‘Coven Academy’ Cast on Love Triangles, On-Screen Kisses, Witches & Queer Vampire Energy

Zach Sang Show

The Zach Sang Show hosts the cast of Disney+'s new supernatural series Coven Academy, featuring Malina Pauli Weissman, Jordan Leftwich, Ora Duplass,

Key takeaways

• The four leads met via Zoom for chemistry reads before filming in person at Disney, quickly bonding over shared music tastes like Rihanna to build on-screen rapport.
• Jordan Leftwich relates deeply to her character Sasha's anxiety and ADHD, praising the show for portraying teenage mental health with authenticity rather than caricature.

Main topics

• Coven Academy casting & chemistry reads
• Character psychology & teenage anxiety

Notable quotes

"We're all attracted to each other. We're all in love with each other. And that's Coven Academy."

Conclusion

The episode delivers an engaging, unfiltered look at the making of Coven Academy, emphasizing the cast's

Transcript preview

Speaker 5 (0:05) Hi, beautiful human. I'm Zach. That's Dan. We welcome to the studio. Say hello to Melina, Jordan, Aura, and Louie. Yes. Cast of the Coven Academy, everybody. Speaker 6 (0:16) Let's go. You guys are Speaker 5 (0:17) a hoot. Speaker 4 (0:17) You're a hoot, man. We're a hoot and a holler. What's the deal here? Hoot Speaker 5 (0:20) and a Speaker 4 (0:20) half. Let's just Speaker 5 (0:22) start at the beginning here. First time you meet each other was when and how? Speaker 4 (0:28) I met Louie at our chemistry read. Yeah. for this show. I also met Jordan, but didn't really talk to her. We didn't hang out because I was scared. Speaker 6 (0:38) So they were both up for Melina's part, and I was doing chemistry reads with both of them. So I met both of them at the same time. And then I didn't meet Aura until... The pilot. The pilot. Oh, Speaker 2 (0:48) yeah, Speaker 6 (0:49) the Speaker 2 (0:49) pilot. Because you know Speaker 6 (0:49) it was the pilot first. Speaker 4 (0:50) We met Aura then for the other chemistry read. Yeah, for our characters. We met all three of us. I met Speaker 2 (0:56) them for the first time during that chemistry read. And Speaker 3 (0:58) then we took Speaker 2 (0:58) her and Sasha. Yeah, well, we met on Zoom for the chemistry read, and then we met, like, all together at Disney. We're not meeting on Zoom. I know, but she was asking about the chemistry read. Oh, I'm sorry. Speaker 3 (1:08) Yeah, I was trying to figure it out. Speaker 2 (1:09) Beef. Speaker 5 (1:09) Beef. You did a chemistry read on Zoom? Speaker 2 (1:11) Yeah. And then Speaker 3 (1:12) in person. We Speaker 2 (1:13) were just, Speaker 3 (1:13) like, on the phone. Like, I Speaker 2 (1:15) love music. Do you love music? Oh, my gosh, that's so cool. Like, 2000s? Yeah. Well, they were, like, asking. They were like, you guys bond in 30 seconds. And we were like. That's so much pressure. They Speaker 4 (1:24) were like, what Speaker 2 (1:24) music do Speaker 6 (1:24) you Speaker 2 (1:24) like? I was like, I like Rihanna. She was like, I like Rihanna too. Oh my God. Oh my God, we're best friends. We're like, pressure to be Speaker 3 (1:29) like chemistry. Yeah, because it's like either you're friends and you have the job or not. Speaker 6 (1:33) Yeah. And me and Melina just tried to seem like attracted to each other basically. I was Speaker 4 (1:38) attracted to you. I was attracted to Melina. It wasn't that hard. I literally was. No, I was Speaker 6 (1:45) attracted to you. No, you don't understand. I'm Speaker 4 (1:47) gay, but Speaker 6 (1:47) I was attracted to Speaker 4 (1:48) you. We had Speaker 6 (1:49) a real... Like charged vibe. Yeah. Speaker 4 (1:53) It was like intimate. And then we hung out Speaker 3 (1:55) after. And then Speaker 5 (1:57) we Speaker 3 (1:57) both like. I remember. I remember I was reading with Louie for the chemistry read when I was supposed to audition for Briar. And he's like, they were like, get closer, get closer, get closer. I was like, OK, like I can do this. Speaker 4 (2:12) And then I remember your hair was like touching my forehead. Speaker 3 (2:15) Right. But I was like, oh, my gosh. Like, oh, I don't know. Now I know. Thank Speaker 6 (2:23) you. There's so much to dissect here. Speaker 3 (2:29) We're Speaker 6 (2:29) all attracted to each other. Speaker 3 (2:31) We're Speaker 5 (2:31) all Speaker 3 (2:31) in love with each other. Speaker 2 (2:33) And that's Coven Academy. Yeah. Okay. It's just a big love fest. Well, there's