked what other shows or musicals they pulled inspiration from.

“Well, [Lin-Manuel] Miranda and I are really good friends and I was slated to direct his film for a minute. He is an inspiration to me in life. He’s a poet and an amazing writer. They’re all gonna have their inspirations. For me it starts all the way back to “West Side Story” when I was 13 years old.”

“If you think about it the Jets and the Sharks are like the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, the pirates and the villain kids. I find myself having a hard time not going there for inspiration. It’s so relevant all the time, no matter what I’m doing I can go to that movie. Jerome Robbins’s work and the performances in it [are incredible]. Rita Moreno won an Academy Award. So that one, but I listen to all genres of music. I love movies. Bob Fosse, Michael Jackson — there’s Michael Jackson in everything that I do.”

“If you’re like I am, when you watch this movie you’re going to feel a little bit of Michael. You’re gonna feel a little of the classic movie musical. You’re gonna feel a little bit of Peter Pan and the adventure of old Disney. I think that it’s an inspired piece, certainly as a director.” Kenny Ortega explained to us.

Working with Disney

Sara Parriott told us what it was like working with Kenny and Disney.  

“I think the music is so fresh and that was exciting for me. Kenny allows you [to be in] the whole process which is thrilling for us. Sometimes you’re [not involved], but Disney and Kenny and Wendy want us to be involved – and it was fun just to be in the room where they’re picking the songs. They have these wonderful writers coming in and doing songs and we’re all sitting there. There will be a song that just pops out and you’re saying, ‘Oh my gosh, I love it!’“

Sara let us know how excited she was about having input when it comes to the songs because they are part of the story.

“I have input. The lyrics are tweaked a little bit to carry the song along. But it was thrilling for Josie and me to be in those rooms and just be part of that process of picking a song. And I just love the music in this one. I love it.”

What’s My Name

What’s My Name is already a hit with Descendants fans, and the film is not even out yet. Kenny told us a little bit about it.

“Also the [Lin-Manuel] Miranda of it, the ‘Hamilton’ elements. I think it’s really cool that you thought [of ‘Hamilton’ because that] wasn’t something that I was conscious of. What I had said to the composers [about ‘What’s My Name’] was that I wanted a hip-hop opera, and that I felt that because we were dealing with an urban crew, I wanted this to be about language and spoken word. They came back with this and it just felt so honest and organic, and it worked for both sides.“

Kenny’s Legacy

Kenny Ortega basically choreographed our childhoods. We brought that up and mentioned how it is crazy he is doing the same for our kids. We asked him about the legacy he wants to leave, and his response was great.

“I got to talk with Doctor Jane Goodall, the scientist of primate behavior, who is now going way beyond saving the primate species for the planet and for our future generations. She’s now an activist, out there doing everything she can to leave a legacy. She talked about how important it was for her that she gave up something that she really loved for something that she felt was more important. She was not serving herself but serving a greater idea, which was that in order to save a species you have to enlighten the people that live with the species. She put the legacy of it all, which was what I left with that day. It made me audit myself and think about what it is that I do. “

“What I try to do always in my life and have for a long, long time is to make good choices. Entertaining people with fireworks and color and dance moves has never been something that I’ve been interested in. I’ve always been interested in those stories that are layered beneath the dance, beneath the words, or beneath the music. And my choreography is always storytelling, and so there’s a story that is living inside of all that movement. I hope that my legacy one day would be that I told good stories and that they were important stories, through my choreography.“

The New VKs

We had to ask about the new Villain Kids while we had the screenwriter and executive producer available. I am so excited about these new characters and cannot wait to see more from them.

Sara explained, “We had been searching for who was going to be on the Isle. I think we had always known that Ursula is the villain that people love and we saved her in hopes that there would be a ‘Descendants 2.’ We have a huge character in Uma and China is wonderful in this part, just wonderful. There’s also Captain Hook’s son [Harry’s] character to go to. Josie and I wrote Captain Hook’s son to be a little more goofy and fun, and Kenny said no, no, no.”

“And then we wanted a younger character to come in and that was Dizzy. I loved [Cinderella’s] wicked stepsisters, so it was fun to pick out [Drizella’s] daughter and Dizzy is such a cute name, and so you go through all the iconic characters.“

Stay tuned for more Descendants 2 interviews coming to Mama’s Geeky all week!

Descendants 2 Synopsis

The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay (also known as Villain Kids or VKs) – try to find their place in idyllic Auradon.

When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town.

Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Descendants 2 Premieres July 21st!

Descendants 2 will premiere Friday, July 21 at 8 PM simultaneously on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

Follow Descendants on Twitter: https://twitter.com/descendants
Follow Descendants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneydescendants/
#Descendants2Event | #Descendants2

When in LA recently I was lucky enough to talk with Dove Cameron, who plays Mal in Descendants and Descendants 2. She was beyond sweet and I just loved our time with her. Speaking with her, I could tell how much she loves playing Mal and how much the character means to her. She is one of the few actresses that my young girls really look up to, and having met her, I can say I am very thankful of that.

