Netflix's Work It Interviews: Jordan Fisher, Liza Koshy and Sabrina Carpenter

Cinema Blend

Jordan Fisher, Liza Koshy and Sabrina Carpenter sit down with CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb to discuss their dance movie inspirations, internet-fame, Hamilton, and much, much more.

Transcript

00:00 - Your work at competition is in five months.

00:02 I don't need you stinking up the place.

00:04 - Fine.

00:06 I'll start my own damn team then.

00:08 - There it is.

00:09 - Say what?

00:10 (upbeat music)

00:13 - So the film is this kind of classic,

00:16 rag tag group of kids who pursue their art.

00:20 I was wondering during reading the script,

00:22 if there was any other films that it reminded you of,

00:25 or if you watched anything else to prepare for the role.

00:28 - Definitely, we watched all the quintessential

00:30 dance movies.

00:32 I can't tell you how many times I've uttered the words,

00:34 step up and dirty dancing and honey and center stage.

00:37 And if you have any more lies,

00:38 I just like add them to the list.

00:40 But as far as the tone for the humor in the movie,

00:45 honestly, if you think of any real present day comedies,

00:49 I think we just took a lot of inspiration

00:51 from those movies that kind of comment on themselves

00:55 as they're happening and sort of break forth wall

00:57 in a few ways.

00:58 - Beyonce, Queen Bey,

01:00 I pray that you make my feet swift tomorrow.

01:03 And then you make my moves have swagger.

01:05 In the name of the single ladies video

01:07 and the lemonade short film, I pray.

01:11 - Yeah, and I think that that's kind of like

01:12 the sense of humor in our movie

01:15 that made it a little different

01:16 from the rest of the dance movies.

01:17 But adding in the dance kind of gives it

01:19 a whole new language.

01:20 - Well, cinema blend, it is a bit of a blend of cinema.

01:24 There's that classic dance,

01:27 hey, we incorporated the brand in there.

01:29 There's the classic head nods to all the dance movies

01:33 that we grew up with and love so much.

01:35 But then there's also such a current underlying humor

01:38 of you're watching these kids of the internet

01:41 join together.

01:42 Like one character in the movie

01:44 is literally from the internet.

01:45 She makes dance videos online, which I highly relate to.

01:49 And I think it's really cool.

01:50 It's today's humor, which is effortless, like Sabrina is.

01:53 So it's just effortless fun, is what it was.

01:57 - Wow. - Yeah.

01:57 - I should do these more often, these interviews with you.

01:59 - I know, I never suck up to a compliment

02:01 or any other time, so.

02:02 - I think the thing that I love most about this,

02:05 and especially if we're talking about

02:07 a very defined culture of one specific genre

02:10 and that being dance film, it felt different.

02:13 Yes, dance was like the big catalyst.

02:15 It was the big vehicle that takes the film

02:18 from point A to point Z,

02:19 pulling this ragtag team of different people,

02:24 human beings, super character-driven individuals

02:27 that are quirky in their own ways

02:29 and the ways that we all are, especially as artists,

02:31 how they all come together.

02:33 And it's an underdog story, it's a Cinderella story,

02:35 and who doesn't love that, right?

02:37 And I think that the thing that excited me really

02:39 was the fact that it was about people

02:43 and it was about evolution as human beings.

02:46 And that's what informs your journey with these characters.

02:51 It's like, it's not just about the fact

02:54 that there's really great dance numbers in it,

02:56 but it's that you really root for everyone here.

03:00 - Look, you guys aren't the most skilled dancers,

03:03 but that's what we're up against.

03:05 - You think I don't see you staring at Jake

03:06 like he's a pop quiz?

03:08 - Untrue.

03:08 (upbeat music)

03:14 - Speaking of your internet days,

03:17 I gotta say that at the office,

03:19 there is not one day that goes by

03:21 where a Vine isn't referenced.

03:23 Like it's just such a huge part of our culture.

03:27 I just have to ask about that idea

03:29 of going from an ultra short form concept

03:32 to now starring in feature films that-

03:35 - It's a long, it's a long Vine.

03:37 - It's a long Vine.

03:39 - It's just one long Vine.

03:41 - Conflation, honey.

03:44 - Oh, it is wild.

03:45 First I wanna compliment your workplace.

03:46 You guys are doing it right.

03:46 Speaking my Vine language.

03:48 Six seconds.

03:50 Like it was the culture at a time

03:51 and like still short form content so much, very so is.

03:55 But like to do, go from six seconds

03:57 to like YouTube videos to now,

03:59 this is I think the longest you can get,

04:01 but like 90 minute movie of dancing,

04:04 like combining two things that I really love to do,

04:07 dancing and acting is just like such a dream come true.

04:09 So like pretending to be in a dance movie in my shower

04:13 from the age of like six and beyond

04:15 has paid off literally and figuratively

04:17 of like I get to be and play this role.

04:20 So it's wild.

04:21 It's all in Papa Netflix's hands.

04:22 So yeah, it was really, it's a really cool transition.

04:25 I'm excited to see like kids of the internet

04:27 know that if they work hard

04:29 and stay true to who they are,

04:30 that they can end up in this position too.

04:32 - Did you watch "Hamilton" on Disney+

04:35 and does that type of format make you excited

04:40 for the future of theatrical productions

04:43 being done in that manner?

04:45 - The answer is duh and yes, absolutely.

04:48 Absolutely.

04:49 I miss the show a lot.

04:50 You know, I mean, it took me right back to the theater.

04:52 It took me right back to standing off stage, right?

04:56 And you know, with my coat on and my sleeves out

04:59 and getting ready to walk on stage and do the show.

05:02 And that felt so good to me.

05:04 I also got to share that with some family friends of mine

05:06 that had not seen the show yet.

05:10 Didn't know anything about it really.

05:12 And it wasn't like they didn't see me do it, you know?

05:15 So to be able to kind of like relive that

05:17 and watch it with people that I love so much

05:19 that was experiencing it for the first time

05:22 was just the best thing ever.

05:24 And yeah, no, it does excite me for the future

05:27 of theater in general and just people's access to it.

05:29 You know, I mean, there's so many incredible plays

05:32 and musicals that are on Broadway in the West End

05:35 that so many people will never get an opportunity to,

05:38 it's expensive to fly to New York City, to fly to London,

05:42 to fly, you know, to get to wherever

05:44 and get the hotel and get the tickets.

05:47 Like there's so many people that are dying

05:50 to see this material and to experience it

05:52 that don't have the opportunity to.

05:55 So to be able to give that opportunity to people at home,

05:58 I think is a really special thing.

05:59 And I don't think that it's detrimental to the lifeblood

06:03 and the success of the show on Broadway.

06:04 People still want to see it

06:06 and they'll continue to want to see it for forever.

06:09 It's one of those shows

06:10 that's just gonna be there for forever, you know?

06:11 And there are other shows,

06:12 there are other beautiful shows that are like that

06:13 that are on Broadway currently that I think

06:15 it would be wonderful for people to see it at home,

06:18 you know, especially during this time.

06:20 - The work at stage, it's huge.

06:22 And no new team has ever won it.

06:25 - This is our only chance.

06:27 - You ready?

06:34 - What a charming and hilarious duo

06:36 you two turned out to be.

06:38 - You turned out, I love.

06:40 - No one expected that.

06:42 - I expected, but a delightful surprise.

06:45 - I'm just gonna sit here and flatter you the whole time

06:49 if that's cool, yous all.

06:50 - Please.

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