The Mighty Ducks Game Changers young cast: ‘Gilmore Girls icon Lauren Graham was a great role model to us’

The young stars of new Disney Plus series The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers have spoken about working with Gilmore Girls icon Lauren Graham, describing her as the ‘perfect role model’ for them at the start of their careers.

The actress leads the cast of the series, which breaths new life into one of the most enduring sports movies of the 90s and take a fresh look at the ice hockey drama with a young generation of stars.

Actors Brady, Swayam Bhatia and Maxwell Simkins spoke to Metro.co.uk about working with the actress, describing her as their ‘set mom’.

‘She was great to work with. She was so fun,’ Maxwell said. ‘She cares so much about us kids. She’s a great role model. She’s like our set mom.’

‘It takes a lot for someone to want to shake hands with everyone, especially when you’re that huge,’ Maxwell added. ‘Wanting to meet every second person, that says something about her. She’s incredible.’

In the reboot, the underdogs of the original film are transformed into an ultra-polished team obsessed with winning, with the show taking a satirical look at the world of hugely competitive youth sport in the US.

After losing his place on the team, 12-year-old Evan Morrow (Brady Noon) and his mum Alex (Lauren Graham) set about starting their own team with the help of the legendary Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez), signing up a series of plucky skaters to form their own squad.

The series is a funny and wholesome take on the Mighty Ducks series and full of great performances from a young cast which look set for great careers in the future.

The young cast harnessed their real-life experience in their biggest roles yet. Brady is something of an ice hockey star in real life, and used his skills in the programme.

‘Right after the season finished, I actually went back to my hometown and played for our high school team’ Brady said.

Some of the young cast are so good at skating, in fact, that they had to be told to ‘look bad’ in order to film scenes as their less talented characters – including Kiefer O’Reilly, a young actor to look out for who is of ‘elite’ standard on the ice.

‘Keifer was such a good hockey player, and he had to learn how to do bad,’ Swayam said. ‘We just have to yell at him: “Do bad! You’re too good. Stop being good!”’

Ice hockey is at the heart of the series, and the game itself helped the young cast bond.

Brady said: ‘When you’re passing the puck, you have to trust somebody, you have to create that bond. I think that’s really special.’

The young stars clearly idolise their co-star Lauren, but are there any other stars they look up to?

‘My role model would either be Will Smith or Kevin Hart, Maxwell said. ‘They’re just so funny, and Will Smith raps too. To be anything within the ballpark of that one day would be crazy.’

Swayam, though, finds inspiration away from Hollywood.

‘I think one of my biggest role models is Kamala Harris. I think her breaking barriers has inspired me so much. She is somebody of my background that looks like me and a woman as well.

‘Being Vice President in America is so empowering. Not just to me, but to young girls and girls of colour, especially. She’s empowered us to do what we dream to do.’

The actors have big plans for the future too.

Swayam dreams of joining the Marvel universe, while Brady would love to take part in Star Wars.

Maxwell also aspires to play Batman – his ‘favourite superhero of all time’, who still has pride of place in his bedroom.

‘I have Batman bedsheets in my house still!’ he said. ‘I say that with pride. I’ve wanted to play Batman since I was very little.’

They’re ambitious stars in the making, and you wouldn’t bet against them achieving their dream roles in the future.

Mighty Ducks: Game Changers is available to watch on Disney+ from Friday.

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