Exclusive Interview: Ella Anderson, Frankie Grande, and Glee Dango Talk ‘Henry Danger: The Movie’
The wait is finally over! The beloved cast of Henry Danger is back and ready to take fans on their most thrilling adventure yet in an action-packed feature film.
In Henry Danger: The Movie, Henry Danger (Jace Norman) crosses paths with a superfan who’s eager to fight crime by his side. But when she stumbles upon a device capable of opening alternate realities, chaos ensues. As the multiverse spirals out of control, Henry must team up with his best friend Jasper (Sean Ryan Fox), his fiery sister Piper (Ella Anderson), the quirky genius Schwoz (Michael D. Cohen), and his superfan sidekick Missy Martin (Glee Dango) to find his way home—or risk being lost in another dimension forever. Plus, Frankie Grande returns as the one and only Frankini, adding his signature flair to this high-stakes, laugh-out-loud adventure!
Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Ella, Frankie, and Glee about Henry Danger: The Movie, how the film builds on the original series, their transformative performances, and more.
PC: Ella, throughout the years, there have been a lot of rumors about a potential Henry Danger movie, and it’s finally here. What has it been like for you to revisit this beloved character of yours in adulthood? Were there certain techniques or things you did to tap back into Piper’s essence?
Ella: Oh my gosh. I know Piper like the back of my hand—she’s another part of me. Tapping into her comes with ease. What was most exciting for me is that we get to see a totally different side of Piper in the Henry Danger: The Movie. You see her grown up, how she’s changed after going off to college, and how she approaches things a bit differently now. I think fans will get the biggest kick out of the ways she’s evolved, which is amazing for her.
PC: Frankie, it’s been one of your dreams to be a creature actor. You get to do that with this film, where we see a side of your character that fans haven’t seen before—grounded and dark. First, how fun was it to live out this dream? Secondly, can you talk about the collaboration with the makeup, hair, and costume departments to deliver the transformative performance we see?
Frankie: Absolutely. My entire life, I’ve loved creatures, so this was a dream come true. When I read it in the script, I was like, “Wait, what?” Then I got to chat with Joe [Menendez] and Chris [J. Nowak] about making it grounded, which is the opposite of Frankini, who is larger than life and so much bigger.
Getting to spend time in the chair with our amazing makeup artists—some of whom worked on Star Trek—was mind-blowing. I was like, “Wait, what? You create the aliens on Star Trek and now you’re working on me?” My brain couldn’t even fathom it. It was incredible. I didn’t know what I was going to act like until I had everything on. From the prosthetics to the teeth to the contacts, it was an outside-in transformation that brought me to a very grounded place. I was so excited to live in that space, and I really hope I get more opportunities to revisit that dark, grounded place because I absolutely loved it.
PC: Fingers crossed. Glee, what’s so cool about this project is that Missy looks up to Henry as a role model. I’ve seen on social media how young girls and parents are now sharing how much your portrayal has meant to them. What has it been like to see the Henry Danger fan response?
Glee: It’s been really, really surreal—something I never imagined would happen to me. I’ve done other projects and have been told, “You’re amazing. You do incredible things,” but seeing people connect with Missy and her story is truly inspiring, especially when I see how young these kids are. I’m so glad that everyone enjoys Missy and can relate to her because I know I do, too.
PC: The fan base is so dedicated. Ella, it’s so rare to catch lightning in a bottle twice, but you’ve all done that with this film. From your perspective, being so close to this project, how does the film build on the legacy of the original series while also introducing something new?
Ella: We were given the resources to really take Henry Hart’s story to the extent of where it could truly go. It’s so imaginative and grand. The film also takes time to focus on the characters that our fans have grown to love over the years, showing them in a grown-up way and exploring all these different universes you could never have expected.
PC: “Grand” is the perfect way to describe this film. Frankie, I feel like you manifested this musical number. The song is so needed today. What was your reaction when they approached you about performing “Smile,” and can you tell us about the song?
Frankie: I was so excited. There were a couple of versions of the script, so I didn’t know if I would be singing or if it was just going to be the credit song. There were so many different versions floating around. When it finally came to fruition and I heard the song “Smile” for the first time—written by Samantha Martin and Niki Hexum—I was laughing hysterically because some of the lyrics are so funny. “You can cry, but don’t stop smiling. A face-lift is ten grand. That’s on the lower side.” Those are some iconic lines, and I’m so happy they’re out in the world because we do need to smile a bit in the face of everything happening. It’s a band-aid, sure—we’ve got a lot of work to do—but we might as well smile while we’re doing it! I think it’ll make everyone a little cheerier during these scary times.
PC: It’s such an important message. Glee, because Missy has such a wild imagination, she’s created all these different alternate universes. Which was your favorite to play in and why?
Glee: One of my favorite ones to play in was the dystopian Canadian forest scene, especially because I’m Canadian. I remember reading that for the first time in my hotel room during my screen test, and my dad and I were laughing our butts off—the “sorrys,” the French accents—it was hilarious. When we were filming, I even asked the writer, Chris, how he wanted me to say “syrup,” because it’s such a Canadian/U.S. thing. That was also one of my favorite outfits to wear. The scenery was so cool, and everything about that scene was just so much fun to work with.
Make sure to follow Ella (Instagram), Frankie (X/Instagram), and Glee (Instagram). Stream Henry Danger: The Movie on Paramount+ today.
Photo Credit: Paramount+
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