Netflix’s 'Freeridge' Cast Opens Up About The Moments They Truly Felt Connected To Their Characters While Filming The On My Block Spinoff
On My Block was arguably one of the best shows to grace Netflix over the past several years, and it enjoyed a solid run before concluding after four seasons in 2021. Many were sad to see it end but, now, the coming-of-age show’s legacy continues through Freeridge. The spinoff takes place in the titular town, like its predecessor, but focuses on a new group of teens who get wrapped up in a kooky mystery involving a cursed box. These new kids on the block are incredibly delightful as are the stars who play them. And recently, the actors opened up about the moments when they truly felt connected to their characters while filming Season 1.
Fans became quite attached to Monsé, Ruby, Jamal and Cesar over the course of On My Block’s four seasons, and they’re sorely missed. But viewers are sure to love Freeridge’s Gloria, Ines, Demi and Cameron once they get to know them. I had the opportunity to speak to the cast and asked the group about filming the first season and when they truly felt in sync with their roles amid production. Keyla Monterroso Mejia, who plays headstrong leader Gloria, answered by recalling a subtle scene that also features her co-star and on-screen sister, Bryana Salaz.
Fans became quite attached to Monsé, Ruby, Jamal and Cesar over the course of On My Block’s four seasons, and they’re sorely missed. But viewers are sure to love Freeridge’s Gloria, Ines, Demi and Cameron once they get to know them. I had the opportunity to speak to the cast and asked the group about filming the first season and when they truly felt in sync with their roles amid production. Keyla Monterroso Mejia, who plays headstrong leader Gloria, answered by recalling a subtle scene that also features her co-star and on-screen sister, Bryana Salaz.
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00:00 - Yeah, I think there's a beautiful scene
00:05 where we're on the couch and we're laying together
00:07 and we're sort of going throughout our day.
00:09 And I think it was the first time that I felt like,
00:13 no matter what, I love her.
00:16 And I think because I maybe was loving you in real life,
00:20 there's just like that moment,
00:22 it felt very authentic to me and it felt nice
00:24 and I felt like, no matter what, we're gonna be fine.
00:27 And I don't know, it was very special.
00:28 Something about it was very honest
00:32 and I felt closer to her in a way
00:34 that I don't think I had the rest of the season.
00:37 - Yeah, I think our moments really,
00:41 those were anything shared between us,
00:42 whether it was the emotional moments or the fights,
00:45 not the physical fights, but the screaming fights,
00:49 I think that's where I would really tap into Ines
00:53 and understand and resonate with her so much.
00:55 There's one specific line that literally,
00:58 why does everybody keep treating me like I'm a baby?
01:03 'Cause I'm the middle child in my family.
01:05 And sometimes, even now, I feel like I am looked at
01:09 in that way of the young one of the family and everything
01:12 and I just wanna be taken seriously as an adult sometimes.
01:15 And it's like, I am competent on my own.
01:18 And so that line was a very, very real moment for me.
01:25 - Yeah, I have a little bit of an oddball answer.
01:28 I would say, for me, I felt most connected to Demi.
01:31 I believe it's the second episode
01:33 where I'm holding the pre-leave-out ceremony.
01:36 - I was like, let me tell you why.
01:40 - Let me tell you why.
01:42 Because it was only second episode,
01:44 so we'd only been filming for two weeks
01:45 and it just clicked why Demi feels the need
01:49 to do all of these spiritual, external things.
01:53 And it's because she's also trying to get answers
01:56 from her friends and her personal life.
01:58 And so I feel like she uses that as a big marker
02:02 of her personality to try and navigate
02:04 her own funny teenage problems
02:08 while still being obsessed with the whole spiritual realm.
02:11 - Yeah, I think for me, I think that my connection to Cam
02:15 only grew as the season went on,
02:18 to where towards the end, we were almost the same.
02:21 I even said, last night, we were hanging out
02:24 and I had said something and I was like,
02:25 oh my God, that was literally Cameron.
02:27 What just came out of my mouth?
02:30 But one scene specifically is one
02:32 that takes place in the Handy Mart.
02:34 I think that that scene really just showed
02:39 how people kind of ignore Cameron
02:41 and put pressure on Cameron and the things that he says
02:44 and the emotions within that scene
02:46 really established that bond from the start.
02:48 'Cause that's in the first episode,
02:49 like the second scene in the whole show, so yeah.
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