Laura Marano on Starring In, Co-Producing, & Writing Songs For 'The Royal Treatment'

Hello. Hi, I'm so sorry. Oh my god, you're totally good. It Zoom is just so, you know, that it's fine. It's literally fine. We're um running a little late. I think particularly we were actually doing so well and then I had an interview. Long story short, the cops came to my door. So, I literally like had to like pause the interview. Oh but because they were asking about something that is very, very different, had nothing to do with me. Um and I very much couldn't be like, sorry. I'm doing press right now. Um, and I really feel so sad because we were so ahead of it the whole time and then that happened and I feel like it's been like so behind. So, sorry.

Oh, that interview got the T. They were like, oh great, cops showing up at her house like they can clickbait the thumbnail. They can be like cop show up at her house. I'm like, but it really totally I'm like, wait, but don't misunderstand. They're like, oh, interesting. me. Well, I've never heard that in the two years pretty much we've been on Zoom. Never heard that. So.

Yeah, same. I'm like that I I thought someone was delivering. So, they knocked once. I was like, okay. Um I'm just going to ignore it. And then they knocked twice and I was like, who is this? And I'm like, I'm so sorry. I go get it, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. door. I was like, oh, hi.

Well, you've had a very interesting day so far. So, that's good. And welcome now to virtual Young Hollywood.

Welcome to having me. Oh my god. So, The Royal Treatment on Netflix, January 20th, which I watched the trailer and then I actually watched it, but I think it's a genius. Like the storyline. I would if that was me, I would die. Like I'd be like, this is my life now. Like this is amazing. Um, okay, thank you. I love that. Um, I think it's so freaking cute. I think it's so I I love it very much. It's very special to me. Um, I'm also so close to it. So, I very much I'm like, I don't know. Is it good? I have no idea. Am I even good? Um, so, I it's really been awesome to hear uh everyone who has seen it really love it and enjoy it. So, I'm excited.

You think that you'd be able to do hair and makeup for a royal wedding for $50,000.

Um, to be honest, I definitely had to like learn on this acting job how to at least look like I can do hair. Um, and it's freaking challenging even cutting hair, right? Like there were the scissors so you have like cutting scissors, hair cutting scissors. And there's a reason, you know, maybe everyone knows this. I did not know this. Um, you know, when hair cutting scissors, there's like a little like stick like not a stick, but there's like a weird like jilt on it. Um, I'm trying to show you in my hands what it looks like. Um, there's a reason for that. Like that's where you put I actually can't remember now. That's where you put like your thumb, um, in like that's where it's supposed to be because it's easier to um do that or maybe that's where you're supposed to put this finger. But there's a reason to it that my hair stylist had to teach me when I was cutting Meena's hair cutting, um, cutting different hair. So, I definitely learned a lot and I forgot all of it. So, at this point, no, I probably would fail miserably, but give me a couple weeks to re-re-learn it and I think maybe we'll talk. We learned a lot. We're learning a lot. So, it's great. And I love that I really didn't teach you. I was like the thing on this and the thing. Yeah. This is all I know is thing.

The thing?

Yeah. Exactly. You're welcome.

So, you produced this movie too in New Zealand. So, you were living in New Zealand for a little bit?

Yeah, I mean, I could not be more grateful to have been in New Zealand, full stop, just being in New Zealand, but being in a country where they virtually had no COVID in a time where COVID was very uh it was a culture shock because we could go into bars without masks on. Like no one was wearing masks because they didn't need to. Um, for our movie, we still had COVID protocol, but because we were just extra safe even though COVID literally did not exist in that city or in the country. Easy. Yeah, but, you know, it was just an incredible experience being in New Zealand and working with our New Zealand crew and most of our New Zealand cast. I mean, most of the movie is New Zealand cast. It's just me and Meena who are not from. Yeah. So, it was really, really special being able to work with them as an actor and being able to work with them as a producer. Yeah.

That's so cool that you did. When did you know that you were going to like the film was happening and you were going to be a producer on it?

