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  • 2 months ago
Ilona Maher and her partner Alan Bersten chat with THR on Disney Night at 'Dancing With the Stars.' Ilona shares how much she relates to Luisa from 'Encanto' and the partners dish on Alan's donkey mask and how much of a "mistake" that was to perform in.
Transcript
00:00I want to say Encanto is one of my favorite movies, so I want to know how was it tapping into the character of Luisa for this performance?
00:06Yes, so Encanto is one of my favorite movies too, and literally the first time I ever watched it with my family,
00:13like we see ourselves on the screen so much, my sisters and my family, so when I first saw Luisa and whenever I watched Surface Pressure,
00:20I start crying because I truly feel that way many times, the pressure I put on myself to be great, to help others,
00:26so it was so fun to get to slip into this role because it didn't at times feel like a role.
00:30It felt like myself, and I love that girls get to see her as a character and maybe see me as well as somebody to look up to,
00:38so it was such a fun dance and fun night.
00:41I loved it, and Alan, I have to ask, were you sweating in that mask? Could you see? I'm so curious.
00:48Honestly, it was a good idea before I put it on. Once I put it on, I realized I made a vast mistake, but it was awesome.
00:55It was a lot of fun. It looked really good, and the team is incredible. I can't believe they got it on and off that fast.
01:01Like, we finished the opening number, I ran upstairs, and three different people were working on me.
01:07It was incredible. They pulled it off, and it just sweat just dropped everywhere.
01:13I think it's on video. I don't know, though, because my eyes were closed. Honestly, couldn't hear anything, couldn't see anything,
01:18but I felt how amazing Ilona did, and it's amazing. I'm so happy.
01:23That's great. And you guys also had the group dance, so you not only had to rely on each other as partners,
01:29but you had to rely on other people. So how did that dynamic kind of change throughout the week of rehearsals?
01:35Group dance was so fun. I've only ever played team sports, so it was like slipping into an environment that I thrive in.
01:42It was a lot of fun to be also there with kind of equals, you know, celebrity equals.
01:47And I will say the pros choreographed such a fun dance for us, and we had a great song,
01:52but all the moments they did, everything in between, and I think they played to our strength.
01:56So it was, and I think we knew it was a good dance, and we wanted to just do well for each other to also, you know,
02:02get ourselves points, so.
02:04It was awesome. Everyone really pulled it together. Ilona said something as team captain.
02:08And I would like to point out I'm assistant captain. He's assistant to the captain.
02:14A little office reference. Ilona, before we started, she was like, usually this is a me thing,
02:20but I want this to be a we thing, and we all just collectively came together, and, you know, we had fun out there.
02:25We danced together, and it really showed. The celebrities crushed it.
02:29When they were dancing by themselves, the pros were just standing there like, we're so proud.
02:34And we really are. You know, they put in so much hard work this week, and it really showed.
02:38Well, it was incredible, and you guys, I mean, it showed.
02:41And because it's Disney night, I have to ask a few Disney questions.
02:44Please.
02:45What was your favorite Disney character growing up?
02:49Both of you.
02:52Growing up, because it's changed now.
02:56Now with newer movies, like I like Encanto, I feel like Bruno a little bit.
02:59But growing up, I wish I was a Prince Eric. I wasn't.
03:04I was more of a goofy.
03:05Yeah, right, right.
03:07Aladdin.
03:08Yeah, right.
03:09I feel like a lot of people call it.
03:10You're more of like that bird in Aladdin.
03:12Yeah, yeah.
03:13Right.
03:13Who are you?
03:17I don't know.
03:18I don't know.
03:20Princesses.
03:21Like, this isn't too old, but I loved Princess and the Frog, and I loved Tangled.
03:27Everyone is saying that.
03:28To me, those are new.
03:29Yeah, those are newer.
03:30But they are still like 15 years old.
03:31Yeah.
03:32But I mean, no, everyone is saying that, which kind of, I guess, brings me to my next question.
03:35And if there was a Disney movie that you would like to see redone into a live action.
03:42Oh, honestly, Encanto.
03:44That'd be fun.
03:45Honestly, it's, the music is amazing.
03:47Surface pressure.
03:49Before we were doing this, and everyone online was like, you guys have to do it.
03:52Yeah.
03:53Like, it was a good song.
03:56Like, and then when we found out we were doing it, and we found out pretty early, like, every
04:01time I listen to it, I get chills, just because Ilona, aside from, you know, having the strength
04:08that Louisa has, she also puts that pressure on herself, and I've realized that from knowing
04:13her, and she just wants to help everyone.
04:16You know, she's one of the most selfless people I've ever met, and it's just, it's amazing
04:20to see, and I am really lucky to have her as a partner, and I'm proud of her.
04:24So it's nice to see her come to life.
04:26And final question, I mean, so on Disney Channel, you would say, like, hi, I'm so-and-so,
04:30and, yeah, you know what I'm talking about.
04:32Come on.
04:32Can you guys give me your best one, but, like, kind of group it, like, hi, I'm Alan, I'm
04:36Ilona, and you're watching Disney Channel.
04:39Hi, I'm Ilona.
04:40And I'm Alan.
04:41And you're watching Disney Channel.
04:45That was great.
04:46Thank you guys so much.
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