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Kelli Berglund on 'How to Build a Better Boy' & Her Celeb Crush

Kelli Berglund on 'How to Build a Better Boy' & Her Celeb Crush

9:06·By Gemma G
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Disney darling and "Lab Rats" star Kelli Berglund makes her way to the YH Studio to give us the scoop on her Disney Channel original movie 'How to Build a Better Boy' and chat about everything from her personal style to her biggest celeb crush! She also shares her opinions on selfies, plus she reveals what music she is digging the most these days! "How to Build a Better Boy" premieres Friday, August 15 (8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel.

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Young Hollywood

Hey guys, it's Tracy in the Young Hollywood Studio and I am with Caley Bergland, who's finally made it to our studio.

Kelli Berglund

I know, finally, right?

Young Hollywood

We've done so much with you in the field. I mean, we just did a set visit.

Kelli Berglund

Yes, that was fun.

Young Hollywood

The little set tour we had going on. You were a pretty amazing tour guide. I'm not going to lie. Your character has just lived the life that like everybody would want to have. Like, you have superpowers.

Kelli Berglund

Thank you. I mean.

Young Hollywood

I mean, who wouldn't want to have superpowers, right?

Kelli Berglund

Exactly.

Young Hollywood

You have this like crazy speed that you can go at lightning speed, like.

Kelli Berglund

Yeah, it's awesome.

Young Hollywood

Is there any powers that you would want to like steal from other characters?

Kelli Berglund

I really like my power. Like, I like having super speed because I could really use that. And if I could just snap my fingers and be ready in like five seconds. That would be great. Uh, I think it'd be really cool to have super intelligence. I mean, for obvious reasons, like, knowing everything, like, holding any conversation, taking any test, like, understanding any book, like, I just think that'd be like super awesome and just the amount of knowledge you could absorb. That's that's like probably my second favorite.

Young Hollywood

So, first of all, your hair. I mean, we have to talk about how gorgeous this you're blonde. Oh, it's cute. This is a new thing.

Kelli Berglund

Yes, I am. It's quite new. This was like not even three weeks ago, I don't think. And you know, my hair was like a dark brown before, and it started to fade, so it was getting It was like in this like lightish brown kind of color. And then I was like, I'm going to go a little bit blonder. So, I got blonde highlights, and I had them for maybe like four or five days. And I was like, you know what? This isn't like enough of a change for me. And I'm a person that really likes change. So, I'm like, let me just do something drastic. So, I I went to this really great hair stylist and I was like, make me blonde.

Young Hollywood

You're like, We need to keep going.

Kelli Berglund

So, they made me blonde. Although, you made me more. I was born a natural blonde. Really? So, deep down on the inside, my soul is blonde. When I was born, it was like bleach blonde. And then it like started to become brown and then I dyed it brown. So, technically, I really am a blonde at heart. I just went back to my roots.

Young Hollywood

And fashion, just I have to I mean, your outfit. I have to talk about your fashion. Cuz you're like I mean, shoes, I heard you're obsessed with, right?

Kelli Berglund

Oh my gosh, I love my shoes. I like dressing up. Yeah. And I love my shoes. I have a lot of shoes.

Young Hollywood

How many shoes do you have?

Kelli Berglund

I'm like, If I had to guess, I'd probably say somewhere between like 60 and 70 pairs. And that might even be lower than the actual number. So, I'm just going to I'm just going to guess.

Young Hollywood

Stop. Is there anything you're loving right now?

Kelli Berglund

I kind of just like go with whatever I'm feeling, really. I know there's like a bunch of fads and things like that. Like, I'm the kind of person that really likes to wear dark colors. Like, I like wearing black, and I like wearing like maroon and like army green and things like that, except they only really work in like fall and winter, even though like I really want to wear them in the summer, but everyone's going to be like, why are you wearing like combat boots and like a sweater?

Young Hollywood

I was going to say, Cuz I like it.

