Sofia Carson Talks Disney's 'Descendants'

Sofia Carson Talks Disney's 'Descendants'
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SUMMARY
Sofia Carson visits the Young Hollywood studio to discuss the massive success of Disney's 'Descendants,' which was her first film and changed her life. She also talks about filming her first music video for "Rotten to the Core" in a unique 3D green cylinder in London. Carson shares insights into her personality, childhood, and plays a game of "Young Hollywood Finish My Sentence."
About this video
Sofia Carson stops by the YH studio to discuss Disney's 'Descendants' and the music video for "Rotten to the Core"! She gives us her signature selfie face and teaches us a dance lesson!
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So happy to have this stunning Sofia Carson here. You look beautiful.
Thank you so much. As do you. I'm obsessed with your outfit and your shoes.
You wanna trade? Can we please? Yes. I want those pants.
Oh, they're all yours. All yours.
Do I get your body with it? Oh come on. No seriously. Let's just gush about each other. You're so pretty. Um, happy to have you here.
Thank you so much. Happy to be here.
Let's first of all talk about Descendants and the unbelievable success. Yes. Number five most viewed film in cable history. Did I get that right?
Yes. In cable history.
Okay. So I got that stat right. The soundtrack debuted is number one. Billboard.
Yes.
The prequel 15 million weeks. Did I get that right?
Yes, you got that right.
Anything else you wanna add? That's impressive.
Um, what else? Oh, and on the premiere date 12 million people saw it. And I think overall it's like 18 million views or something crazy like that.
Wow. So for you, going from filming it to to the reaction. How has that been? Take me through that.
It's been such a whirlwind. It's been such a roller coaster. You know, it was my first movie. So.
Are you kidding me? Oh, I didn't know that.
No. So this has completely changed my life.
What?
Yes. This is like my own fairy tale. So, I feel like kind of what what happens in Descendants is kinda what's happening to me and like I was not just it's been a whirlwind of a year. Um so last year I was just a college student dreaming and you know, working for this always auditioning and stuff and Descendants changed my life completely so it's been a whirlwind.
Wow. So let's talk about the video. Rotten to the Core. Yes. I just saw it. I saw 12 of you. I saw 12 of you. Which you're beautiful. So there should be 12 of you. Oh my gosh. Um, so tell me what this was like the first time someone did a green screen in like a cylinder or something like that. Okay. Yeah.
Yes. This is my first music video. And it also happens to be
I know.
It's my first movie, first music video, first time at Young Hollywood. Exactly. It's so so cool to be here. I'm kinda starstruck. Um, so we shot this music video in London. And the the director's name is Naren Wilkes. He's an incredible British um, director. And he invented this technique where he created like a 3D green cylinder. And I was kinda trapped inside the cylinder surrounded by
How big was the cylinder? Are you claustrophobic?
It was about a little smaller than this room.
Okay. So it wasn't like crazy.
No, it wasn't like crazy. But it was there and they would seal it. So I couldn't go in and out. And they would communicate with me through small holes in the cylinder where there were nine cameras all around it and three cameras from above.
I love that you just did like a whole like That was a dance move in itself. Like That was amazing. Wow. Wow. So what was your reaction when you saw it the first time?
It was so cool. I was like this is way too cool. And I just danced my heart out for like 48 hours and I can't believe how it turned out. It's so cool.
And there's this hashtag where is Evie. Where is Evie? Has been trending. So tell me about that.
So basically hashtag where is Evie is they're showing the promo right after the coronation where I'm kinda lost. And it's to promote the videos like where did Evie go? And the idea is that Evie is trapped inside her magic mirror.
Wow. Are there three Do you have three personalities?
I feel like I have about five or six. I think we all do, don't we?
Yeah. I definitely have two.
Do you? And what are they?
Well, one is like I'm like kind of a hermit and kinda shy in school. And I never had too many friends in school. Like they would always say like like you sing and act? What cuz I was like the long We had I had school had plaid skirts but mine was like below my knee. I was like not a cool girl ever.
Really?
Always with my glasses on and reading a book. So there's definitely like the nerd of me and then there's I guess the the actress and the singer and the performer. What was it like going to school having like a uniform? Do you think it's better because then girls are like
I think it's much better. It's much easier. You don't have to think about it. And it was like an all-girls school. So we didn't care what we looked like. We all were like messes with like dirty hair.
That sounds amazing.
It was great. It was amazing. I adored high school. I wish they would have like an all-girls something like now that you can just go.
It's actually you know what it is? Like a nail salon. You go to get your nails done.
That's true.
Have you ever noticed that? Doesn't matter what you look like. Girls go in their sweats.
Yes. In their sweats. That's so true.
And then a guy walks in occasionally to get a manicure and then everybody's like this. It's like you're not allowed in here. Get out of here. I don't look good. I don't need I don't need to be sized up right now.
Exactly.
Um, if I could give you a magic wand and you could work with anyone who would it be?
Oh, director I would say Baz Luhrmann. Um, cuz when I was little I fell in love with Moulin Rouge.
Oh my gosh. Ewan McGregor. He was so hot. I would die.
Ewan McGregor. Yes. I know that whole soundtrack. I would die.
I interviewed him. He sat there.
He sat here?
Yeah. Um, okay. I'm like never gonna leave here.
