Premiering on Netflix June 27th is the second season of ‘That ‘90s Show’, which serves as a sequel to the iconic sitcom ‘That ‘70s Show.’
The new series is set in 1995 and once again stars Kurtwood Smith (‘RoboCop’) and Debra Jo Rupp (‘WandaVision’) as Red and Kitty Forman, who’s granddaughter, Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), the offspring of Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna Forman (Laura Prepon), is living with them for the summer.
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The show also features Mace Coronel as Jay Kelso, son of Michael Kelso (Ashton Kutcher) and Jackie Burkhart (Mila Kunis), as well as Ashley Aufderheide, Reyn Doi, Sam Morelos and Maxwell Acee Donovan as Leia’s new friends. The first season also saw appearances by original cast members including Grace, Prepon, Kutcher, Kunis, and Wilmer Valderrama as fan-favorite Fez.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of attending an event in Los Angeles celebrating the second season of ‘That ‘90s Show’ and spoke to Callie Haverda and Mace Coronel about their work on the new season of the series. The two young actors discussed the show, their awareness of the original, working with the legacy cast, their characters, and what fans can expect from season 2.
Moviefone: To begin with, Callie, how familiar were you with ‘That ‘70s Show’ before being cast in ‘That ‘90s Show’ and what has it been like for you joining this franchise?
Callie Haverda: I was a little bit. I had never watched it, but I have three older siblings, so they were very familiar with the show, and I was introduced to it a little bit. I think over COVID, my brother was watching it. He was bingeing it, so I saw a few episodes here and there. When I got the audition, I knew what it was, but I had never really watched it. I watched a few clips on YouTube and then when I got the callback I was like, “Okay, maybe I should really sit down and watch the show.” So, I started it. I binged it so fast. It is such a fantastic show and I love it now. I got the box set and I watched all of it, so now I’m very familiar with it.
MF: Mace, were you a fan of ‘That ‘70s Show’ and what has it been like for you being a part of this series?
Mace Coronel: It’s a blessing. Being completely honest, I didn’t watch a lot of ‘That ‘70s Show’ growing up, so it was all very new to me. I’m not going to sit here and be like, “Yeah, I watched every single season,” but obviously, when I got the job, I did my due diligence. Hey, it’s awesome to be part of a continuation of something so great. So, I’m extremely blessed.
MF: What is it like playing Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart’s son, Jay Kelso?
MC: It was nice, and it was chill. I mean, I really took it upon myself to make this character my own. A lot of people were like, “Hey, you got big shoes to fill,” but I’m wearing my own shoes, so I am not worried about filling up anyone else’s shoes. I’m doing my thing, and obviously it’s an honor. Other than that, hey man, I’m here for the ride.
MF: Did Ashton Kutcher have any words of advice for you about playing the character?
MC: No, we really were just talking about jiu-jitsu. We both are into Brazilian jiu-jitsu and fighting, and we were just talking about that.
MF: Callie, for those who didn’t see season 1, what can you tell them about your character?
CH: So, Leia, she is the daughter of Eric and Donna, granddaughter of Red and Kitty, very iconic characters from ‘That ’70s Show’. She’s a lot like her dad. She’s very awkward and figuring herself out. I love the story because I feel it’s not only a comedy but also a coming-of-age story. We see all these beautiful characters growing and becoming adults. Well, not yet, not adults yet, they’re still teenagers, but they’re figuring themselves out and Leia’s doing that. Also, from her mom, she’s got this very confident side. We see that come out occasionally. In season one, we had a little bit of that, but now in season two, I feel like we see a lot more of her confident edge coming because she’s getting older, and she’s kind of taking control of the situations more, which I really had fun playing with that for sure.
MF: What else can you tell us about Leia’s arc in season 2?
CH: I think this season, we see Leia coming more into herself. We have a lot more time to watch her develop. I think with each character, she has good storylines, getting to know each character more, and we see her settle in these relationships with them and not only find herself, but also just become comfortable with them and become comfortable with the gang. So, we get to see her develop this relationship with Jay, who she chooses, and we see them become closer as a couple. We see her deal with a lot of things that I think teenagers deal with when they’re in a relationship struggling between, “Should I do these things, or should I not?” It’s her first relationship, so she’s not used to doing all these things. I think it’s nice being able to see her figure this out and get advice from her friends and her mom and just explore this relationship, which is nice.
MF: Mace, what can you tell us about Jay’s story in season 2?
MC: A lot of things change within him and Leia’s relationship, and you guys must be the judge of that. You got to watch it and check it out. I don’t want to spoil too much, but we understand the characters more. It’s more fleshed out. We got more episodes, more fun, so watch it as soon as it comes out.
MF: Finally, for both of you, what is it like working with veteran actors Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp and what have you learned from them while making this series?
CH: It’s incredible. I seriously don’t think it could be anything less than a dream come true because they’re so iconic and just brilliant at acting. They are masters of comedy, so to be able to work with them every single day and just watch them work, it’s a gift. I love having scenes with DJ and Kurtwood because they give such good advice, even if I don’t ask. They’re just always there to be like, “Do you need help with this?” And helping me with my scenes and certain lines, like landing a joke. So, it’s incredible working with them, as well as the original actors from ‘That ’70s Show’. All the new guest stars that we have this season, it was so great working with them because they’re just lovely people, but they’re also so talented at what they do, so being able to be around them is very inspiring. I love it.
qRZRm8OwJ5js4UAwNWbWpMC: It’s nice. I mean, they’re veterans at the game. I consider myself somewhat of an old soul. I connect with people from that generation more. Some of the things they’ve said to me, or when I seek counsel about certain things on set, they’re there and they have my back.
What is the plot of ‘That ‘90s Show’?
The show centers on Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), the teenage daughter of Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon), forming bonds with other teenagers as she spends the summer of 1995 with her grandparents Red (Kurtwood Smith) and Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) in Point Place, Wisconsin, 15 years after the events of That ’70s Show.
Who is in the cast of ‘That ‘90s Show’?
- Debra Jo Rupp as Kitty Forman
- Kurtwood Smith as Red Forman
- Callie Haverda as Leia Forman
- Ashley Aufderheide as Gwen Runck
- Mace Coronel as Jay Kelso
- Reyn Doi as Ozzie
- Sam Morelos as Nikki
- Maxwell Acee Donovan as Nate Runck
- Andrea Anders as Sherri Runck
- Laura Prepon as Donna Forman
- Wilmer Valderrama as Fez
- Topher Grace as Eric Forman
- Mila Kunis as Jackie Burkhart
- Ashton Kutcher as Michael Kelso
- Tommy Chong as Leo Chingkwake
- Brian Austin Green as Brian Austin Green
- Jim Rash as Fenton
- Seth Green as Mitch Miller
TV Shows in the ‘That ’70s Show’ Franchise:
- ‘That ’70s Show‘ (1998 – 2006)
- ‘Days Like These‘ (1999)
- ‘That ’80s Show‘ (2002)
- ‘That ’90s Show‘ (2023)
