EXCLUSIVE: High School Musical star KayCee Stroh, who played Martha Cox in the Disney Channel trilogy, has called for “more support” of child actors in the industry and addressed the “pressures” that come with early fame
Disney Channel star KayCee Stroh has called for “more support” of child actors in the industry(Image: Supplied)
KayCee Stroh has called for “more support” of child actors in the industry. The actress, 42, found fame in her early twenties when she was cast as Martha Cox in High School Musical, and saw the Disney Channel Original Movie become a runaway hit and multi-million dollar franchise for the corporation.
The 2006 film also launched the careers Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens and came just before Disney made Miley Cyrus into a global superstar, who was just 12 years old when she landed the title role of Hannah Montana. Similarly, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato got their big break when they were in their early teens and signed up by the network.
Over the years, much has been made of the impact that kind of early fame can have on a young person and now KayCee, who also appeared opposite Dylan and Cole Sprouse in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, has insisted that whilst more can be done for the mental wellbeing of young performers, Disney was good at “following all the rules” when it came to safeguarding.
She told The Mirror: “This profession is not for the weak of heart. It is it is a brutal industry and to have these young teens be thrown into that and into the fame and into pressure It is a lot and it’s no easy feat and I do wish that there was more support for the mental health part of it. I feel like there should be access to therapists on set. I feel like a lot of things should be taken into account.
“And I will say that Disney more so than other sets is very good at at least following all the rules and crossing their T’s and dotting their I’s. And I am grateful for that. I felt safe on set, I knew that rules were being followed, all of that. But yes, do I think that this is a hard thing? A lot of times this industry chews up young actors and spits them out because their whole self-worth is dependent on their work and what they’re doing next. “
The star also explained that she always tried to adopt a sisterly approach to her younger co-stars and would often remind them to speak about their own happiness, not just about what their next project was.
“When people see you it’s not, ‘Oh, how are you? It’s, oh what are you up to next? What’s next? And I think that that’s really unhealthy. So as the big sister kind of energy, I always really tried to focus on ‘How are you doing?
“And I’d be like, ‘No, stop, really, how are doing? And talk to me about what’s going on in life. Don’t tell me about your next project.’ “It’s just a baby step, but it’s one thing that does help and helps… these kids realise that your self-worth is not connected to your handbags, the shoes you’re wearing on the red carpet, your next project.’
“And I think in this generation, we are trying to focus on that a little bit more. Where that era, it was, you’re right, it was really heavy and they were hitting it hard. We were thrown into an adult world. So I hope that it continues to improve and we prioritise health and mental health and all of the things that will help with longevity, not only in a career.”
Earlier this year, fans of Hannah Montana were treated to a special to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the hit sitcom, which followed a schoolgirl who led a secret double life as a world-famous pop star.
But no such event emerged for High School Musical, and whilst KayCee admitted that it was something she and her co-stars hoped for, she has now found a way to celebrate in her own way.
The actress, who lives in Utah, will be jetting to the UK so she can star in Hope Mill Theatre’s stage revival of High School Musical and has taken on the role of eccentric drama teacher Ms Darbus, appearing alongside Jason Donovan as Coach Bolton. The production will open in Manchester in August and will then move to London in October, where McFly star Harry Judd will join the cast.
KayCee said: “If I’m being honest, I think there’s a lot of us from a High School Musical that feel like it would have been really fun and really nice to have a kind of big shebang or a big reunion. But that’s another reason why I’m so grateful for this opportunity to revisit it on stage and to play Miss Darvis because then my cup is at least getting filled.”
Originally played by Alyson Reed, who also starred as Cassie in the 1985 adaptation of Broadway classic A Chorus Line, KayCee said she is determined to put her own spin on it.
She said: “I feel like I have to still be very Darbus. I want to give ode to what Alyson Reed did and to what this character is.
“But I think for me, I want add some of my own quirk into Miss Darbus and for me I feel that’s a lot of physicality where growing up I have a heavy dance background.
“And, you know, so did Alison, but I really feel like when you take something to the stage, you get to use that physical comedy a little bit more and be a little more extreme. And so I’m hoping to add a little bit of the KayCee Stroh dancer fluidity to her.”
KayCee Stroh stars as Ms Darbus in Disney’s High School Musical at Lowry, Salford, from 22 August – 19 September & Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, London, from 12 October – 3 January. highschoolmusicalonstage.com
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
