Vanessa Lengies Talks LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures

By: Lynn Barker

You might have seen Canadian actress Vanessa Lengies on the “Glee” TV series or as a gymnast in the movie Stick It. Starting Monday, June 20^th you can hear her voice as Kordi Freemaker in the new Disney XD series “LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures”.

Set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the series stars the Freemakers, a family of sibling scavengers who operate a salvage and repair shop in space and scour the galaxy for useful debris to build new vehicles of their own design. Kordi is the quick-witted and fast-thinking older sis of 12-year-old Rowan Freemaker and ace pilot the roguish Zander.

Packed with the usual LEGO humor, the show pits the Freemakers against the evil Empire when both want the Kyber Saber, the first light saber, more powerful than all the others. Kordi is very protective of her little brother and basically runs the family business. Check out what Vanessa has to say in this EXCLUSIVE interview about the show and her fun little LEGO character.

Kidzworld: This new show looks so cute. I love your character Kordi’s little plastic hairdo!

• Vanessa: Oh my gosh, thank you so much, yeah. I got to see the first three episodes the other day and I was super happy with it.

Kidzworld: I think you did some voices for animation before but a long time ago? How is this show different?

• Vanessa: That’s how I got started, recording voices. I think I did the first one when I was six. Up in Canada I did voices on “Arthur” and I did “The Little Lulu Show” and some Easter specials and the list goes on. Then I got in front of the camera and loved it so much I didn’t really look back till maybe two years ago.
• I said to my friends “I really want to be a cartoon character”. Then, as magic had it, this just fell in my lap. It’s going to sleep and having a dream come true. Not only did I get to be a cartoon character’s voice, I also now have this LEGO character and it’s a part of “Star Wars” so it’s beyond my wildest dreams. I’m doing a SnapChat thing of her (the little LEGO figure) answering questions on this press day (we are asked to give Kordi a question and we do).

Kidzworld: Which of these do you like most about voice recording a character? Getting to express yourself as an actor just through your voice, getting to see the final result with your voice coming out of the Kordi LEGO figure or wearing anything you want and not having to wear make-up to record?

• Vanessa: Is there another option for all three? My favorite would probably be getting to see the final product and we did that the other day and it was a heartwarming experience, getting to see everyone’s hard work and the love and creativity that every single person involved in this show poured into it. Then second favorite, getting to wear my pajamas to work.

Kidzworld: What do you think you have in common with the Kordi character and what about you is very different from her?

• Vanessa: I think she has a temper and I don’t really have a temper. If I get upset I usually get very quiet and have to process things in my mind. She’s always talking about what she doesn’t like and she’s very quick to let everyone know what to change in order for her to feel better so. I love that about her and that’s a difference between us.
• But I am a tomboy and I guess my family would tell you that I am a little controlling. We have some similarities there as well and of course, like Kordi, I love my family first and foremost in my life.

Kidzworld:  Do you have a younger brother or a family member that you are very protective of like Kordi?

• Vanessa: Yes, my two cousins are in town visiting me and they’re adults now but I still treat them as my little siblings. I’m watching them as adults and I tense up when they talk about their friends at school who are mean to them or whatever and I definitely feel protective and see the big sister side of me come out. I’m actually an only child so I look for siblings everywhere. You’ll have a best friend and in your mind, you are actually sisters.

Kidzworld: Any chance Kordi will burst out in song?  You had to sing kind of badly on “Glee” playing Sugar but we know you can sing.

• Vanessa: I’m going to say Lynn from Kidzworld requested it!  If the fans wanted it. I haven’t heard about it yet but I’m definitely game.

Kidzworld: Do you ever get to record Kordi’s voice with any of the other cast members or all separately?

• Vanessa:  A great part of the show is acting with Eugene and Nicholas (who play Kordi’s brothers) and having this familial relationship between actors. I really feel close to them and feel like their big sis.  I was filming a Fox show up in Vancouver this year so I was remote for half the season but most of the time we record together. That’s not common in animation so I feel very lucky.

Kidzworld: What is a typical day like for you when you aren’t working?

• Vanessa: I love adventure and traveling and theme parks. There’s this thing in L.A. called Daybreaker and they are morning dance parties between 6:30 A.M. and 8:30 A.M.  It’s coffee, tea and dance. I do those and I live in Venice, California so I get out to the beach a lot and try to get the most out of every day. I’m a pretty outside kind of person.

Kidzworld: Where are mom and pop Freemaker? Are we told why they aren’t around?

• Vanessa: Good question. There’s no mention but it’s implied that the kids are orphans and they don’t talk about it. Kordi has taken on the mom role.

Kidzworld: Why will this new series appeal to tweens, teens and the whole family?

• Vanessa: It’s fun, smart, adventurous and not just for kids so parents will love it too. There’s a lot of intricate jokes and insider information. I think everyone will really love it. It’s a fun, adventurous show.

Note: During the series’ premiere week, Disney XD will debut a new episode each day, beginning Monday, June 20^th, through Thursday, June 23^rd. The first episode will also be available via Video on Demand (VOD) and the Disney XD app on Monday, June 20^th.

"LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures” Full Trailer

 

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