How Mal Has Changed

From what we had seen of Descendants 2, we could tell something was different about Mal. She was not the same as we left her at the end of Descendants. We asked Dove about this, and I just loved her response. “Kenny, the writers, and myself all threw [strict notions of Mal’s character] out the window because she, as a human does, goes through life changes and experiences. She never had anyone growing up and she couldn’t ever really find her footing with the one person that she did have to rely on [her mother, Malificent]. So she learned to rely on herself.”

Taking From Her Experiences

Since Mal went through so many challenges and changes, we asked Dove if she pulled from her own experiences while filming. “As an actor, I do that as much as I can in every role, but Mal is my ride or die. I fell in love with her when I read the ‘Descendants’ script back in 2013. [Disney Channel] didn’t tell me anything. They didn’t say, ‘We’re going to set up an audition.’ It was more like, ‘Will you read this and tell us what you think?’ I had an emotional, visceral response. I said, ‘She’s my girl!’ because I related to her so much.”

“Even though all of the characters and Mal are in fantastical circumstances, their experiences are very relatable. A lot of people don’t always have an easy home situation. They don’t always have all the support that they deserve. I think all of us in this room can relate to feeling like we lacked something there that we now have to deal with as we’ve gotten older. That was something that I had such a lovely time with, for myself psychologically and also as an actor, to inject pain into an experience that we [all share].”

“This is a movie for children, and so we have to ride that line between [communicating] really helpful and relatable messages, but still keeping it light. That was challenging and interesting for me. I did bring a lot of things I felt like I lacked from my own childhood. It definitely helped keep Mal real. It also helped me as a human to explore somebody else’s issues, and to fix my own at the same time.”

The Takeaway

Descendants is extremely popular with young kids, so these actors are all an inspiration to them. We asked Dove what she wants kids to walk away with after seeing Descendants 2. “What’s beautiful about having such a broad cast of characters is that we all have our really unique storylines. One of my favorite storylines actually isn’t my own, it’s Lonnie’s, and you’ll see that when the movie comes. She has this beautiful, empowering message for girls that gets me every time I see the movie. I want to say, “Yes! Lonnie!” I’m being serious. I’m being campy, but it’s so real. In terms of the whole movie, there’s a beautiful synergy between the fact that the whole cast has been having this yearlong love affair with each other. We’re so there for each other in a sibling-like, familial way and it translates to the film.”

“It projects a message of togetherness, of banding together, of supporting people that you love. That sounds like such a simple concept, but when you’re absorbing things as a kid, separatism is such a thing. We’re encouraged to be our own island. Especially with things like social media, we all have our own brand and image, and that’s what’s taught. I think that it’s so beautiful to rely on and trust people. If you hand someone your whole heart, they’re much more delicate with it. So I do believe in trusting the world around you, and I do believe in kids learning to rely on each other and their surroundings and the world in general. It’s just a really empowering story. There’s not one character that doesn’t go through some weird arc where they’re much more fully formed and healthy. So [the overarching messages would be the importance of] help, togetherness, support [and] trust.”

A Much Bigger Set

We saw a few scenes from the movie, and learned later that some of it was CGI and we would have never know. We asked Dove how it was working with such a big set this time around. “Intoxicating. Because there wasn’t water, but when I watch it back, I think ‘Was there water?’ It was amazing. While we did not have water, the ship was real. I have no idea how [the set decorators] did it. Our set decorators turned out for this one.”

“I remember seeing the concept and thinking, ‘There’s no way it’s going to look like that.’ They outdid themselves. Being on the actual set was safe, but it didn’t look safe – we were all sword fighting. Nobody would ever notice, but I’m a pipsqueak. I’m so tall and in the film, I am wearing shoes that are one inch short of being stilts. My shoes are this big, and I’m sword fighting in them. There are stairs and wood and railings. It helped me so much because it’s so fun being physical. As an actor, it’s exactly what you want. You want to feel lost in it. It’s like opening up your favorite book and then being able to jump into it. People are saying, ‘Oh, be careful.’ You’re thinking, ‘I know. Let me do my thing.’ So yeah, it was an amazing thing. It definitely helps. All of the sets were real minus things like the water and some special effects.”

Stay tuned for more Descendants 2 interviews coming to Mama’s Geeky all week!

Descendants 2 Synopsis

The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay (also known as Villain Kids or VKs) – try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Descendants 2 Premieres July 21st!

Descendants 2 will premiere Friday, July 21 at 8 PM simultaneously on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

Follow Descendants on Twitter: https://twitter.com/descendants
Follow Descendants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneydescendants/
#Descendants2Event | #Descendants2

One of my favorite people to interview is Sofia Carson. I was lucky enough to talk with her and Sabrina Carpenter when Adventures in Babysitting was coming out, and now again for Descendants 2. Sofia is insanely sweet – and it makes me feel good that my young daughters look up to her. After the interview, I mentioned how my oldest wants to be Evie, and Sofia made a video for the kids of us bloggers! I can tell you that I earned some serious cool mom points because of that.

