‘Schooled’ star AJ Michalka says Hollywood will ‘get used to a new normal’ amid the coronavirus pandemic
'Schooled' star AJ Michalka says Hollywood will 'get used to a new normal' amid the coronavirus pandemic. The actress also reveals her favorite memory from her time filming 'The Goldbergs.'
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AJ Michalka is eager for what the future holds for her in Hollywood.
The 29-year-old stars in “Schooled,” a spinoff of “The Goldbergs” set in the ‘90s that follows the faculty of William Penn Academy and their comical misadventures. While the season finale airs Wednesday night, Michalka already has Season 3 on her mind. Still, she is aware that with the current coronavirus pandemic, Hollywood has hit the pause button as it figures how to keep the cast and crew safe on set.
Michalka and her co-star Brett Dier spoke to Fox News about “Schooled” being a fan favorite, how they expect Hollywood to change amid the COVID-19 crisis, as well as her favorite memory from her time on “The Goldbergs.”
Fox News: How does it feel to know that “Schooled,” a spinoff of “The Goldbergs,” has become such a fan favorite?
Brett Dier: Well that's awesome. It feels great. Right, AJ?
AJ Michalka: It does. It feels really good. We're really proud of this show and to know that we have gained the audience and fans and love that "The Goldbergs" has is really, really special, especially for a spinoff.
And it's neat. It's so cool to be an hour block of television, between "Goldbergs" and "Schooled," which takes you to two different eras and can bring together appointment television for families to sit every Wednesday and go like, "All right, this is our time together. It's for an hour. We're going to watch 'Goldbergs,' we're going to watch 'Schooled.' We're going to laugh. And we might shed a little tear in the third act." It's very sweet.
Fox News: AJ, you must have many, but what's one memory from your time on "The Goldbergs" that's been vivid on your mind lately or one that makes you smile when you think about it?
Michalka: Honestly, I think the stuff that makes me smile the most is all the band stuff that we got to do as the dropouts. When we were figuring out what we wanted to do with our band, that Rush episode is one of my favorites from Season 3, where we get to go to the talent show and play a Rush song.
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I love the stuff between Erica and Lainey because that's the original friendship of that show. And Hayley [Orrantia] is one of my dearest friends and I miss working with her. We don't get her very much on "Schooled." But I think the Lainey and Erica stuff is really, really strong... That show is so dear to my heart. There are so many moments, but I think some of the band stuff is the strongest for me.
Fox News: A lot of films and TV shows are being delayed or even canceled altogether because of the coronavirus pandemic. In your opinion, how do you think this pandemic is going to change the way some shows or films are made safely?
Michalka: I think it's going to change things dramatically. We, as a cast, we've been talking quite consistently and with our producers and I think there's going to be a little bit of a new normal to return to. I hope that we get to continue.
Season 3 is definitely something that we are all hoping we get. We don't have any official word yet. But I think we have a really, really solid foundation and a strong fan base that's carried this show through and I hope we get another shot. It will be different when we go back and we have to accept that.
Dier: I heard that there's going to be maybe fewer extras and stuff like that and that crew would have to wear masks and there'd be hand sanitizing stations everywhere and all that kind of stuff. And possibly weekly testing too, which is so advanced.
Michalka: But we're willing to follow guidance and regulation as much as possible in order to perform as entertainers and hopefully keep the art flowing as much as possible. But, yeah, we're going to have to get used to a bit of a new normal.
Fox News: “Schooled” takes place in the ‘90s. What’s one trend from the era you would love to see come back and one that should never see the light of day again?
Michalka: Oh, wow. That's a hard one. I think the trend that I love from the ‘90s that actually has come back successfully is a platform boot. A real high wedge, high boot, usually a rounded toe, all black. That's what Lainey wears pretty much every day on the show. And I actually wear an original pair of boots from the '90s that my costumer wore when she was a teen.
Dier: I love Pokemon. We did an episode about that, which was pretty sweet.
Michalka: Yeah. And that's come back, Pokemon. It's had a resurgence of fandom. OK, Pokemon solid. I think negatives. I would say… It’s hard. I love a lot of films from the ‘90s. I love the music from the ‘90s, grunge rock, folky stuff.
Dier: The ‘90s were good. In terms of comedies, I think it was the best too. Dunkaroos gave me headaches.
Michalka: Dunkaroos are a lot of sugar. Don't need more of those. And honestly, I would say the choker necklaces. I know it's a Lainey staple, but I don't think they're very flattering on women. I think the choker necklace, the tattoo necklace can go. That's all I got.
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Fox News: How has the relationship between the two of you changed since filming “Schooled”?
Dier: I love AJ.
Michalka: I love Brett. We've become best friends and it's really sweet because I think [our characters] have too. I do think there is a romantic undertone to their friendship, but I also think that as a friendship, I think that they're really, really solid. And I think they could end up who knows. I think they could end up being a thing.
Brett and I, in terms of just our personal friendship, Brett's one of my closest friends. I feel like we're like work wife and husband. It's really sweet. We are basically in every scene together and we shoot constantly together... We're a real solid group. I love this cast.
Dier: Yeah. We all get along. Thank God.
Fox News: What’s your relationship with the other cast members?
Michalka: Honestly, we're together so much when we shoot that everyone goes off and does their own thing when we're wrapped because that's how you maintain, I think, a strong professional friendship. I think if there's like too much hanging out, it's like, "Oh my gosh, we're all going to kill each other." I think it's really healthy and important to hang out on set, maybe do a cast dinner every now and then, do something normal, and then also go your own ways. Because we all have our own lives.
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But I do have to say, there are so many times where I'm like, "Guys, we've wrapped early, let's go do dinner." This cast is like family at this point.
The season finale of “Schooled” airs Wednesday, May 13 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.
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