Netflix’s Work It is studded with high-energy dance routines, solid friendships and budding romances—executed by an all-star cast, the film does not fail to live up to its name. The new rom-com follows straight-A student Quinn Ackerman (Sabrina Carpenter) as she unexpectedly finds herself forming a dance team to get into her dream college. To be successful, she must hone in on her skills with the help of her best friend, Jasmine (Liza Koshy), and choreographer-turned-love-interest Jake Taylor (Jordan Fisher). Quinn enlists several “diamonds in the ruff” to join her troupe, diverse dancers often overshadowed by the opposing team, the Thunderbirds. Below, select cast members share their favorite moments from filming and affirm why you should binge-watch ASAP. 

How did you first hear about the film? What about the plot resonated with you?

Bianca Asilo (“Raven”): Two weeks before Work It came to town, Zombies 2 was auditioning in Toronto, and all the agents were scouting dancers. Luckily, I got picked up and auditioned, but I didn't get a role. It's okay, though, because Work It came up the following week. When I was auditioning, there wasn't anything about the movie online yet, so I didn't know the plot until after I was cast. All I knew was that Alicia Keys was producing, it was a dance movie, and I was trying out for a goth girl. But when I read the script, it felt like my own high-school experience, starting without knowing too much yet being unashamedly ambitious and falling fast for a new hobby—although Quinn is definitely more organized than I was at that age. I originally auditioned as a dancer but was called back a few times to read lines. I actually read for Trinity at one point, which Bri did so much better than me. A few callbacks later, and boom. Raven was born.

Indiana Mehta (“Priya”): My agent sent me the audition details back in February 2019. At the time, we had to submit a dance video, and I auditioned to be in one of the ensemble dance teams. I wasn't really aware of the plot until I got invited to read for a role, which was after I was cleared in the in-person dance round. The fact that it was a high-school dance movie resonated with me. When I auditioned, there was no Indian character in the film until the last round, when Priya was introduced. Priya represents South Asian dance forms in their entirety.

Nathaniel Scarlette (“Tapes”): My agent told me about it. She asked if I would be interested in auditioning, and I was excited. It was the perfect movie for me to showcase my dance talent. What resonated with me regarding the plot was that Quinn is not a dancer, but she works hard with her team [to be successful]. Teamwork makes the dream work, and anything is possible.

Briana Gomes (“Trinity”): I first heard about the film through my agent. We had to send in a dance demo reel to be considered for the audition. I was super excited to hear that it would be filming in Toronto! What resonated most with me is how [Quinn’s dance troupe,] the TBDs, lets loose and tries something new. They [are successful] by staying true to themselves and having fun.

Kalliane Brémault (“Brit”): An acquaintance who used to work at the agency I booked the job through connected me to the opportunity. I definitely had nerves going into the audition but felt something telling me to go for it. I’m so glad I did, as I was able to gain an unforgettable experience.

What was your dance experience like prior?

Asilo: I started dancing when I was 15. My friend showed me Just Dance, and after beating Just Dance 1, 2 and 3 in a month, I really thought I could be a professional dancer. I signed up for lessons, starting with contemporary classes. After two years, I was good enough to compete in my graduating year. It wasn't until after high school, however, that I started exploring urban styles and hip-hop. In 2018, I joined a competitive hip-hop team in downtown Toronto, which led me to audition and dance for the Raptors 905. That was my first taste at anything professional and a huge learning experience about the working world of dance. A month after my first season with the 905, I booked Work It.

Mehta: I started my dance journey by training in Bharatnatyam, a form of Indian classical dance. I also have experience in Indian folk dances like Garba and Bhangra. When I realized that I wanted to pursue dance as a full-time profession, I started training in ballet and auditioned for a musical theater school in London. In 2015, I graduated with a National Diploma in Performing Arts from Laine Theatre Arts, UK. I studied ballet, jazz, musical theater, modern, contemporary and voice. Now, I continue to train in all of those styles plus heels.

Scarlette: I started dancing at the age of six. I danced throughout grade school, high school and college. I’ve also been performing at various dance academies, doing competitive hip-hop and working as a dance assistant and teacher. I’m a self-taught hip-hop freestyler. I also danced for the famous NBA champions, the Toronto Raptors. 

Gomes: I’ve been dancing since the age of three, so I had plenty of dance experience before Work It. I’ve trained in various styles, although hip-hop and contemporary are my forte. I actually first auditioned for Work It as a dancer in the dance call. From there, I was asked to audition for an acting role as well. 

