[Editor’s note: these interviews were conducted in late June, prior to the SAGAFTA strike which began on July 14.]
It’s the film you MUST see this summer – the Disney Original Movie ‘The Slumber Party’, directed by Veronica Rodriguez, premiering on Disney Channel July 27, and streaming on Disney+ the following day. Based on the popular teen novel of the same name by Jen Malone, ‘The Slumber Party’ depicts the hilarious aftermath of a sleepover birthday party hypnotism gone wrong as best friends Megan and Paige, along with soon-to-be step-sister Veronica, wake up with absolutely no memory of the night before.
Now they must retrace their steps to find missing birthday girl Anna Maria…and explain why there’s a flock of baby ducks in the bathtub, what happened to Megan’s left eyebrow, and why she’s wearing unattainable hottie Jake Ramirez’s signature black hoodie.
It’s giving us ‘The Hangover’ vibes, but for a new generation of teens and young adults, and we can’t wait, especially if the trailer, featuring Tituss Burgess as Mesmer, is anything to go by! The cast is an ensemble of up-and-coming talent who are undoubtedly going to do exciting things in the future.
In the lead-up to the film’s premiere, we had the chance to speak with two of the cast members – Valentina Herrera and Alex Cooper Cohen. Valentina secured her first role in “All the World Is Sleeping,” a movie directed by Ryan Lacen. Shortly after moving to Hollywood, she secured the lead role in “Odd Squad,” the 5-time Emmy Award Winning Show directed by J.J. Johnson and Sinking Ship Entertainment.
Alex will be making her small screen debut in “The Slumber Party”, playing the soon to be step-sister, Veronica. Alex has performed in many musicals in the Bay Area and also with her band, Easy Definition, in San Francisco.
Watch the trailer here, and read on below for more behind the scenes goss from Alex and Valentina, on filming ‘The Slumber Party’, and the core theme of friendship viewers will get to see on screen.
Valentina Herrera
Where did your love of acting begin, and how did you initially get into the industry?
My love for acting began at a very young age. I would record myself making my own little shows and movies, acting out different characters for fun. I’d also spend the whole day watching The Disney Channel, wishing I could be on there one day. I got into the Industry at about 8 years old. I asked my parents to find me an acting coach, and they took me to one close to where we used to live in Texas. My acting class was every Monday with an occasional weekend workshop. In one of those workshops, I met an Actors Agent who was visiting from Los Angeles and soon after, she signed me with her Agency in California. This is how I began.
Tell us about landing the role of Anna Maria in ‘The Slumber Party’ and the experience of shooting the film?
The story on how I got the role of Anna Maria is a fun one. I started off by receiving a few auditions for the role which led to callbacks. What that means is they want to see more of you playing the character. It was a lot of going back and forth between callbacks and Zoom sessions. Then I finally got the news on a FaceTime call from Veronica (the director). Filming with the cast was very easy. Everyone kept it professional and we all became very close on and off screen. Overall I had a great time filming and I would 100% do it again. I hope there will be a Slumber Party 2!
What are you most excited for audiences to see in the film?
What I’m most excited for people to see in ‘The Slumber Party’ is our friendship. As I mentioned before, we all just clicked so fast. Everything you see about our friendship on camera is just a glimpse of what it was like off camera. We were always together, even on our breaks. I can’t wait for people to watch this movie with family, or with friends and maybe even have a slumber party while watching it!
Can you share more about the importance of representation in film and media, and what it means to you personally?
I think it is so important to find a way for viewers to feel seen. For people to relate, and even feel inspired knowing that their dreams are not impossible because they can make them come true. I personally love when I watch a movie and I can relate to a character, in the sense that I’m not the only one. That’s what I think is important to be shown in more films and media.
What was it like working with director Veronica Rodriguez and your fellow castmates?
Working with the cast was a blast and very exciting! Also, working with our Director Veronica was just as fun and easy. Veronica became our best friend – she was so in touch with us and made sure we were comfortable. She would always keep us in the loop on what’s to come and what’s happening next. Veronica didn’t treat us like little kids she was working with. She would validate our feelings and make us feel very important.
What is next for you? Where can we see more of your work?
At the moment, I can’t really comment on any new projects in the works, but I can tell you I’m working on press interviews and getting ready for ‘The Slumber Party’ Premiere in Hollywood, and the television premiere July 27th on The Disney Channel and on Disney + the day after.
Alex Cooper Cohen
Where did your love of acting begin, and how did you initially get into the industry?
My background is primarily in theatre. My first ever show was a mini musical based on the book Ferdinand in first grade where I played the titular character. When the theatre shut down during COVID, I pivoted my focus and that is how I ended up here.
Tell us about landing the role of Veronica in ‘The Slumber Party’ and the experience of shooting the film.
The audition process took a few months and I was very nervous about whether or not I would get the part but when I got the call from Veronica Rodriguez, the director, I knew all my work was worth it.
When I first stepped on set, I was very nervous. Right from the start, though, all the crew was super welcoming and I started to feel right at home. I also really enjoyed working with my co-stars and it was overall a really fun and exciting experience.
What are you most excited for audiences to see in the film?
I’m excited for everyone to see the crazy hi-jinx we get up to and for everyone to see the scenes I have with Mikey (Dallas Liu), Paige’s older brother.
Can you share more about the importance of representation in film and media, and what it means to you personally?
I think that it is super important that many kinds of people are represented in mainstream media. I think it is really exciting that certain groups that were historically considered “less than” are being included more in film and media.
What was it like working with director Veronica Rodriguez and your fellow cast mates?
Veronica was a dream to work with. She treated us like we were equals and made us feel valued and appreciated. I was also really lucky that I got to work with people my age on my first project so my co-stars were, basically, my built-in friends.
What is next for you? Where can we see more of your work?
Honestly, I’m not sure what I am doing next. I’ll continue to audition around and am hoping to do some local theater and maybe audition for my school’s production of Wizard of Oz. If you want to see more of me just watch ‘The Slumber Party’ again!
You can watch ‘The Slumber Party’ premiering on Disney Channel July 27th, and streaming on Disney+ the following day. Follow both Alex Cooper Cohen and Valentina Herrera on Instagram, and stay tuned for our featured interview with the film’s director Veronica Rodriguez!