So, I was a producer from the beginning. So, essentially, right, producers can work in different ways. Like I, you know, it's it's a role that can mean a lot of things and can cover a lot of uh job titles and responsibilities. I am um in the category, at least for this film and for Saving Zoe, where I am a control freak, so I do as much as I can, um, fulfill of that role. So, essentially, the script was sent to me, and I loved it and it was written by the lovely Holly Hester. And we kind of workshoped it a little bit before we sent it to Netflix. And then once we sent it to Netflix, and they wanted to do it, then, you know, we moved forward on, um, you know, working it even more, um, and we were going to film it in 2020 and then we couldn't obviously. So, uh, from there, you know, once we decided we were still working on it. Uh, originally, we were going to film in Europe and that just didn't seem like an idea that made sense, um, for us especially, my mom, sister and I are very freaked out with COVID. Yeah. So, we literally honestly filmed in New Zealand because of their incredibly low COVID rate, but it turned out to be the best creative decision. It was such a logistic decision, um, that was the best creative decision we made because not only are the people there so talented, the location is so stunning. Gorgeous. Gorgeous. I mean, and to be honest, like obviously, regular girl meets Prince in another country is a sub genre that I don't know about you, is one of my favorite for it. But I do kind of feel maybe I'm biased. I do kind of feel like we haven't seen a country like this before. I mean, a lot of the films are, which is what we were going to do, filmed in Europe, which I love Europe and I love I would love to film there, but you you kind of do feel like these countries look a little similar. It looks like you get the sense, yeah. But my favorite thing is people watch this film and they've asked me, and it's my favorite question of like, where is Lavania supposed to be? And I'm like, anywhere and everywhere.

Everywhere, everywhere, yeah. I love it. Well, it turned out beautiful. And you also wrote two songs for it. So, on top of producing and acting, now you you did more songs for it on top of the songs you already have out.

So many hats for this project. So many hats. Yeah, and both songs actually have a really really different, um, vibe. Vibe and way they fit in the film. So, dance with you, the entitled song that I did with Grey that samples Whitney Houston's I want to dance with somebody, which is so cool that I got to make happen. Um, also just like made my life as a songwriter very easy. Once I knew I could sample that song, I'm like, okay, I knew I could Yeah. I was like, oh, I can use one of the greatest songs written of all time. Okay, great. Sure. Sure. Cool. Oh, no big deal. At all. That song came very much of like, I wanted to write a song for the film. So, I was very inspired for by the film by that song. We have, you know, the dance moment in the film and the Uber and I really wanted to encompass the joy of that scene and the joy of the whole film. So, that's where this, you know, idea came from. I it's a take on I want to dance with somebody, but it's not I want to dance with somebody. It's I want to dance with someone specific. I want to dance with you. What do you mean? Actually, yeah. I want to dance with you. And so, when Grey jumped on the song, that just also took it to a completely different place, which was amazing and, you know, I released it on New Year's Eve and it has done the best of any song I've ever released ever, independent and at a label, incredible. So, I'm blown away by the response. I think it's really perfect where it is in the film. Um, I'm so, so grateful that it works and everyone was into it. And then worst kind of hurt which comes out the same day The Royal Treatment comes out on January 20th. Which I sing on with the incredible Raible, who I am obsessed with. That song was very different. That song I wrote for my project. Um, Raible wasn't a part of it at that point. I wrote like the um solo version and it was about my breakup and I wasn't thinking about the film at all.

And it wasn't until the director, you know, was talking to me about one of the scenes in the film and asking if there was a song I had for it because at that point we had score, which still was quite beautiful with it. Our composer John killed it. Um, but it, you know, we were like, could we have an actual song there? And what would that song be? And I had worst kind of hurt. I was like, what do you think? And, you know, the first verse lyrics were a little bit different because they were very specific to my ex and I. So, I rewrote the first verse and the director was like, I love it. I would love to have also a guy on it. So, we kind of get the male and female's perspective mirroring Izzy and Prince Thomas. And so, it all happened really, really fast because we were in like the last stages of editing for us. So, it was a little stressful for sure, um, to try to find the right, you know, partner. Somehow we got a freaking Raible who I am such a fan of and sounded amazing, loved the song, sounds amazing. I mean, he was about to go on tour. Like I think he recorded while he was on tour. Um, just absolutely incredible. And we put in the film and everybody loved it. And then we're excited. It's really great. So, I'm really excited for everyone to see it in the film, hear it in the film and then I'm super proud of myself. I'm just really proud of that song.

And you wrote it about your ex. So, do you feel like you're glad it made the movie, like it were you going to release it anyways?