Brémault: I come from a family of musicians, so I’ve always been around music. I’ve basically been dancing since I came out of the womb. From ages four to nineteen, I formally trained in ballet, modern, contemporary and tap in Winnipeg, Canada, at the Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers and The Royal Winnipeg Ballet. At age 11, I dove into my true passions: hip-hop, breaking, popping and house with Winnipeg pioneers Dammecia Hall, Ofield Williams and Bob Veruela. They sparked a long-lasting journey of studying hip-hop culture, competing in battles, performances, choreography, visual art and arts events, and dance education in various community-based programs and studios. In 2017, I moved to Toronto to further pursue my career. From there, performing, battling and teaching took me to amazing places. I was granted work opportunities locally and internationally, from the U.S. to Ivory Coast, Africa.

Who was the first cast member you met on set? What was that interaction like? 

Asilo: The first time I ever met any of the cast was at my last callback. I got to the waiting room and saw Neil [Robles, “Chris”], Nathaniel, Indiana and Tyler [Hutchings, “Robby”]. I had already known Neil and Tyler beforehand, and I’d seen Indiana at auditions, but I’d never met Nate before. It was tense because we didn't really know what was going on. I think we were all just nervous, but once we figured out we were the TBDs, it was lit.

Mehta: Sabrina. She’s such a sweetheart. She came up to me as I walked into the rehearsal studio, introduced herself and hugged me. From that moment onwards, I wasn't nervous on set. Sabrina made me feel comfortable and confident. 

Scarlette: Tyler. He was very welcoming, and we got along well. 

Gomes: I met Neil in the waiting room before our final camera test. When I saw him walk in, I knew right away that he was a dancer. Right off the bat, we got along. We talked about the audition process and who we were auditioning for. I was quite nervous but also excited. I’m glad we both got the role and experienced this journey together. 

Brémault: Briana. We were paired up to audition together for our callback. It was super easy connecting with her and finding a flow. She’s a really warm and open person.

How did you develop your unique character? Did you channel anyone in particular?

Asilo: I channeled my middle-school/early high-school self. Raven is a slight exaggeration of who I was at that age, except I wasn't so goth...more like punk or emo. I also thought a lot about Avril Lavigne when playing Raven. She was one of my childhood punk girl crushes.

Mehta: I channeled my inner self! I can be quite sassy most days, and that’s reflected in Priya.

Scarlette: I practiced being a DJ similar to DJ Kool Herc—the godfather of hip-hop—and the great GrandMaster Flash. I had to look the part, too, so I shaved my peach fuzz off every day. I also practiced the dance choreography that was given to us. I wanted it to be perfect.

Gomes: I play Trinity, one of the Thunderbirds—she’s monotone and not the smartest character. Initially, in my first audition, I played her as enthusiastic and sassy. But in the first callback, the director, Laura Terruso, asked me to be more monotone. From there on out, Trinity was portrayed that way yet mixed with sassy, dry remarks. I developed my character by watching lots of films. I would also sit and practice talking in a deep, dry voice. It took lots of work, and as we continued to film, I was able to get a stronger grasp of who Trinity really is. I channeled a few characters in particular, like Karen Smith from Mean Girls and Romy from Romy and Michele. Both of them helped me figure out who I needed to be.

Brémault: I tried to tap into my inner mean girl and a darker side of my ego that stems from insecurity. I also drew inspiration from popular movies like Mean Girls, Bring It On, Never Been Kissed and basically every dance movie ever. 

What was dance training like on set? 

Asilo: For three or four weeks, we rehearsed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 or 4 p.m., as well as on the weekends occasionally. Even after we started shooting, we were still rehearsing. It was definitely a push. I'd never experienced something so physically demanding in my life. But it was great—it was like a super intense dance camp every day.

Mehta: Hardcore! We rehearsed for at least a month before we started filming. Our choreographer, Aakomon Jones, is very particular about what he wants and how he wants a certain style to look. The hardest part for me was starting every rehearsal with a freestyle dance battle. It made me really nervous. I’m still nervous when put on the spot like that, but I’m working on it. 

Scarlette: It was frequent, fast, fun and professional. There were long, tiring days, but I enjoyed every minute and can’t wait to dance on set again.

Gomes: We learned the first number in just a few days. After the first day of rehearsal, I remember thinking, “OMG, how am I going to survive the next few weeks?” We learned the second routine right after the first and would run them a few times, one after the other, to build our stamina. Each time, it got easier and easier. The choreographers, Aakomon and Amy Allen, really pushed us and created a hard-working yet fun environment. Once we started filming, we didn’t have much time to rehearse. We would go over the choreography on our own time and only got to rehearse a little bit after a long day of shooting. On days when we would film the dance choreography, it was tiring. However, we would get plenty of breaks in between takes, which helped us find our energy. 