like Speaker 5 (2:37) warlocks and stuff and there's witches and vampires. Whatever that is. It's Speaker 6 (2:41) a Speaker 5 (2:41) lot of Speaker 2 (2:41) creatures, Speaker 6 (2:42) honestly. There's a lot of creatures going on. Speaker 5 (2:44) There is a lot of, like, okay, can you explain how it was explained to you, this show? Speaker 4 (2:50) Like from the beginning? Oh my god. It didn't. How was it like? How Speaker 1 (2:53) was it pitched to you? Speaker 4 (2:54) It Speaker 5 (2:54) was always a Speaker 6 (2:54) bit kind of not fully formed yet, I feel. It Speaker 3 (2:57) was a pilot too, so Speaker 4 (2:59) it Speaker 3 (2:59) was so like up in the air. Yeah. They always said think Vampire Diaries and Wednesday, but like. We want you guys to put your own twist on it. And they especially made sure that when we were filming, because initially this was going to be on Disney Channel, they were saying for us to not make it like a Disney show and kind of go more like the Netflix older angle. I Speaker 4 (3:16) think for me it was also just when I first met Tim Federley, who's the creator of our show, he had such a great vision and just, you just trust that man so much that... you can tell that the show is just going to look beautiful and read an actual world. And when I read the script and I connected with Briar so much, it was that I could just tell his writing was really authentic and it was real and it kind of sounded like these teenagers. He Speaker 2 (3:45) also said that he wrote each of the three girls first, the personalities, and he was like, these are all parts of me or people that I've met. in my past and so it was like such a personal part of him and then he with casting it was such a long process to find like those three like personalities and so he really like entrusted that in us once he like cemented that and he was like this is what my i envision it as but it really is your baby too and so that chemistry Speaker 6 (4:13) is a trio is Speaker 5 (4:14) stunning well you notice the first second you guys are on screen together and the first time you guys meet on on screen but Can we talk about like these actual characters and the parts of these characters that each one of you actually connect to on a human level? And in the case of like your character, for instance, and yes, like everybody's powers are linked to their own ability to control their emotions, et cetera. But like ADHD, for instance, is very much at the center of how your character's power just exists. Speaker 2 (4:42) Yeah, no, totally. I think that's how her power like manifests is through her like anxiety, ADHD, all of that. And I've dealt with like anxiety and ADHD like my whole life. And like it was always a really like anxious kid. And like that's how my like energy was like coming across was just all of these like, you know, saying things impulsively and being nervous. And so being able to like explore that in like a fun way and kind of like highlighting that and like honoring that was super cool. Because I think also that's a lot of things that aren't like portrayed in teen shows. There's like the actual like anxiety that goes on in teenagers. And like so I think there's just a lot of like. anxious feelings there that was awesome to like kind of have her highlight and like love about herself um so yeah i think that i definitely relate to that but i'm also excited to see kids be like oh like i'm not the only one that's like a little bit like jittery and anxious yeah and Speaker 5 (5:35) by the way in the case of blair like there's grief at the center of her mission right yeah Speaker 1 (5:40) What's his name? Blair Walden. That is me. Speaker 2 (5:43) She said it's me. I'm Speaker 4 (5:44) sorry. Speaker 6 (5:46) On our Speaker 4 (5:49) first interview, I said, I'm Brian. So I pray Brian. I pray Brian. You Speaker 5 (5:55) know, it's so funny. Briar. Briar. Briar. Briar. Briar. You guys, I'm so sorry. I'm like deeply dyslexic. That's bad. It's bad. My hand. Speaker 5 (6:09) Briar. That's right. Speaker 2 (6:11) Briar's a weird name. Briar Speaker 5 (6:13) is. When I was watching it, I was like, Speaker 1 (6:14) Briar's a Speaker 5 (6:14) tough Speaker 1 (6:15) one. Speaker 2 (6:15) Yeah. Speaker 5 (6:16) But grief is at the center of this character's journey. Speaker 4 (6:19) Yeah, she's dealing with so much grief. I mean, her mom died. That would be tough for anybody to deal with. And she also is kind of