Aly Michalka, AJ Michalka, Heather Hemmens, Matt Barr, Robbie Jones and Executive Producer Kevin Murphy from Hellcats gathered in LA yesterday and answered some of YOUR fan questions!
The Cast as Cheerleaders and Using Stunt Doubles
The cast uses stunt doubles because of the danger involved in many of the cheer scenes, but they’ve learned how to do these tricks for real. Executive Producer Kevin Murphy explains that they still use doubles because it’s not safe for the cast to be doing the tricks themselves because of the extreme danger in competitive cheerleading. “When we do double them, we’re actually getting the ‘realies,’ as we call them up into their position and when we get to the wide shots, we’re using the doubles.” He adds, “The reason the routines look so good is because [the cast] has done the hard work required to actually learn them on their own.”
Marti and Dan or Marti and the Professor?
In terms of a character choice, Aly prefers Dan and Marti together. “It’s the fact that you get really attached to these characters and start to want certain things for the characters. You want Marti and Dan to have that relationship, those two perfect yin and yang to each other.” With the professor, there’s a maturity and it’s a bit taboo which brings a bit of sexiness to this relationship. While she’s younger than him, Marti is mature for her age, so there’s this connection on an intellectual level. Matt chimed in to stick up for his character, Dan, noting that while the professor is older and intellectual, Dan is much more exciting, being younger, raw and passionate. He adds, “Plus, Dan’s a great kisser!”
Aly and AJ: As Sister and Castmates
They’ve performed together before (they’re currently in a band together, 78violet) but this is the first time they’ve acted together on the show. They have a very close sibling relationship, so close that Matt added “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that is as in sync as you guys are. The way you finish each other’s sentences. ESP exists and you guys have got it.”
On Kissing Your Costars
How do the Hellcats prepare themselves for kissing scenes?
Heather said that “after the first or second time, it really becomes something so insignificant to your thought process and preparing for the scene. It’s something you get used to really fast.” But Robbie remembers the first time they were shooting a kissing scene with Heather and how nervous they were. But after shooting this over several hours, “it just becomes autopilot and your lips go and your mind’s gone.” Aly adds that it’s not a big deal anymore, since “everybody has already kissed somebody [in the cast].”