Darby and the Dead Cast Discuss Growing Up in Hollywood (Exclusive)

On the surface, Darby and the Dead is the latest teen comedy that attempts to put a modern twist on the coming of age genre that John Hughes made famous. Dig a little deeper however, and audiences will see the Silas Howard-directed picture as something beyond: a glimpse into the future of Hollywood. Despite the average age of the cast being roughly 21 years old, Darby and the Dead boasts an ensemble far more experienced than their age indicates. Not only do some leading stars already have more than a decade of filmography credits, but their past work has come on some of the biggest blockbusters of this century.

Speaking to ComicBook.com’s Liam Crowley, Darby and the Dead‘s titular star Riele Downs noted that she’s focused on “living in the moment.”

“I think a lot about the future. I stress a lot about the past,” Downs, who’s been acting since she was four years old, explained. “Learning to accept things for the way they are, move forward, have your best foot forward: that’s all you can really do. Just live life in each moment because you know only have so much time here. Appreciating every moment and all the people that are in your life at that moment is something I’ve had to definitely learn over the years.”

Co-star Auli’i Cravalho, who’s first job in Hollywood was as the leading voice in Moana, added that she’s taken away life lessons from the roles she’s taken on.

“I think that through playing different characters I become more empathetic, and I really appreciate that,” Cravalho added. “That’s one of the main reasons I enjoy acting. I get to pick my characters apart and ask why they are the way that they are. I learn about myself by playing different characters.”

Chosen Jacobs has been in the business since 2016, with his most notable performance coming in 2018’s It.

“My idea of what’s possible continues to grow,” Jacobs said. “From being a kid who no connections to the entertainment industry, being in a movie was just something I dreamed of it and strived for.”

Now that he’s arrived, Jacobs sees the possibilities of doing more than just acting.

“The aspirations of getting behind the camera, and writing and producing films and making projects,” Jacobs continued. “That’s definitely the next goal.”

Asher Angel, known for his starring role in DC’s Shazam! franchise, shined light on the speed of his career. In the four years between 2019’s Shazam! and the upcoming 2023 sequel, Angel has been in six projects, leaping from 16 to 20 years old in the blink of an eye.

“It’s easy to work a lot and be going at this fast pace, but I feel like it’s easy to take things for granted in a way,” Angel said. “I’ve bounced around a lot. Looking back on everything and just being able to tell myself, ‘Wow, I’m super grateful for what I get to do.’ Remembering that is something that’s really important and that’s definitely been a part of my growth process during all of this.”

Darby and the Dead is now streaming on Hulu.