I was gonna say I was starstruck. I'm not kidding. Oh my gosh. Yes. He was one of them. Yeah. Well, I would love to work with him.
Do you know it's so funny when I'm talking to you. Certain people who can sing and really sing. They have this normal speaking voice and you can't tell but you, you tell a story and it's like I'm like, oh my gosh. Oh, thank you. You could like read children's stories to people to children and like lull them to sleep. You have an incredible speaking voice.
Really? You know I was made fun of in high school for my speaking voice.
No.
Yeah. Cause I always loved reading out loud in English class. I always Oh, I have the I have the I always asked who wants to read? And I was like and then I would read and you would always say that I had a weird voice. I was like, oh man. But thank you for that. I appreciate it.
Not at all. Um, because this video is kinda like a dream like a dream life. Yeah. It is totally a dream sequence. Best dream you've ever had or worst dream you've ever had?
You know, it's gonna sound really weird but I usually have the same dream over and over again since I was a little girl. And it's always me on a big stage on the same stage but in different parts of the world. And one time I was in the pyramids of Egypt. And I was like that is way too cool. Is that crazy?
It's a great idea. I think you should do it. It's a great idea. I see it coming on. I definitely see it coming on. What was your favorite fairy tale sort of growing up?
Um, it was always Beauty and the Beast. Cause Belle was a brunette and I always thought I looked like her. And we were actually just going through photos today of like six years worth of Halloween costumes where I was just Belle.
Oh, you were? Every year?
I was so not creative. Every year it was Belle. And one year for my birthday my mom brought the Beast. And I like danced with him and I I really thought I was Belle for the I thought I was in the fairy tale.
Have you thrown that on your Instagram anything for Halloween?
No, but I think I will soon. I need to. I need to.
So I have a little game for you. Okay. It's called Young Hollywood finish my sentence. Okay. So I'm gonna start something out and and you'll just fill in the blanks. Okay. Are you ready?
Ready.
My personal style is
uh, rock and roll meets like classical.
The biggest adrenaline surge for me is
uh, performing live on stage.
Yeah, I can imagine. I love
I love my family.
Oh, I love that. Um, my signature selfie face is
My dad always makes fun of it. But I'm always like And apparently this is the eyebrow. Can you do it?
I know. Let's see if I have like a phone here like this. You gotta have the like fake phone in your hands. I love it. I love it.
It's so bad.
Something from the past I wish I could've witnessed is
I would've loved to have seen Michael Jackson live.
Yeah. Thanks. Maybe we'll do a moonwalk after. Um, I have plans to
I have plans to do what I love for the rest of my life.
I love that. I binge watch
Friends. With my sister every night.
Yeah. I love Ross. Ross is hilarious. I really like Ross and Joey. Joey's like my spirit animal. I love that. Okay. Um, my vice is
My vice, I'm stubborn.
Really? Okay. My favorite emoji is
My favorite emoji is the kissy winky face. I probably did it bad with that one.
No, that was really cute. That was it. Yay!
That was great. So um, before we started rolling, you promised me because on your Instagram you just put up the most kick ass Thank you. video and you are you're working with a choreographer.
Yes. Yes.
And how do you describe I don't even know how to describe the style dance? It's like hip-hop kinda like
It's hip-hop but it's also kinda like it's hip-hop but it's girly hip-hop. Did you know what I mean? Cuz it's like a mix of like the cool hip-hop but also kinda like pop star.
There's no way I'm gonna learn the entire thing. But I wanna learn something. Okay. So if I'm going to the club or I just wanna like impress somebody. In the club just break out. I can just do my same move. I'll be like a meme. I'll just do like the same thing over and over. I love it. Okay. Let's do it. Okay. Ready? So you have your feet separately and you're Okay. Head down. And then you go like this. Okay. Say what? So there you go. So this one goes behind your left. Right behind left. And your hand's like this. Right. Okay. And then you go back to here. Okay. And with your hands like this. You go like this. And then afterwards you like do like a Why do I look like I'm doing jazzercise? Flick. Flick. And then And then Oh my gosh. There's no way I'm gonna remember all this. Okay. Um, so flick and then there's like a Okay. Let's just do it again in slow motion. Okay. So you're there. And then boom. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. Flick. I can't even believe I forgot I have a mic on. Oh, thank you so much for coming in.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
Congratulations. Can't wait for Descendants 2.
I appreciate it. And hopefully
Fingers crossed. Yes. Hopefully. You're awesome.
Thanks.
Awesome, awesome.
Thank you.
Timestamps are approximate — click one to jump the player.
PEOPLE MENTIONED
- Sofia Carson
Interview subject, discussing her work on Descendants
- Naren Wilkes
Director of the 'Rotten to the Core' music video
- Baz Luhrmann
Director Sofia Carson would like to work with
- Ewan McGregor
Actor in Moulin Rouge, mentioned by Sofia Carson
- Michael Jackson
Artist Sofia Carson wished she could have seen live
- Belle
Sofia Carson's favorite fairy tale character growing up
- Ross
Character from Friends mentioned by Sofia Carson
- Joey
Character from Friends mentioned by Sofia Carson
FAQ
What is 'Descendants' known for?+
What was Sofia Carson's first movie?+
How was the music video for "Rotten to the Core" filmed?+
Who is Sofia Carson's favorite fairy tale character?+
What director would Sofia Carson like to work with?+
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