dealing with the grief of her past life. She's coming. She's Speaker 2 (6:32) just finding out she's a witch, which is crazy. Speaker 4 (6:35) And she's meeting these new people and she's kind of distrusting and guarded at first. And then she fully realizes that she needs to let all these people in and put them first so that she can figure out what happened to her mom. Yeah, there's so many secrets. And that I think also just throughout the whole season, we are. following these girls and guys figuring Speaker 2 (7:01) out Speaker 4 (7:02) their identity. And I think that's just the core of the show is their sisterhood, everyone's identity, making the right choices. And it's, yeah, anyway. The most gorgeous Speaker 6 (7:11) sisterhood to watch. It's so cute. Speaker 1 (7:13) It's like so beautiful and special. Speaker 6 (7:15) Why Speaker 1 (7:15) do you think your characters blend so well? And what makes you guys a good couple? I Speaker 4 (7:18) think Speaker 1 (7:18) we're just all Speaker 4 (7:18) so different. So different. It just... It's like the power of Speaker 3 (7:22) girls. It's like yin yang Speaker 1 (7:24) and then Speaker 4 (7:24) another Speaker 6 (7:25) one. Speaker 4 (7:26) What's the Speaker 6 (7:26) other one? Yong. Speaker 3 (7:28) We all just kind of form together in a way where I'm Yong. Where like separately like things can be harder but when we're all together. Speaker 2 (7:37) And I also love the message that that tells too with like you don't have to be the same as the people that you choose as your friends. Like they can be different than you and bring out other parts in you because I think Speaker 3 (7:47) with Briar especially like you're so closed off and with Speaker 2 (7:50) me being more open and fun it helps you like let that light in as well and you and you're more guarded Speaker 4 (7:56) and she Speaker 3 (7:57) also relates Speaker 2 (7:58) to that with you so I think it's like okay to have your friends be different than you and bring out different parts in you totally Speaker 6 (8:04) yeah Speaker 3 (8:04) parts where you connect and Speaker 4 (8:06) you just learn from Speaker 3 (8:07) the Speaker 4 (8:07) people that aren't you it's more fun to hear someone's ideas that aren't the same as yours it's more fun to argue it's less fun to have Speaker 2 (8:15) a conversation with someone who's the same opinion. That Speaker 4 (8:17) sucks. If Speaker 3 (8:20) it's too similar, then it's kind of like, well, what are you guys learning from each other? But if you guys are so different, then you're always learning things. So Speaker 5 (8:28) what does Sasha bring to the friend group? Speaker 3 (8:30) Sasha brings stability, I feel. Because, I mean, we go through a lot, but there's so many moments where Briar's just testing Sasha. But the only reason it feels like... Sasha's Speaker 4 (8:42) testing Briar. Oh, Speaker 3 (8:45) yeah. Sasha is technically testing Briar. Briar tests Sasha's patience a lot. But it's for good reason because she just wants a solid friend group and a solid coven because she also dealt with so many things in her past. So she just wants stability. Yeah. Speaker 5 (9:02) Did you understand what a coven was before getting into this? No idea. Speaker 3 (9:05) Somewhat, yeah. I Speaker 5 (9:07) didn't. I Speaker 3 (9:07) didn't know that. Because Speaker 5 (9:09) they exist. Speaker 3 (9:10) Yeah, I didn't know that all the witches together were more powerful. Well, Speaker 5 (9:14) we know somebody who goes to covens. Remember? What are they doing? What is going to a coven? Are Speaker 1 (9:18) they practicing Speaker 5 (9:18) being witches? Well, they go and like they like spells. Yeah, it's like a sisterhood. Yeah. Yeah. Speaker 4 (9:24) Oh, Speaker 5 (9:24) gorgeous. Speaker 6 (9:25) Yeah. Speaker 4 (9:25) Yeah. I mean, witches are just so cool in general. I also just love that we're. portraying in this day and age witches in a powerful light when, you know, throughout history they've been portrayed in a terrible way and girls were burned at the stake. Did you guys have to do like Speaker 1 (9:42) witch training to learn how to like do the spells and any of that? We talked about Speaker 2 (9:45) having like, we talked about like seeing a witch. Speaker 3 (9:49) Yeah, Keegan Speaker 2 (9:49) wanted a witch to come. She wanted to see a witch from eBay. Me and Malachi Speaker 3 (9:54) immediately said no. We were like, please. I was so excited about