Kelli Berglund

So, I don't know. I think there's some things that can work year round. Like, leather, I think, if played right. Like, I just wore leather to a premiere, but it was still it had like a summery vibe to it because it wasn't like too harsh or anything. It was like a like a crop top, and it was paired with like some cute heels. So, it still like had a summery kind of feel to it.

Young Hollywood

You have a Disney Channel movie a original movie that's coming out called How to Build a Better Boy. I feel like every girl would be like, if I could just build my perfect boyfriend, life would be

Kelli Berglund

Don't even get me started.

Young Hollywood

You know, I know it's about like your this tech savvy, you and your friend, and you guys are just building this virtual boyfriend who suddenly comes to life.

Kelli Berglund

Oh. Yeah, it's it's a little bit magical. Although, it is logical too. It happens because my dad, who we think works for video game companies and is developing this new like video game thing. Uh, he actually works for the Pentagon. So, he's been secretly developing this new weapon where basically this supercomputer is programmed to create a super soldier with certain capabilities and, you know, strength and intelligence and things like that. So, when we hack into his computer network, we don't know that we're hacking into the Pentagon and building this nuclear soldier boy thing that uh that comes to life and he's my new boyfriend. And of course, I've said, you know, make him dreamy and beautiful and smart and strong and athletic. And so, he is the perfect boy. And, you know, my character kind of lives this little perfect life for a little bit.

Young Hollywood

Nuclear soldier boy. That's true. So, I'm sure, you know, I'm sure everyone's asked how you would build your perfect perfect boyfriend, but I'm going to have you choose actually some qualities.

Kelli Berglund

Oh. Okay.

Young Hollywood

So, if you could pick either pretty eyes or perfect hair?

Kelli Berglund

Oh, alright. Pretty eyes.

Young Hollywood

Cute smile or a six pack?

Kelli Berglund

A cute smile. Okay, six pack's great. Okay, but Come on now. Cute smile. Again, that's another thing I've noticed. It doesn't have to be like a perfect smile, like perfect teeth. If someone has a cute little like quirk about them, like in their smile, like if like one side goes up higher than the other, like, I think that's adorable. So, smile. That's what I'm saying.

Young Hollywood

Okay, next note. Uh, funny and goofy or studious and intelligent?

Kelli Berglund

There's a fine line there. Personally, I like it when guys are really funny and goofy and like, they don't take themselves too seriously. Like, they can joke around and laugh at themselves because when you're too like, this is who I am, and I will not change that, and like, nothing will faze me, it's just kind of like, like lighten up a little bit. Like, I don't know. I like I think funny and goofy.

Young Hollywood

Funny and goofy. Okay, this is an interesting one. Blonde or brunette?

Kelli Berglund

This is hard.

Young Hollywood

I know. This is a tough one for you, right?

Kelli Berglund

This is a little bit of a contradiction because I'm blonde, but I've always But on a guy. I don't know. I've always like had a preference towards brunettes, but I have seen some really cute blonde guys. Yeah. But you it depends on the person. It depends on the hairstyle. It depends on It depends on a lot of things. You could have bright green eyes and brown hair, but if you have not a great personality, then the brown hair doesn't matter. So, I don't know. I think if I if I had to pick, I'd say brunette.

Young Hollywood

Yeah, I love the bright green eyes. That's true. Okay, we'll go with that. And then lastly, I think this one's kind of funny, but into taking shirtless selfies or not into taking shirtless selfies. I feel like if you go on Instagram and look at all these like, so many guys these days are taking selfies that are just like shirtless selfies and it's like are you like into that?