I think I was. I wrote it for my project. Um, I certainly, you know, I don't know because I thought this movie was coming out not as soon as it is. I thought it was going out in two months. Um, so, I probably was going to release some song, um, that I've been working on about, you know, my breakup. But this song, I obviously got pushed to the top of the list because it was in the movie. Yeah. Um, but I always loved it. Like I was going to release this song about. I don't know if I would have released a duet version, um, right off the bat if at all, um, but I could not have imagined being on the song with Raible. I think if I knew it from the beginning when I wrote it that Raible would be on the song. I'd be like, oh, I would do a duet version. I would just have him have a solo. I'm like, oh. Yeah. So, I mean, having that opportunity was everything. It was incredible. So, um, you know, it is it it is strange having such a personal song in a Netflix movie, yeah. Yeah, like being in a film that I, um, I, you know, as an actress, I do really separate from my personal life. So, that's been a bit. A bit sliding. Yeah. Yeah, that's been a bit strange for sure. Um, but I'm really proud of the song and, you know, the whole point of the song is when I was going through my breakup, I felt like every breakup song I listened to was very much like, ah, I hate you or I you. Um, which I totally get that's super valid. I understand that. But that was very not my experience. Um, and so, a lot of the music and especially worst kind of hurt was about how you can still love someone and feel so connected to someone and, um, not be right for them anymore. And it's very painful that feeling. And that's essentially what worst kind of hurt is based off of. And in a weird way, it works really perfectly for the film. Um, or at least, you know, the characters think that feeling, um, potentially. You'll have to see the film. You already have. So, you know. Um, so, yeah. So, I I mean, it works really perfectly, but it is a quite a personal song. So, it's strange for me for sure.

And then aside from so, say like your personal life, I guess, your personal life, you get thrown in you are royalty. Say, in like a different lifetime, you're a princess, whatever. What do you think is like one thing you would make sure you had in your life? Whether it was like someone to put like valet permanently, like is there one thing that you wish that you had like in your life that you would essentially get in a royal life if you were royalty?

Oh my goodness, gracious. Oh my god. Um, I I think, okay, so, I think I have two answers. One is a bit more like serious and one is a bit more uh very uh what's it called, like uh out of touch. Um, that I think is exactly what you're trying to say of like what out of touch thing would you do. Um, but I think I'd I'd very much want to consistently surround myself with people who are smarter than me and people that I think would help me make decisions as a royal based on what my royal job is. Some royals are active in their politics. Some aren't. So, I think that would be very important to me to just have like the most educated people and to consistently educate myself on on everything. But I think the out of touch aspect that I 100% would have is just like puppies always have to be with me. I always have to be surrounded by dogs. Um, that is just a requirement of like, if I'm coming to have tea with you, I will bring dogs and they will be with me forever. And we will I will cuddle them. Um, so, I think that is that is for sure on top of my royal list.

Requirements of puppy Wrangler. You know, you need someone always with a puppy.

I really need um uh a puppy a a a just a puppy just just a puppy person, um, WP. uh that's that would be the job title for sure. That that will know that. I you can't argue with that. Like you can't be mad at that answer. Like you can't. You can't judge you for that. I also think puppies just bring joy. Um, for not everyone, but for most people. But they yeah. You know, they do. That's their job. That's their job. And I think I would want to try to inspire joy any time I went. And how do I do that? Bring puppies. Bring puppies. Yeah.

And is there one thing, last question, one thing you're looking forward to in 2022 besides like the movie coming out, but in general, like project, personal?

To be honest with you, I feel like this month has everything I have planned for 2022. So, what do I have after this? I think for me, especially when it comes to music, I really am uh working on some of the most personal and I think some of my favorite songs ever. So, um, I'm both very excited and very scared to put out this music. Um, but that is something I'm looking forward to. Um, I am going to be playing some shows. So, I haven't I've in 2020, I think I kind of actually did perform the most I have in a long time. I just in my house. Um, on my keyboard. So, actually performing for an audience. I I I can't remember the last time I did that. So, I'm very excited for that. I think that will be really special.

Well, that's awesome. And it's good to be scared because life's not fun if you're not scared. So.

Life's not fun if you're not I honestly, I think that's something that um has been a really important lesson for me in recent years. And you know, especially this year. It's like going out of your comfort zone. Uh something as like silly as doing an accent for The Royal Treatment. I was very scared to do that. So out of my comfort zone, but I think really pushed me to have more fun and also, um, you know, hopefully be a better actor. I don't know, whatever. But especially with music, I think, you know, working through that fear is uh important is imperative.

It totally is. Well, you're so nice. You're so, so great.

Oh, thank you. You're so nice. Thank you so much. I'm glad you're not in jail. I still cannot believe that happened. That was like shocking. Um that's. Um and it was scary as well. So, it was all of the feelings.

Right. It'd be scary, right?

Exactly, right? Well, pushed through the fear.

Well, Fran, thank you so much. I really appreciate you and your time.

Thank you. Have such a great day.