The season finale of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies was released on Paramount+ this week, and it featured a new batch of songs written by Justin Tranter. While this is Tranter’s first foray into musicals, the songwriter has written hits for huge pop stars such as Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani, Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and more. Tranter was also the lead singer of Semi Precious Weapons, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when the songwriter popped up in the penultimate episode ofย Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladiesย as The Angel of Fashion. In an homage to Grease‘s “Beauty School Dropout,” the song “Brutal Honesty” is sung to Nancy Nakagawa (Tricia Fukuhara) as she deals with some tough choices and a fallout with the Pink Ladies. This week, ComicBook.com had the chance to chat with Fukuhara who opened up about getting to share the screen with Tranter.
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“Oh gosh. It was incredible,” Fukuhara said of Tranter’s big number. “I mean, I felt so honored to be that person. I’m like, ‘Why? How was this me? Thank you.’ And I was like, ‘Maybe I can wear a pink dress to sort of pay homage to Frenchy.’ But we ended up going with the green …ย That scene is so iconic for Grease, and to be able to get to do that was really exciting, and I was so grateful. But also to be able to work with Justin, who I remember from day one, it was like, ‘Wow, this person is also … talk about iconic and a legend.’ And I remember hearing the demo track, and he doesn’t usually sing in the demos. It’s usually someone else. And I remember texting him and I was like, ‘Are you my Angel of Fashion?’ And he was like, ‘Ha-ha, I wish.’”
Fukuhara continued, “And then it turned out to be him, which was so exciting. And then to get to work with him on set and to see him in that outfit, and then to see everyone else’s little paper dolls, and I love the shoes. And he was like, ‘Am I doing it right? Is this how? I’ve never been on set like this? You kind of have to teach me.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, you have to teach me. What am I doing here with you? And I’m not a singer like you are.’”ย
“This is a music video, essentially,” she added. “So we were learning from each other and we’re there for each other. And it was really such a privilege and such an honor to be able to shoot that scene with him and to be there with him all day. And then also to get to watch him go up and down on that little, I don’t know what it’s called, but the thing that sends him into hell. It was so fun.”
Fukuhara added, “And also, we were waiting for paint to dry, literally, because if you notice the background, the walls of the Frosty Palace actually change color … The whole Frosty Palace changes to make it more heavenly and more ‘Beauty School Dropout.’ So we had to go back and forth between the scene and between the number. And then we had no time to do my coverage at the very end, which was crazy. I’m like, ‘Oh gosh. And where’s Justin? I hope that I’m reacting properly.’ And this is arguably the biggest moment for Nancy this entire season, but we got it. We got five minutes to get it and we’re going to get it because the paint literally has to dry.” She concluded, “I was really proud of us. It was really exciting and quite an honor to be there with him the whole time.”ย
After the penultimate episode of the season aired, Tranter took to Instagram to talk about their big moment on the show and how it came together. You can check out the post below:
Stay tuned for more from our interviews with the cast ofย Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, which is now streaming on Paramount+.ย
