The Lodge Teen TV: 10 minutes chat with the cast of Disney Channel UK’s brand new show

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Published on Tuesday, 04 October 2016 12:11

Last Updated on 04 October 2016

Monica Costa

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London Mums are pleased to have had access to the young and talented cast of Disney Channel UK’s brand new show for teenagers, The Lodge. Enjoy this refreshing interview.

Disney the Lodge is a ten part series inspired by the popular Israeli original live-action series North Star, is filmed locally in Northern Ireland and has intriguing storylines, catchy music and engaging characters.

In the same landmark year of High School Musical’s 10 year anniversary, The Lodge is poised to unleash a wave of fresh new British talent, including Sophie Simnett (Skye), Jade Alleyne (Kaylee), Luke Newton (Ben) and Thomas Doherty (Sean), who will be given a global platform in more than 100 Disney Channel territories across Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA). Behind the scenes features and cast video diaries will be available for fans on Disney Channel Facebook and Disney Channel YouTube.

The Story

The Lodge is a life affirming emotional rollercoaster about 15 year old Skye’s journey of self-discovery following the death of her mother, as she moves from a big city to exciting rural life. Skye returns with her father to her treasured childhood holiday lodge, bringing a new lease of life, not just to the place, but the lives of those who live and work there. She reconnects with her family and discovers new friends and adventures, as they rock-climb, kayak and mountain bike their way through their beautiful surroundings, all the while making and breaking relationships. The show explores courage, overcoming hardship, accepting change, controlling your destiny and realising your dreams, while staying truthful to whom you are.

 

London Mums’ exclusive interview with the cast

Q: Why do you think this teen drama will be successful among teenagers?

The Lodge has universal storylines and themes, along with very relatable characters, so hopefully it’ll strike a chord with teenage viewers worldwide. There is something for everyone in each of the characters, from sports to music to fashion. The central theme focuses on courage and learning to accept change, dealing with hardship and staying truthful to who you are; such ideas are interesting and accessible to a wide audience, particularly teenagers who may be experiencing the same issues alongside the characters.

Q: What is so appealing for this age group?

Each episode of the show is jam-packed with drama, mystery, sports and catchy tunes. It’s a very exciting show and the fast pace is gripping. The inclusion of music and dance also allows teenagers to form deeper connections to the characters, as many performances are reflective of a character’s subtext and hopefully relate to some of the situations and realise they aren’t alone in dealing with some of the issues shown. The incorporation of social media and reality TV keeps the show topical and relevant. The Lodge does a great job of showing the positives and negatives to these and how they affect people and relationships.

 

Q: Will this TV show be appealing for US teens and if yes, why?

I very much hope so! The Lodge is a very thrilling and new show, particularly to a US audience. The fact we filmed in Northern Ireland and the cast is British gives the show a particular edge, which the viewers may not experience through other shows; it gives a great insight into British television and kids. It’ll be interesting to see how they compare it to the American Disney Channel series!

 

Q: Were there any love crushes among the stars of the show while filming?

We were very lucky that Disney did an amazing job of casting a group of actors who all get on really well! We are all great friends on and off set and love working together. We left all the relationships and their dramas to the show!

 

Q: How was Northern Ireland as a location for filming?

Northern Ireland was the perfect location to shoot the Lodge. Often with kids’ television, you are limited to a studio – however the majority of The Lodge is filmed in the countryside, shot outside or on location; it keeps the show fresh and exciting. The scenic views and the hills were great for mountain biking scenes and opened up opportunities for a variety of camera action; a lot of the scenes were shot on drones. The freedom of the countryside created a great sense of escapism, which is a huge part of the character of the show and will hopefully add to its individuality and appeal.

 

Q: What did you like most about being part of this Disney show?

Everything! It was such an amazing experience and the whole cast, crew and production were fantastic to work with. Being part of the Disney family has also been amazing – they’ve looked after us so well, not only as actors but as people. Also the opportunity to learn so many new skills was a privilege – we are all so lucky to be involved in such an extraordinary project – it’s not something we will forget.

 

Q: How did you prepare for the dancing and singing?

Before we went to Northern Ireland to film, we had a 6 week rehearsal process where we had to learn all the dances and record the songs in the studio. Before this job, I actually had very little dancing and singing experience; so Disney gave me this huge opportunity to gain two new skillsets, alongside the kayaking and rock climbing!

 

Q: What’s your favourite new song from the show?

That’s tricky – they’re all so catchy! I have two – ‘Tell It Like It Is’ is one of my favourites because of the different ways it’s sung by different characters – particularly when Dom Harrison rocks out singing it. You can’t help but dance with him! I also love ‘Favourite Place To Be’ because it’s the most acoustic sounding song of them all and when Skye sings it it’s a real moment of realisation and accomplishment for her and a key moment in the storyline of the show. Although I love ‘If You Only Knew’ too – I can’t decide!

 

Q: What’s the most intriguing storyline in the show?

One of the best things about The Lodge is that there are so many storylines happening at once! You have to concentrate in order to keep track! It’s got everything from romance to friendship to mystery. However I think the most interesting storyline would be the mystery of Skye’s mother and the history that lies within the Lodge. It really grips you from the first episode and throughout the series you follow Skye on her investigation of the mystery – you almost feel like you’re living it!

 

Q: Who is the most interesting character and why?

The characters in The Lodge are so unique and relatable because they’re so real. They are classic teenagers experiencing self-discovery and slowly beginning to find and place themselves in the world. Each of them does this in their own way; some proving more difficult than others! However Danielle is probably one of the most interesting characters as you see her go on a real journey throughout the series. Although she’s confident and sassy on the exterior, she’s secretly vulnerable and insecure. Bethan Wright, who plays the character, portrays her excellently.

 

TUNE IN DETAILS

The Lodge airs on Fridays at 5.30 pm on Disney Channel.

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