Kelli Berglund

You know, I'm not going to be like, No shirtless selfies. Those are awful. Like cuz I mean, if it's like a It could be nice. I mean, yeah, like if you're proud and like you go to the gym every day, like that's cool. But like, I don't know. I mean, sometimes I guess it's like taken a little too far. Even it's like a shirtless picture like at the beach or something, like I think that's fine. Or like just worked out. Like sometimes that can be okay. It's it's at least something for. But if it's like but if it's like an everyday like, let me take another shirtless selfie. Oh, here's another one. Here's one in like a different mirror. Like, okay, like stop. I don't know. It's like another like in between like there's a line. So, I don't know. I guess like it's okay.

Young Hollywood

Okay. And then also like I too fangirl over a lot of people, which is kind of cool because you wouldn't picture like, you know, certain celebrities you would think like, you know. What? You could meet anybody and not. I don't know, just hanging about. Who is the person you fangirl over the most?

Kelli Berglund

Oh, um, the first person that comes to mind is Harry Styles. Just cuz like, there's obviously.

Young Hollywood

Obviously, because he's so cute. And he does have a really cute smile. And he dresses really well.

Kelli Berglund

I've never met him personally, but hopefully he gets to.

Young Hollywood

If you met him, what would be the first thing you would say? Um, Could you even talk?

Kelli Berglund

First, I would try to gather my thoughts. It would be like, Kelly, what's your name again? And I would introduce myself. I would play it super cool, though.

Young Hollywood

Would you? You wouldn't be like one of those girls who just like

Kelli Berglund

But not to the point where like, who are who are you again? What's your band? I've never heard them before. Like, no, I'd be like, yeah, like I'm in like you have great music. I'm into your music. I think you're really talented.

Kelli Berglund

I'm Kelly. Like, let's date. So, that's a message for Harry right there.

Young Hollywood

We're we're going to make sure he sees that. Okay. Yeah, if I actually had the guts to say that. And then like music, are you loving anything these days?

Kelli Berglund

Um, I really like Ariana Grande's music. I think she's so talented, and I would kill to have her voice. Every song that she puts out, I like I love it and I download it immediately. And just blast it in my car. There's a band There's I think they're three sisters. They're called Haim.

Young Hollywood

Yes. So good. I first saw them at Coachella. And then lastly, I saw you just graduated high school. Yeah. Which is awesome because I heard that your parents like gave you a corsage. Oh my gosh. Yeah. That's so cute.

Kelli Berglund

Okay, so, I was like, okay, technically, I'm still a student at my high school. At my public high school in Morepark, even though I do all of my work independently on set. Like there's a few things that you have to do being sort of part of a high school, like I have to go to prom and I have to walk with my class at graduation. So, I made prom happen. And I was okay with not having a date. Even though, you know, a lot of my other friends had dates, there was like a group of five of us who didn't. So, we just went as friends. That's that's fun though. Even though I did, I kept telling my parents, I'm like, you know, I just really wish like, I've never had that like corsage experience with a cute little pictures. And like, I just that's the only part that I wish I could have had, you know, with a date. We showed up to prom pictures at this big park and then my parents showed up later, and I see them like walking up with this little plastic box. I like, Mom, what is that? That's so cute. She's like, we got you a corsage because we know that you didn't get that experience. So, this is from us. And it was so cute. It's like this big like rose of all these leaves and it was like super dramatic, but I love that. Go big or go home. Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.

Timestamps are approximate — click one to jump the player.

PEOPLE MENTIONED

FAQ

What is Kelli Berglund's Disney Channel movie called?+
Kelli Berglund's Disney Channel original movie is titled 'How to Build a Better Boy'.
When does 'How to Build a Better Boy' premiere?+
'How to Build a Better Boy' premieres on Friday, August 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel.
Who is Kelli Berglund's celebrity crush?+
Kelli Berglund's celebrity crush is Harry Styles, whom she hopes to meet someday.
What kind of music does Kelli Berglund like?+
Kelli Berglund is a fan of Ariana Grande's music and also enjoys the band Haim.
What superpower would Kelli Berglund want?+
Kelli Berglund likes her super speed power but would also love to have super intelligence.
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