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ComingSoon Senior Editor Spencer Legacy spoke with 13: The Musical stars Gabriella Uhl and Jonathan Lengel about their real-life friendship and the messages that the adaptation presents. 13: The Musical will be available for streaming on Netflix on August 12.
“After moving from New York City to Indiana, a 12-year-old navigates his parents’ divorce, his impending bar mitzvah, and his new school’s social circles,” reads the movie’s synopsis.
Spencer Legacy: Gabriella, you two were convincing friends in the movie. How quickly did you guys become friends during the production?
Gabriella Uhl: In the first chemistry reads, when I was reading with Jonathan, I feel like we had an immediate connection. He and I are close friends in real life. We talk almost every day, even now. So I feel like it was really easy to be besties with him on screen because we were besties in real life.
Jonathan Lengel: I 100% agree. I mean, we’ve really become such great friends and, like she said, we talk basically every day. So it’s been great to get to know you.
Jonathan, you have a great scene where you get frustrated that everyone assumes that you need help when everyone else needs way more help. What were your first thoughts when you read that?
Jonathan Lengel: It’s very true to me because that kind of happens to me on almost a daily basis. When I was acting out that scene with Patrice and Evan, I feel like a little bit of Jonathan was coming out there and I was really saying, “why does everyone think I need help?” Because it’s an honest question, you know? Everyone always asks me that. So, yeah. I feel like that in that scene, I kind of integrated Jonathan and Archie into one person.
Gabriella, what about Patrice’s character really drew you in at first?
Gabriella Uhl: Well, I was a fan of 13: The Musical before I even auditioned for it, so I was obsessed with the musical. I feel like [with] Patrice, the initial thing that drew me into that character, in particular, was probably her songs. I love singing her songs and I’m so honored that I get to be the new voice of Patrice to a whole new generation of kids.
Jonathan, you have some really funny moments in the film. Was any of that improvised or was it all scripted?
Jonathan Lengel: I would say that some of it was scripted and some of it was a little bit of me coming out there.
Do you have a particular favorite joke?
Jonathan Lengel: When you guys first meet Archie, I say “welcome to Walkerton. If someone offers to pray for you, let them!”
Gabriella Uhl: That’s my favorite Archie line for sure.
Jonathan Lengel: Yeah, and it was funny to me because people have actually told me that.
Gabriella, which of the dances was the hardest to learn?
Gabriella Uhl: Patrice in particular isn’t in that many dance numbers, but I mean, round of applause to Jamal Sims, who was the choreographer. The choreographer is absolutely amazing, and the dancers who did it — amazing. Can’t give enough to them. I don’t know if I could say most challenging because I wasn’t in that many, but, I’m sure Jonathan would say the same thing, I loved filming “Brand New You,” the big number at the end of the movie. We all got to do a little jamming out there, so much fun.
Jonathan Lengel: I totally agree with you, Gabriella. I feel like the Bar Mitzvah scene, “Brand New You,” was my all-time favorite. The dancers were fabulous. It was so intense that you could actually feel the ground shaking, and I was actually front and center with Lucy [Frankie McNellis[ and Kendra [Lindsey Blackwell] towards the end. I felt like that was really important for me to show people because I didn’t really see that growing up. So it felt really good to represent that.
Spencer Legacy: Jonathan, what’s a message that you hope people take away from this movie?
Jonathan Lengel: I really hope that, regardless of your limitations, or if you’re just different in general, don’t be afraid to do what you love and if you can dream it, you can do it. I feel like with every cast member, everyone can see a little bit of themselves in this movie with the extremely diverse and talented cast that we have.
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