With the release of the Hulu comedy film Prom Dates in May, Millie Thorpe plays Young Hannah (Julia Lester) alongside Hailey Philip as Young Jess (Antonia Gentry), and she was directed by Kim O. Nguyen and the film can be seen in the UK on Disney+. Millie worked with Sunny Sandler and Samantha Lorraine in last year’s Netflix film You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, in which she played Nikki, with Adam Sandler also in the cast, whose company Happy Madison Productions co-produced the film. Having started her acting career in local theatre, Millie transitioned to screen acting in 2020, and she has appeared in an episode of Disney’s Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion. We chatted to Millie about filming as Young Hannah in the recent release of Prom Dates, playing Nikki in Netflix’s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah and what it was like booking her first major screen role in the Netflix release.

You play Young Hannah (Julia Lester) in the new release of Hulu comedy film Prom Dates, can you tell us about the film and how was it reading the script for the first time?

Prom Dates is a hilarious coming-of-age movie surrounding two girls, Hannah and Jess, who are searching for senior prom dates. They ask different guys, or in Hannah’s case, girls, even though they already have boyfriends. In the end, the two go to prom, ditch their dates, and have a heartwarming friendship dance together. We had a Zoom table read of the script and everyone was cracking up the whole time.

How was it getting into character and filming alongside Hailey Philip as Young Jess?

Getting into character alongside Hailey was a piece of cake because we became friends instantly. When it came to filming, it was fun and easy getting to work with one of the kindest girls I’ve ever met.

What was it like filming your scenes and being directed by Kim O. Nguyen?

Mrs. Kim is extremely kind, hilarious, and an amazing director. She brought the scenes to life with her creative take on the script. Mrs. Kim is inspiring, and I would love to work with her again in the future.

Who do you think will enjoy Prom Dates and why would you recommend watching it?

A student in a high school, who does not fit in, and is discovering new things about themselves, or is exploring their sexuality, would enjoy and relate to Prom Dates. It has so many different characters, so anyone could find a way to relate to the film. I personally enjoyed some of the inside jokes that only a teenager or young adult would get, and how Hannah and Jess are just trying to make it through the social aspects of high school. It was a hilarious and relatable film.

In last year’s Netflix film, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, you played the role of Nikki, what are some of your favourite memories from your time on set?

While playing Nikki I got to enjoy not only filming, but also spending time with kids I grew to love on set. Ever since we first met, the cast and I became an inseparable family. We drove to set together in the morning, ate together, and had so many sleepovers! One of my favourite memories on set is when we randomly started singing wintertime songs in the middle of summer at the top of our lungs. Every day on set was a party and I have so many core memories I will never forget.

What was Nikki like to play and how did you feel finding out you’d booked the character?

Playing Nikki was and will forever be one of the most amazing experiences of my life. When I found out I booked the role, I was ecstatic. I had my best friend Megan over, who knew I had done a callback for the role, and we were talking about how cool it would be if I actually booked the job. Then my parents told me she had to go home because they had something to tell me, and before she left, Megan suggested that they could be telling me I booked my first major role. I kind of brushed it off because it had been a while since we had heard anything back from production. But, as Megan had suspected, my mom gave me her phone and my agents and manager were on the call. They told me I booked it, and I was so happy that I jumped into our pool, fully clothed. Obviously, I called Megan right after that. Best day ever.

How was it filming alongside Sunny Sandler, Samantha Lorraine and the rest of the cast and how did you find the experience working on the film?

Filming alongside Sunny, Sam, and the rest of the cast was surreal. Everyone is so unique and it was cool how all of us, who were from all over the United States and Canada, became a family instantly. I wouldn’t trade my first cast for the world.

How has it been seeing the fan response to the release of You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah?

Seeing how much everyone around the world loved the movie was awesome! It’s crazy how people like Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo could have seen the film. The fandom is full of the sweetest people, and everyone has been so positive and supportive of the cast.

What do you remember most from filming an episode of Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion for Disney?

During Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion, I most vividly remember meeting the star, Scarlett Estevez because, since the beginning of my career, I have looked up to her.

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?

Since I can remember, I have been involved in acting, and started out doing local theatre productions. In 2020, I transitioned into film acting, and I take weekly acting classes. I have always been a social butterfly, and that’s how I knew I would love acting because I would get to meet new people and put all my energy into the characters I played.

Have you been given any advice over your acting career so far that has stuck with you?

The best acting advice I have ever been given was to be conversational. To do so, I was taught to take whatever situation my character was in and relate it to an event in my life that was the most relatable.

What are some of your favourite films and TV shows to watch?

My favourite TV shows are The Walking Dead because zombie apocalypses are really fascinating to me, and Sam & Cat because I could tell it was my dog Murphy’s favourite show.

How do you like to spend your time away from acting?

Whenever I am not acting, I love playing soccer, shopping online, and playing with my new puppy, Beau.

Do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about and what are you hoping 2024 brings for you?

I am unsure of what the rest of 2024 has in store for me, but I am excited to discover what the future holds.

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