With feature film The Musical having its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January with Chyler Emery in attendance, the film saw Chyler play Cindy alongside Will Brill as Doug Leibowitz, Gillian Jacobs as Abigail and Rob Lowe as Principal Brady, and Chyler was directed by Giselle Bonilla and filmed on location at a historic Los Angeles high school. A further feature film for Chyler was 4th & 44, in which she played Young Jessica (Alexa Ketchum), which starred Josh Novey as Marty Reichman (the oldest college football player in American history at the age of 44) and Dean Cain as Matt, and she previously filmed for episodes of the YouTube series Dhar Mann. Alongside her acting career, Chyler has over 425k subscribers on her own YouTube channel, and also films content for her social media platforms, and in 2024, she recorded and released her singles In My Head and Take Me to Cali. Chyler spoke to us about playing Cindy in the feature film The Musical, working on 4th & 44 as Young Jessica and filming online content.

How did you feel finding out you’d booked the role of Cindy in the new comedy feature film The Musical and how was it reading the script for the first time?

My parents called me downstairs and said they bought me something and handed me a Lululemon bag. I thought it was clothes, but when I opened it, it was even better because it was a shirt that said, “You booked it!”. I screamed, danced, and hugged them. I was so happy and grateful. I also loved the script because it was so funny and different.

Can you tell us about The Musical and who do you think will enjoy watching it?

It’s a dark comedy about a middle school theatre teacher who tries to get revenge on the principal, who is now dating his ex-girlfriend. The principal really wants to win the Blue Ribbon Award for theatre, so the teacher secretly creates a totally inappropriate musical for the students to perform. It’s wild and hilarious.

How would you describe Cindy and what was she like to play?

Cindy is a super confident leader. I’m pretty confident in real life too, so she was really fun to play. She’s also funny, and I’m definitely goofy in real life, so I felt like I connected to her a lot.

What was it like filming alongside a cast including Will Brill (Doug Leibowitz), Gillian Jacobs (Abigail) and Rob Lowe (Principal Brady) and being directed by Giselle Bonilla?

Filming with Will Brill, Gillian Jacobs, and Rob Lowe was so cool. They were all amazing with us kids, and made everything feel fun and comfortable. It was really cool to watch how experienced actors work so hard, but still laugh at their bloopers and enjoy the process. Being directed by Giselle Bonilla was such a gift. She’s an incredible director. Working with a big group of kids takes a really special person. She was so patient and knew exactly how to guide everyone in a way that made you feel seen and supported.

Do you have any stand-out highlights from your time on set of The Musical that you can share, and did you have any favourite scenes to film?

There’s one scene where Rob Lowe talks directly to me, and that was such a cool moment. The ending scene was also a blast because we filmed it with all my friends on set. Honestly, the whole experience was just so much fun. The bloopers were the best.

How did you find the experience attending the world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and how was it watching the completed project?

When I found out The Musical was premiering at Sundance, I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to be reunited with everyone. It was honestly the most surreal thing to see my face on the big screen. It was so cool to see everything go from filming to a completed project. Truly, it was unforgettable.

What do you remember most from working on the film 4th & 44 as Young Jessica (Alexa Ketchum), which stars Josh Novey as Marty Reichman (the oldest college football player in American history at the age of 44) and Dean Cain as Matt?

Most of my scenes were with Josh Novey, and he’s incredible to work with. He made me feel comfortable right away by talking with me before we started filming. One thing I thought was so cool was that he didn’t always say his lines exactly how they were written. When I was newer to acting, I remember thinking, “Wait, that’s not what the script says!”. But it taught me that, while you have to stay true to the story, it’s more important to make it feel real than to say every single word perfectly.

You have previously filmed for episodes of the YouTube series Dhar Mann, can you tell us about your episodes?

I’ve been in a few Dhar Mann episodes, and I love filming them because each one has an important lesson. I’m usually cast as the “mean girl”, which is funny because I’m the complete opposite in real life. But I still think those stories are important – being kind is something everyone needs to learn and remember.

How was it seeing the fan response to your episodes and characters, and what is Dhar Mann like to be part of?

Dhar Mann fans are the best! It’s funny because, as my YouTube channel has grown, some people were saying, “Oh, I knew you looked familiar”, because they’d seen the episodes but didn’t realise it was me. It’s really fun to be part of a bigger picture. I love all the good Dhar Mann himself does! I desperately want him to make an episode of a girl who deals with wearing a scoliosis brace in school because I’d like to bring more awareness to this. So many kids deal with it.

Your own YouTube channel has over 425k subscribers and you also film content for social media, what do you enjoy most about filming videos?

I love filming videos for my YouTube channel. I really love making people happy and inspiring others. For me, filming YouTube feels like being on set. I love building a community where people can connect, laugh, and feel understood. I also share about my scoliosis journey, and it means so much to me when people message me saying I’ve helped or inspired them.

How was it recording and releasing your original singles – In My Head and Take Me To Cali – in 2024?

Recording and releasing my songs has also been amazing. It’s so cool to see something go from an idea in your head to lyrics on paper, and then to a real song and even a music video. That process is so special to me.

Where does your love of acting and performing come from and did you always know you wanted to act professionally?

My mom originally put me in dance because she danced when she was younger. I started competing and really loved it. She also signed me up for theatre and singing because she wanted me to try different creative things. The first time I was on set, I was hooked. I literally want to be on set all day – that’s my dream. I love acting and bringing different characters to life.

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

I love Disney shows like Hannah Montana and Vampirina. I also love Stranger Things and reality shows like Beast Games.

How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time, I love FaceTiming my friends or hanging out with them in person. I love going to the beach or the pool, and I really love spending time with my family and my baby cousins.

Do you have any projects coming up that you can talk about and what are you hoping 2026 brings for you?

Right now, I’m continuing to film content, train, audition, and make more music. I’m really hoping 2026 brings more time on professional sets!

Follow Chyler on:

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