Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Sydney to the Max’s Ruth Righi

Ruth Righi is one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, Ruth has grown up surrounded by the arts, but it wasn’t until she saw the production of School of Rock on Broadway that she realized her passion could also be her career. She decided in that moment that she would one day take the stage in School of Rock! And guess what? She did just that.

Following her impressive run, which saw her playing not one but two different characters, Ruth took her talent from the stage to the screen with a role in Syfy’s Happy!. Today, she can be seen as the lead in Disney Channel’s Sydney to the Max, which follows three generations of “Reynolds” living under the same roof. With the show already renewed for a third season, Pop Culturalist caught up with Ruth to chat about all her success.

Career

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Ruth: I’ve always loved performing ever since I was really young. I did community theatre and always loved music because my dad was a musician, and my mom was a dancer. So, I grew up surrounded by the arts. When I went to New York, I saw School of Rock on Broadway, and that was when I realized that you could do this as a job. Those kids were getting to do what I love and on such a big scale. That’s what made me want to pursue this job.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Ruth: My family has always inspired me, and they’re such a great support system. They’ve also helped me pursue what I wanted to do and what I love. That helps inspire me and keeps me going with what I’m doing. Also, everyone that I’ve worked with has influenced me in some way. I’m still new and learning about the business. Everyone that I’ve worked with has been super cool and knowledgeable with their experiences.

Sydney to the Max

PC: How did your experience in School of Rock on Broadway prepared you for Sydney to the Max?
Ruth: School of Rock was a lot of fun. It was really difficult because you have to be so consistent with the performances. I gained such a work ethic from that experience and that’s helped me transition into different types of jobs.

PC: Sydney to the Max is your breakout role. What’s been the biggest takeaway from the experience?
Ruth: I’m so new to the TV world, so it’s been such a new and exciting experience for me. I’ve learned so much from it. I grew up watching the Disney Channel and now I get to be a part of that family—it’s incredible.

PC: Did you have any nerves heading into the project due to the fact that you were joining the Disney family?
Ruth: I was terrified, especially on my first day. I went in for a fitting and met everyone. I was so scared, but everyone was so welcoming and friendly. We all clicked right away.

PC: Season two is currently airing. What can fans expect?
Ruth: They can expect a lot of character growth. There are a lot of really cool and new subject matters for Disney. There’s an environmental awareness episode, there’s a period episode. There are a lot of really cool new ideas that Disney’s doing with the show, which is so special because I get to be a part of that, which is awesome. There’s a lot of singing and music, too. It’s a cool season!

PC: Speaking of character growth, you’ve been playing Sydney for two seasons now. Has anything surprised you about her journey?
Ruth: I think I’ve been surprised by how similar our experiences are. The writers do a really good job conveying what it’s like to be a preteen or teen girl. So a lot of the things that she goes through, I’ve been through. It’s really exciting to see how similar we handle situations or how differently we handle situations.

PC: Sydney to the Max has already been picked up for a third season. If you could write a storyline for your character, what would it be?
Ruth: I think it would be fun to do a completely musical episode because the cast is so talented. They all can sing, dance, and play instruments. So, I think it’d be really cool to do an episode that was based on that or maybe one where I go back into the ’90s again because that was really fun.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Ruth: Dance Moms

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Ruth: I rewatch 10 Things I Hate About You on Disney+ all the time. That’s probably one that I watch the most.

PC: Favorite book?
Ruth: Catcher in the Rye is one of my favorite books, so probably that one or I have a lot of Dr. Seuss books that I love going back to every once in a while.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Ruth: School of Rock…I may be a little bias. [laughs]

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Ruth: Green Day

PC: Hidden talent?
Ruth: I can isolate different parts of my face. My eyebrows can move in all crazy directions.

To keep up with Ruth, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Catch Sydney to the Max on Disney Channel.