Stuck In The Middle is a show that my kiddos really enjoy so when I told them I’d be interviewing its cast while in LA for Moana, they were at ad bit jealous. Getting the chance to sit down with Jenna Ortega (“Harley Diaz”), Ronni Hawk (“Rachel Diaz”), Isaak Presley (“Ethan Diaz”), Ariana Greenblatt (“Daphne Diaz”), Kayla Maisonet (“Georgie Diaz”), Malachi Barton (“Beast Diaz”), Nicholas Bechtel (“Lewie Diaz”), Cerina Vincent (“Suzy Diaz”) and Joe Nieves (“Tom Diaz”) was fun. They are a family on screen and off and their chemistry is one that radiates when they are together.
Being Stuck In The Middle
Jenna Ortega comes from a large family, she’s one of six kids. She said, “I love being stuck in the middle. I like Harley’s storyline because at first she’s kind uncertain of like where she’s going with her life. She feels very invisible but later on she realizes that she is very important. She plays a very important role in her family. I think it’s important to know that for those middle children out there who feel like they’re not noticed that they are. And they are very important in the families because they make their families their families.”
On Set Chemistry
Ariana Greenblatt: Family, just straight up family…Off the set we hang out at dinners. And we really love each other.
Nicholas Bechtel: Siblings.
Jenna Ortega: It’s like they’re my second family.
Joe Nieves: And that happened right from day one. [OVERLAP] Right from day one it happened. It was immediate and fantastic.
Pranks on set
Jenna Ortega: Oh. It was April Fools’ Day and we were filming onset. Isaak kept telling everyone, “hey guys I have the biggest prank. I’m going to get all of you guys. You guys don’t even know.”
Isaak Presley: There was no prank.
Jenna Ortega: That was the prank. That was his prank that he didn’t have a prank. But a couple of my siblings were on set that day. And I said, well we have to get Isaak before he gets us. So Isaak is like the biggest Oreo fan. So my siblings and I, we got a packet of Oreos and we opened one of them. And we put deodorant in there. And Isaak runs in and we’re eating like the normal ones. And he said, oh my gosh, give me one, give me one. So we give him the deodorant ones.
Nicholas Bechtel: He shoves it in his mouth. Chews it and then after he chews it he runs to the bathroom.
Isaak Presley: I walked right into it…I was like oh wait, can I have one? Her sister hands me one. I’m like, great. I take a bite of it. As I’m chewing I’m like having different thoughts. I’m like wow, is this a mint Oreo? This doesn’t taste right. And then, and then I freaked out.
Stuck in the Middle airs weekdays on Disney Channel, with season 2 teasers beginning December 16 and full episodes in early 2017.