Brémault: It was a fulfilling and challenging trip! The choreographers didn’t play and made sure we gave it our all every time we were in the room. They had a beautifully balanced way of elevating the work, and it was a blessing to work with such experienced and knowledgeable people. It was also nice to get to know all of the dancers by building support, sharing our purpose, cracking jokes and experiencing a collaborative push.

What was your favorite scene to film, and why? 

Asilo: The finale because of how emotional that experience was. It was the last scene we shot. We went a few straight days of just dancing and filming that scene alone, so we were all exhausted. But the closer we got to the end, the harder everyone pushed, because we realized it was our last time being together. Once Laura called a wrap on the TBDs, we all bawled our eyes out and said how much we love each other. It was the best and saddest way to end filming.

Mehta: There are so many good memories, but my favorite was filming the finale. We played Jenga and cards in the holding room, had freestyle dance sessions and took numerous trips to the food truck. There was a lot of laughter. 

Scarlette: When we had to dance for Harold, the man in the wheelchair, at the nursing home. We had so much fun filming that scene. We were told to dance so poorly that we killed poor Harold (not really, of course).

Gomes: My favorite scene to film was one of the first scenes in the movie when Quinn spills coffee on the lighting board. We see Trinity full of white powder from the fire extinguisher and Brit with her bangs burnt off. We filmed that during the second week of filming. It was the first time I really felt I had become Trinity. The cast was bonding, and we were hanging out. I thought the whole scene was hilarious, and it was very hard for me to stay in character. I actually broke character twice during the scene. Even though I was covered in white powder for a few hours, which was uncomfortable at times, it was so fun and had the entire crew laughing.

Brémault: Definitely the lighting booth scene. It was the first scene I shot for the movie and played Brit’s character on camera. I remember feeling the pressure, but it made me feel super alive and excited. It was amazing to explore acting again and witness Sabrina and Keiynan [Lonsdale, “Juilliard”] work. Watching them ad-lib back and forth was especially inspiring to me.

Any behind-the-scenes bloopers you can share? 

Asilo: The second time I mention the rapture, when we're watching Juilliard from the wings, Raven says, "It’s like the rapture!" That wasn't scripted. I was just goofing around during a run-through of that scene, and Laura decided to toss it in. 

Mehta: Nathaniel tended to fall asleep, whether we were rolling or not. The day we were filming the mattress scene with Liza, Sabrina and Drew [Ray Tanner, “Charlie”], he got very comfortable on the mattress and dozed off while we were rolling!

Scarlette: I was the sleepy one on set, so everyone would take pictures of me sleeping, and we would laugh about it. I’m sure those photos will come out at some point.

Gomes: When we were filming the finale, the TBDs were standing in the wings for a shot, and they actually intimidated me, so I forgot the introduction to my dance routine. Thankfully, it wasn’t caught on camera, but the entire cast saw me and was laughing. Another blooper took place after we filmed the scene in the lighting booth. During my closeup, Laura started giving me different lines to say. She told me to whisper, “I hate you,” to Sabrina. After delivering the line, Sabrina started smiling and holding in her laughter, which made me break character and laugh. From there, it became a little joke between Sabrina and me, although that line never made it into the film.

What’s the main message behind the film that you want the audience to take away? 

Asilo: Embrace your “you-ness.” I think it's really powerful when people allow themselves to be unique and strong at what they do, as opposed to trying to fit in with somebody else. That’s why people love the TBDs. They’re exactly who they are, and they stand out for it. There's no better you than you.

Mehta: Anybody can dance and achieve something if they put their mind to it. The movie also makes you forget about all of your worries. The scenes are so easygoing and funny. 

Scarlette: Go after something you want, not what someone else wants for you. You must be true to yourself. Do something that you love and are passionate about—that’ll create lifelong memories. 

Gomes: Through determination and practice, anything is possible. Watching Quinn’s journey from start to end can teach people that if you want something hard enough and work for it, you can achieve it. 

Brémault: Never force anything, embrace being imperfect, laugh at yourself, know your worth and don’t hesitate to go for what you want when the opportunity arises.

Follow the Cast on Instagram:

Bianca Asilo: @bianca.asilo

Indiana Mehta: @indianamehta

Nathaniel Scarlette: @nathaniel.scarlette

Briana Gomes: @brianaagomes

Kalliane Brémault: @yofidelic

Select Photo Credit: Netflix