The Prank director Maureen Bharoocha joined stars Connor Kalopsis, Ramona Young, Kate Flannery, and Keith David to discuss the film at Deadline’s SXSW Studio.
The Prank follows Ben and Tanner (Kalopsis and Young), two best friends in high school. When Mrs. Wheeler (Rita Moreno) unfairly fails Ben’s entire physics class, the pair decide to prank the teacher by falsely accusing her of murdering a missing student on social media.
“I like a good story,” says David, “and I got a chance to work with Rita Moreno, whose been a hero of mine. I cannot tell you the amount of hope she gives me, because maybe I’ll get a chance, if I live long enough, to be doing this at 90.”
“I love the fact that Rita Moreno was Maureen’s first choice,” says Flannery. “You’ve been talking about her since you got the project, I mean unbelievable, who get’s their first choice?”
“Oh my goodness, Rita is… there’s no one like her,” says Bharoocha. “The idea that she gets to play something like she’s never played before, and see her in a way that she’s never been seen is so exciting.”
“Just think about how nerve-wracking it is for me, an 18-year-old actor,” says Kalopsis. “Not only going to set with Kate Flannery and Keith David, but also with Rita Moreno on top of that, like… I have to keep up!”
Click the link above to watch the full discussion with Maureen Bharoocha, Connor Kalopsis, Ramona Young, Keith David, and Kate Flannery.
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