entertainment:Entertainment Spotlight: Larry Saperstein, High School Musical: The Musical: The Serie
entertainment:Entertainment Spotlight: Larry Saperstein, High School Musical: The Musical: The SeriesBorn and raised in Long Island, New York, Saperstein acted opposite Kiernan Shipka in the film Fan Girl and will guest star in an upcoming episode of BET’s The First Wives Club. A skater boy through and through, Big Red is the spiritual cousin of both Bill and Ted: always fuzzy and he’s been sleep-deprived since preschool. Big Red is weirdly devastated by Ricky and Nini’s breakup — his surest role is as their wisecracking third wheel. We got the chance to ask Larry some questions: Describe the role of Big Red in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Big Red is Ricky’s best friend who sticks by him through and through. He is optimistic, yet a little fuzzy sometimes, which I think makes him so much more comedic and lovable. When Ricky decides that he wants to audition for East High’s production of High School Musical: The Musical, Big Red is initially opposed to the idea, but he wants to stick by his friend and be part of the action, so he experiments with being involved in the theater community, which I think is a really admirable and inspiring way to go about life!What is your favorite line of his (without any spoilers)?Big Red: “But we hate musicals”Ricky: “I don’t hate musicals. I just hate when people burst into song in the middle of the street.”Big Red: “Dude… That’s a musical.“Tell us your favorite on-set experience (on or off camera).One day, one of the crew members took a mannequin from the prop room and put it under the stairwell to scare people when they passed by. I remember the first time I walked past it with Josh and Matt, we thought it was a real person and screamed, and probably fell to the floor laughing. The crew guys were standing on the other end of the hallway laughing at us, and then it became a whole inside joke! After that, of course, I’d take people past the stairwell to see if they noticed it and they’d freak too! Our set is just one of the warmest, most supportive environments I’ve ever been part of, and I love that we can create a productive and healthy work environment but also leave room for joking around and goofing off!If you could be transported into the world of a book, movie, or TV show, which one would you pick?This is always changing because I have always had such a strong affinity for the otherworldly, and I’ve always been in awe of creators who have such a strong grasp on the world they’re creating and are able to think through (and successfully represent) every detail. Right now, I’ve been super into the new Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance series! I was always a huge Jim Henson fan; I loved the artistry of the puppets and the ability that he had to create such expressive characters. And the realm of Thra that The Dark Crystal explores is just so detailed and magical! So that’s been really inspiring me recently.What’s the best advice that you’ve ever received?I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of great mentors in my life who have taught me so many different things! One I remember the most is that once I was fortunate enough to meet Denzel Washington (I know right?!), and he told me “You never see a UHaul behind a hearse”. What he meant was that everything that happens now matters now; it won’t matter in 100 years. So I might as well make it count right now, and just live to be the happiest that I can be. I remember that really sticking with me!Thanks, Larry! Catch High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+, and stay tuned for the rest of the HSMTMTS Spotlights, going live all week right here! -- source link