Back on Set

The first thing we asked Sofia is what it was like to get back on the set of Descendants. “It was surreal. The first “Descendants” was my first movie. It changed my life and I fell in love with Evie and [loved] being able to tell her story. We’ve become such a family and working with Kenny [Ortega] and everyone is always a dream. So when we found out the sequel was green lit, we were just beyond thrilled. It was surreal to [return] to the characters and to tell their stories and see how they’ve evolved. The movie is just so much bigger in scope. It’s so epic and beautiful and I can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

In Descendants 2, there is a lot of acting, singing, and dancing. We asked Sofia what her favorite aspect of filming was since she gets to, basically, do it all on the set.

“I get asked that all the time. Every time I go to sleep, I’m thinking [about which aspect I’d choose]. I don’t remember a time where I didn’t just love performing. I was a little girl dressed as Belle or some Disney princess twirling around in my house singing, dancing and acting. And I fell in love with performing. I’m so lucky that I get to do it all every day of my life and that I have roles like Evie, which give me the opportunity to sing, to dance and to act. I hope to do what I do for the rest of my life.“

The New Villain Kids

Several new VKs have joined the Descendants cast now, and we imagined it made the dynamic on set much different. We asked Sofia what that was like.

“It was so cool. It’s always an interesting dynamic because there was the four of us, the core four VKs, and they introduced these three new, awesome villains. From the very first day, Uma, Harry and Gil were always a part of the family and they really added such an incredible dimension to the film. They’re so cool and so wicked. Gil is hysterical. It was a perfect match.“

What’s In Store For Evie

Evie is one of my favorite VKs because of her softer side. Like Sofia, you can just tell that she is sweet on the inside. We asked if in Descendants 2 we would see more of her villainous side.

“You’ll see a different side of Evie because in the first film, when we met her, Evie was very much her mother’s daughter. She was very consumed in what she looked like and she was sadly willing to believe that her reflection in the mirror is what defined her as a person. At the end of the movie, she realized that as girls, [our looks do not] define us. That doesn’t make us more important or beautiful or special. It’s who we are in our hearts and to be the fairest of them all is to be fair inside.”

Evie and Doug

“In the second movie, Evie has really grown into herself. She is strong and independent. She’s smart. She’s a fashion designer. She has made her dream come true without a prince and she’s become a leader. At the same time, her best friend Mal, [who is like] her sister, is lost and really confused. Their relationship is really beautiful and important and it’s a story of girl power, which I love.“

We, of course, had to ask Sofia about Evie and Doug’s relationship.

“You’re going to be really happy [with their relationship] in this movie. They’re business partners. Doug, who’s really good with numbers is helping her organize the business side and the financials of it all. At the same time, they’re together and Evie’s so happy because Doug loves her just the way she is. She loves him for who he is and it’s a really beautiful, sweet relationship and he just adores her. He sees her and it’s the sweetest thing. He’s also the coolest guy. They have some really, really sweet moments.“

The Takeaway

Sofia is such an inspiration to many young women, including my daughters (and even myself). We asked her what message she wants young women to take away from her and her roles.

“Growing up I was [a typical] daughter – obsessed with Beyonce, J-Lo, Lizzie McGuire – all these incredible female role models. I grew up with really incredible, strong women as my mother and grandmother, so strong female women were always an inspiration to me. I thought, ‘If I’m ever lucky enough to be able to do what I love, I want to be that [inspiration] for other little girls in everything that I do, everything that I say, every role that I take on and every song that I release.'”

“It’s very close to my heart to make sure [everything I do] has an empowering message for the 16 year-old daughter out there who I know is looking at me and [who my actions] could impact in some way. I just want them to know Evie’s message, which is that as girls, we can do anything and be anything and no one should stop us. I want them to know that the most important thing in the world is to be beautiful, but that beauty comes from our hearts.“

Stay tuned for more Descendants 2 interviews coming to Mama’s Geeky all week!

Descendants 2 Synopsis

The story deepens in the music-driven sequel to the global smash hit “Descendants,” as the teenage sons and daughters of Disney’s most infamous villains – Mal, Evie, Carlos and Jay (also known as Villain Kids or VKs) – try to find their place in idyllic Auradon. When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost where her archenemy Uma, the daughter of Ursula, has taken her spot as self-proclaimed queen of the run-down town. Uma, still resentful over not being selected by Ben to go to Auradon Prep with the other Villain Kids, stirs her pirate gang including Captain Hook’s son Harry and Gaston’s son Gil, to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle, once and for all.

Descendants 2 Premieres July 21st!

Descendants 2 will premiere Friday, July 21 at 8 PM simultaneously on Disney Channel, ABC, Disney XD, Freeform and Lifetime.

Follow Descendants on Twitter: https://twitter.com/descendants
Follow Descendants on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/disneydescendants/
#Descendants2Event | #Descendants2