Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Mr. Iglesias and The Sleepover’s Cree Cicchino

Cree Cicchino has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses. She’s best known for bringing challenging and dynamic characters to life on the screen, whether that’s in comedies like Mr. Iglesias or in action-adventures like The Sleepover. When she’s not crushing it in every role she takes on, she’s using her platform to inspire her young fans to make a difference. We caught up with this rising talent to learn more about her and her thriving career.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Cree: I started acting when I was twelve or so, mainly as a hobby. I started actually working almost by accident and then sort of found myself in LA on a full-time show. Even though that continued for a few years, I don’t think I really found a passion for the art until I was about fifteen, after my first job was over and I still wanted to continue.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Cree: I think my early days at my first job on Nickelodeon have influenced my career a lot. I was really young and I was in the public eye and working a full-time job. It was strange in retrospect, but I learned a lot: about the industry, people, and relationships, good and bad. I’m grateful for all of it.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Cree: Oddly enough, the last day of Mr. Iglesias Season 1, our last show night, always sticks out to me. Last days can be a little strange—you’re sad, you’re proud, you’re maybe a little stressed about whether or not you’ll be picked up—but that night was such a lovefest for me. I was super proud of what we had done. I loved everyone in the room. I was sad to go but so grateful for the experience. I even shed a few tears, which is quite rare for me. I was just incredibly satisfied with everything, and I felt really good about what set life can be.

PC: You’re an actress who is using her platform to speak out about the injustices in the world and educating your young fans. Tell us about the work that you’re doing and how you discovered your voice as an activist.
Cree: All that I do is follow the instruction and guidance of the educators leading the fights we’re currently facing. I haven’t earned the title of “activist.” I simply use a fairly decent-sized platform to try and amplify the teachings and resources that I’ve found at the generosity of people who know more than me.

PC: Mr. Iglesias Part 2 just premiered some new episodes on Netflix. What can fans expect?
Cree: Fans can expect a lot more laughs, a little bit of a deeper peek into the lives of the students, and a lot more romance.

PC: Which of Marisol’s relationships has been your favorite to explore and why?
Cree: Although Mikey and Marisol’s journey is adorable, I’ve always really adored Marisol’s relationship with Mr. Iglesias. I think they have a relationship that folks in multigenerational friendships or mentorships should pay attention to. It’s because it’s honestly built on mutual respect. Mr. Iglesias is a really warm, safe mentor of sorts—as he is for all of his students—and he’s her teacher, but she spends a lot of time educating him. What’s so awesome is he doesn’t really resist this. He has not only the ability but also the desire to be corrected, learn, and do better, which I think she really respects about him. If all adults were so open to constructive criticism and necessary correction, a lot of the negative generational gaps we face would be remedied, I think.

PC: What has been the biggest lesson that Marisol has taught you?
Cree: Marisol has an incredibly shameless passion for speaking out against the injustices around her and educating the adults in her life when she needs to, which I think is really important for young people to see in a climate where our political activism is so necessary. Her confidence and knowledge of what’s right always outweighs the possible uncomfortability of correcting authority figures or seeming difficult. This taught me a big lesson just as I started to become more aware of my responsibility in arenas of activism and social justice.

PC: You’re also starring in The Sleepover. Tell us about the film, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Cree: The Sleepover is a super-fun family adventure that’s got friendship, action, romance, and laughs. It’s about two kids who discover their seemingly normal stay-at-home mom is actually an ex-thief who’s been in witness protection for years. The kids and their friends set out on an insane little adventure to get to the bottom of things. The script was super fun, and it was a classic coming-of-age adventure comedy, so I knew it was a project I wanted to be a part of. My character, Mim, is your classic witty best friend. She spends the entire movie very stressed out about the things they’re doing. She also wears a beret. So that’s fun.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Cree: I don’t know if it’s quite a guilty pleasure, but my rainy-day TV show is always New Girl.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Cree: Bridesmaids, but I’m not really guilty about that either.

PC: Favorite book?
Cree: A Separate Peace by John Knowles

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Cree: Hadestown

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Cree: There’s a lot of musical theater in there.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Cree: I don’t even have a life story…I don’t think she’s alive yet.

To keep up with Cree, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Mr. Iglesias and The Sleepover on Netflix today.