Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Interview: Skylar Astin and Amanda Leighton

Trolls: The Beat Goes On! picks up where the popular 2016 film Trolls ended with Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect 1 & 2) taking over the role of 'Branch' and Amanda Leighton (“This is Us,”) as 'Poppy’ on Netflix.

Kidzworld sat down to chat with new show leads Skylar Astin and Amanda Leighton to find out more about where Branch and Poppy are in Troll Village and their new adventures. Peace is being kept between the Bergens and the Trolls as Queen Poppy reigns by uniting both communities while Branch and friends support all her friendship initiatives. The cast shared how the fun is expanding with the characters through different experiences and new songs!

Kidzworld: Where are Poppy and Branch in regards to where we left off with them in the Troll’s movie and how does that tie into this new show?

• Amanda Leighton: This starts off right after the film. Poppy is Queen and she’s getting used to her new role. It’s a lot of really fun adventures with the Snack Pack Crew.
• Skylar Astin: Yeah we just get to delve in a little bit deeper because there are so many new stories to tell and since we don’t want to be redundant we’re not going to keep telling stories where Poppy is being encouraging and Branch is being discouraging. We get to actually have a little bit of role reversal sometimes, where Branch will be a little more optimistic and driving the story more and have his own reasons to go on his own journey and have to coax Poppy and vice-versa. They’re kind of always best buds who are always at each other’s necks a little bit.

Kidzworld: And in musical form! What can you share about this season’s music, which was a major part of the film and can you tell us some of your favorite songs?

• Skylar Astin: There’s is one song called: Would you forgive me from an episode called Creek Week. It is a delicious song, it’s a ballad, it’s a song that Branch gets to sing and I think that it just like the rest of the music for the series is really pop-centric. So, just like the movie, you’ll definitely come away from those episodes humming or full out singing some of these songs.
• Amanda Leighton: There’s an episode that’s one of my favorite episodes, which is called Compliment Battle, and it’s Poppy rapping. So that was fun. It’s the first time I’ve ever rapped which made it even more fun. And it will not be the last time that I rap. Maybe--I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes! (Laughs)

Kidzworld: What are you excited to see kids take away from the show as far as it’s themes about friendship and morals in the stories?

• Skylar Astin: I think that something that they’ll be able to draw from this show is while they’re laughing they may receive a subtle message that is something that they can use in their lives. Something that helps them grow and shape them with some really great morals and ethics and done with glitter and glitter farts and colors and felt. But I think they lob these lessons in very cleverly and it’s fun to be a part of that story.
• Amanda Leighton: I feel like you can take away something from each episode and it’s not like a message that’s like “Here’s a message”, it’s very much just presented in a very fun and loving show. It’s all about being kind to one another and being there for your friends and people that you care about. It’s really sweet, kids are gonna love it.
• Skylar Astin: It’s so nice to know that this is a show that parents could confidently leave their kids alone to watch yet they can also enjoy with them?

Kidzworld: What would you say surprised you about the humor in the show, even from just seeing it from an adult perspective?

• Amanda Leighton: It’s hilarious!
• Skylar Astin: There are some references that people who are under the age of twenty actually probably don’t understand. There’s a Braveheart reference and other film references that they’ll laugh at anyways because it’s silly.

Kidzworld: And then they’ll recognize it when they’re a little older when they see where the references come from.

• Skylar Astin: Of course! We’re really inceptioning them.

Kidzworld: Are there any traits that you feel that you share with your characters or do you feel much different than them in the real life?

• Amanda Leighton: It’s funny everyone tells me that I’m so much like Poppy. I do think that we have some traits in common. She’s very optimistic and positive but she also has a stubborn side to where if there is a problem or if a friend is going through something, she’s determined to find a solution and make it work. I’m very much like that too, if there’s an obstacle, I’ve very determined to try to get through it. That and Poppy also has some really fun yet awkward moments and those lines are always so much fun for me because who doesn’t love a little awkward beat.
• Skylar Astin:I think I share some sensibilities with Branch who has a great heart and is very loyal and very giving and I like to think that I was raised that way too.

Trolls: The Beat Goes On! Drops on Netflix the 19^th of January.

 

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