Posted in: Paramount+, TV | Tagged: School Spirits

School Spirits S03: Miles Elliot & Ci Hang Ma on Yuri/Quinn Journey

Paramount+'s School Spirits stars Miles Elliot & Ci Hang Ma discussed Yuri's and Quinn's journeys and what viewers can expect from Season 3.

Since joining season two of School Spirits, Miles Elliot and Ci Hang Ma have been embraced equally as part of the ensemble cast as teenage spirits Yuri and Quinn. Yuri (Elliot) spent the afterlife at the pottery wheel, largely ignoring the other ghosts, as we discover he passed in the school's greenhouse in the 1970s. Quinn is a nonbinary youth who died in a bus accident on their way back from a high school marching band competition. The two become friends with Maddie Nears (Peyton List), who solves the mystery behind her death. Elliot and Ma spoke to Bleeding Cool about their respective paths in season three, their thoughts on the series' paranormal, existentialist themes, and the development of Charley's (Nick Pugliese) and Yuri's LGBTQ journeys.

School Spirits Stars Miles Elliot and Ci Hang Ma on Yuri-Charley, Quinn-Rhonda, and More

How do you feel that you've grown as your characters Yuri and Quinn since last season?

Elliot: Yeah, that's what this whole season really is about for both of them. For Yuri, he grows probably the most he's ever had, and shares the most he's ever shared, and you see why he is the way he is. You see the hardships he's been through, rather than this cool, elusive person we think he is, and he goes through quite a bit. You get to see a lot of that this season.

Ma: Yeah, similarly with Quinn. You get to know a lot more about who Quinn is in season two. Quinn did a lot of following the ghosts around, wanting to belong and be helpful. This season, we see Quinn finally belonging in themselves, and that comes with more assertion, more of their personality coming through, and a deeper blossoming of their relationship with Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin).

Does being on a show like School Spirits shape your outlook on life or spirituality?

Elliot: Oh, yeah, wow…

Ma: That's a great question. I think so, I've definitely thought about the afterlife more so than I've ever thought about it before.

Elliot: Yeah…

Ma: Just in terms of preparation and imagining what that would be like. You've lost your chance because you're dead. That side of your life is done. What regrets do you have? What do you still want to accomplish? Now that you're stuck in school, you are stuck, but what else? What could you do now that you couldn't before? What matters after all of that?

Elliot: Yeah, I think it's made me think about it, because of what so many of these characters go through…lost dreams. They all die right before they're about to become adults, and I think as someone who's like in their mid-20s, still very much still in that world, it's made me want to take risks and want to pursue these things that I want to pursue, because these characters don't get the chance to do that. I would love it if they could.

What excites you about exploring your own respective characters' arcs this season, aside from what you just mentioned?

Elliot: What excites me is we get to go into Yuri's scar this season and really get to go through that, and I was so excited even after I read it. I was excited shooting it because, without giving anything away, it was a lot to play with as an actor. I got to do some things I've never done before, and I've always wanted to do. For me, it was the most fun, and it took a long time to shoot that. We shot it in so many different blocks. I remember it was like a running joke. Somehow by the end of the shoot it was like, "Oh, we are doing a pickup on Yuri's scar," and I was like, "What?! We really shot it for a long time, so that was really fun for me.

Ma: Quinn does brave things; they take risks, and so that leads to different actions that Quinn takes. If a person…a kid who's growing up, who's learning about themselves and now is starting to try things, there are fumbles, and the fallout from those fumbles is also fun to play.

Miles, final question, what did you like about developing that chemistry with Nick for that relationship with Yuri and Charley, and what can we look for this season?

Elliot: Yeah, it's so fun. I'm sure people can attest to it. Nick and I get along so well, and we did right from the get-go, and he's one of my best friends. When I show up to set, and it's a Nick and my day, and we're shooting just us two, the entire day. It's a blast, and we oscillate well. Between being so ridiculously goofy, and I'm serious in every way, there are these emotional scenes they have, and we both lock in and can be there for each other. I have full trust in him, and that's so nice to have in a scene partner, especially a romantic scene partner, so it's the best.

Season three of School Spirits, which also stars Kristian Ventura, Milo Manheim, Spencer MacPherson, Kiara Pichardo, Rainbow Wedel, Jennifer Tilly, and Josh Zuckerman, premieres with its first three episodes on January 28th on Paramount+, with new episodes on Wednesdays through March 4th.

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