Posted in: Disney+, TV | Tagged: disney channel, Eliana Su'a, interview, Pretty Freekin Scary, Yuvi Hecht
Pretty Freekin Scary Star Yuvi Hecht Discusses Joining Disney Sitcom
Yuvi Hecht (Reduction in Force) spoke with Bleeding Cool about his television debut in the Disney Channel sitcom Pretty Freekin Scary.
Yuvi Hecht got a crash course in getting the spotlight, and he can't get enough of it. Since making his debut in the 2019 shorts The Unicorn Sisters and The Walk, he's been active in several projects like Reduction in Force, which garnered him critical acclaim, getting his big break on episodic television in the Disney Channel's Pretty Freekin Scary as Erlic. The series follows 14-year-old Frankie Ripp (Eliana Su'a), who appears to have a perfect life until she dies. She is then allowed to return home, but only with her new Underworld guardians while having to adapt to her 'once-dead' status in Middle School. Hecht spoke with Bleeding Cool about making his TV debut, the prep work he's done, co-stars, and what inspired him to get into acting.
Yuvi Hecht's TV Debut in Pretty Freekin Scary
Bleeding Cool: How does it feel to get into your first foray into episodic television with Pretty Freekin Scary?
Hecht: This has been the most incredible experience of my life. I remember the first day when I went into the studio, and I saw the set and met all these new people, and we all became so close. It was a fun work environment. Not only did I get to work out, but I also met these new people that I'm so close with now. It's been great.
Can you tell me about Eliana and working with the cast? What was it like working with them?
On the first day when we met each other, we all clicked so fast, and we started hanging out on and off-set like every day. We went to events together and an escape room. That certainly helped, and the more I hung out with them, the more I got a connection with [Eliana]. When we were off and working together on a scene, we would be outside, throwing a football together and talking. I got to build a connection with her, which I feel helped in the filming of the show. I think you can tell from watching the series we formed a good connection.
Was there anything you did for prep work before getting into the series?
I took a bunch of classes before coming into a big production like this. I felt prepared, but there was stuff that I didn't know and learned along the way. Before we started working, we had a togetherness with the cast. We had a couple of lessons about what was going to happen and how.
What inspired you to get into acting?
When I first started, I was in fifth grade, and I was in the car with my family. We heard an advertisement on the radio, and I usually don't listen to ads at all; this one stuck out for me. It was an audition for a short film in Hollywood with former Nickelodeon and Disney stars. My sister and I thought that was cool. We went and auditioned for it, and they wanted us in the film. My sister, mom, and I went to L.A. for about ten days. We had rehearsals, working on set, and we had a red-carpet event in the premiere. I got a grasp of what the industry was like. When I got back from L.A., I took a bunch of different classes. I submitted all these short and indie films. I fell in love with it, kept grinding, and here I am.
Was there a lesson that helped drive you as an actor that helped you persevere?
The main lesson that I took from this is not only as an actor but also as a person. My dad would always remind me this, too, that "Nothing comes easy in life, and if you have a goal or a dream, you have to work hard for it." When I first started acting, I didn't think that there was much work that needed to be put into it, and I thought it consisted mostly of talent. I figured out that there was so much I must sacrifice and hard work that I didn't realize that I had to put in. This is my dream, so I'm willing to do it. That's the main lesson I took from it.
Pretty Freekin Scary, which also stars Yonas Kibreab, Leah Mei Gold, Kyan Samuels, Shawn Carter Peterson, Tristan Michael Brown, and Lisa Arch, premieres June 15 on The Disney Channel.