Callie Haverda - The Newsette (2024)

Today, we’re chatting with the incredibleCallie Haverda, the star of Netflix’sThat ‘90s Show. Callie plays Leia, a character who’s the perfect blend of her on-screen parents, Eric and Donna ofThat ‘70s Show. From Eric’s awkward charm to Donna’s fierce confidence, Leia’s got it all, and Callie’s here to spill all the tea about bringing this character to life. Get ready to dive into some behind-the-scenes fun, ‘90s nostalgia, and how this role totally resonated with her from the get-go.

Can you tell us about what drew you to this role?
I was drawn to the show not only because of the concept, but I also really loved reading the script when I first got the audition. I felt like Leia reflected exactly who I was at my time of auditioning, and I knew that if I got the ability to portray her, I could make other kids my age feel seen in that portrayal. Even just the first episode was so well written and relatable, and I jumped at the chance to play Leia and provide audiences with a good laugh and bittersweet nostalgia.

What was it like stepping into a series that is a sequel to such a beloved show?
Well, at first it was intimidating.That ‘70s Showis such an iconic series and to have the opportunity to create something in that world was both terrifying and thrilling. I’d been watchingThat ‘70s Showso seeing the sets and meeting the iconic actors from it was surreal. We all knew‘90swould do well, but it was still scary when S1 was released, we were all worried about what people would say.

What was your favorite part of filmingThat ‘90s Show? Any memorable moments on set?
We filmed for six months,so there are too many things to talk about! Going to that set every single day was my life, and the people I worked with were and still are my family. We were in this bubble and we did everything together. Some of my favorite moments were during the third episode when we filmed the Hot Topic scenes. I enjoyed those because I got to wear a new outfit that we have never seen Leia in before. The fittings for that episode were crazy; I tried on all kinds of outfits, boots, tights and jewelry. The scenes as a whole in Hot Topic were also extremely memorable because of the dynamic between Leia, Gwen, and Mitch. Ashley and Seth were both such fun scene partners.

How do you feel about ‘90s fashion and culture? Did anything surprise you?
Throughout the past few years, the ‘90s have really made a comeback, so I feel like I’ve been immersed in it for a while. A lot of the outfits we wear on the show are very similar to what we wear today because so many people take inspiration from the past. But the culture is definitely different I think due to the impact of technology.

One thing that did surprise me was the amount of strange slang. The writers provided us with a lot of insight into the type of humor from the ‘90s and I think it’s funny how it’s changed so much. For example in the first episode, Kitty makes a lot of references she learned from working at the high school, so it did surprise me how some slang will just come and go, in twenty years people won’t be talking the same way as me and my friends do now.

Can you share any funny or interesting behind-the-scenes stories from filming?
A funny behind-the-scenes moment was when in E1 of S2, Leia and Nate “reconnect” and get stuck together by Leia’s jacket button. We had to have fittings to figure out how to connect and ended up using magnets. In the rehearsals we tried all different kinds of movements trying to figure out what would be the funniest. It was such a great welcome back to the show and our director Gail was so lovely during blocking she had so many fun ideas and helped us through the scene to be comfortable but also perform our best with comedic body language. We spent a lot of time just laughing and messing around!