Exclusive Interview: Emmy Liu-Wang, Valentina Herrera, and Ramon José Rodriguez Discuss Disney+’s The Slumber Party

Emmy Liu-Wang, Valentina Herrera, and Ramon José Rodriguez are three of the stars of Disney+’s The Slumber Party.

Based on the well-known teen novel The Sleepover by Jen Malone, The Slumber Party depicts the hilarious aftermath of a sleepover birthday party hypnotism gone wrong as best friends Megan [Darby Camp] and Paige [Emmy Liu-Wang], along with soon-to-be step-sister Veronica [Alex Cooper Cohen], wake up with absolutely no memory of the night before. Now, they must retrace their steps to find missing birthday girl Anna Maria [Valentina Herrera] … and explain why there’s a flock of baby ducks in the bathtub, what happened to Megan’s eyebrow, and why she’s wearing unattainable hottie Jake Ramirez’s [Ramon José Rodriguez] signature black hoodie.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Emmy, Valentina, and Ramon about their breakout performances in The Slumber Party.

Please Note: This interview was filmed prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike. We stand in solidarity with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, and will not be conducting further interviews until a fair deal is reached.

PC: Emmy, this movie is so much fun and there’s never been a film like this on Disney+. What was your initial reaction when you got this script? What was it about this character that you connected with?
Emmy: When I got the script I immediately was like, “Oh my gosh, what is happening here?” in the best possible way. Because there was so much there from breaking into a high school to an onion-eating contest to riding down a whole neighborhood with a hedgehog float. The whole thing was insane. To be able to see it on screen is even better.

Personally, with my character, it was love at first sight. I love her. I love her coolness and her confidence. She’s a tough girl who’s not afraid to stand up for herself or her friends. I love that so much about her.

PC: Valentina, there are so many universal themes that audiences are going to be able to take away after they watch this film. Was there one in particular that hit home for you?
Valentina: I think a lot of girls are going to relate to what Anna Maria is going through in the film. Whatever you may be going through, you can really lean on your friendships for comfort. That’s something that I took away from the film.

PC: Ramon, there’s an incredible chemistry that comes off the screen between the entire cast. How were you able to build that bond? Do you have a favorite behind-the-scenes moment?
Ramon: There are so many favorite behind-the-scenes moments. We were able to build that bond because after set we would all hang out. We’d go to dinners together. It never felt like work. It was great. We had a lot of fun. During lunch, we would all go into one trailer together. It was a lot of fun.

PC: Everyone feels so perfectly cast, and you all did such a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. Which of your fellow castmates is most like their character and who is the most different?
Emmy: I think Ramon is most like Jake. I agree that everyone is so perfectly cast. I see so much of each of the characters in each one of the actors. I look at Ramon and Jake and I see no difference.

Valentina: There’s no difference. [laughs] I was about to say that. That was my answer too.

Emmy: …and different?

Ramon: Everyone is like their character. That’s a hard one.

Valentina: Actually, Darby. She’s not as shy as Megan and isn’t as nervous. Megan has a lot of anxiety. Darby is a lot more open to trying to do things in real life.

Emmy: She’s definitely more outgoing and fun!

Make sure to follow Emmy (Instagram), Valentina (Instagram), and Ramon (Instagram). The Slumber Party premieres on July 27th on the Disney Channel. Stream it on Disney+ on July 28th.