Leigh-Allyn Baker plays a police office on a mission in Disney Channel's Bad Hair Day. I got to sit down with the star and screen the movie and I've got the exclusive details for you!
Leigh-Allyn Baker in Bad Hair Day
Growing up, I loved the Disney Channel. In fact, one of my all-time favorite shows was their original series "Adventures in Wonderland". Looking back, I'm so glad that the shows on Disney let me simply be a kid and indulge my imagination, all while teaching me subtle lessons about growing up and life in general. On my recent trip to Los Angeles with Disney and ABC, I got to attend an advance screening of the Disney Channel film "Bad Hair Day" (premiering Friday, February 13th at 8:00 PM ET/PT) with the movie's star and executive producer Leigh-Allyn Baker. This movie made me fall in love with the Disney Channel all over again.
You may be familiar with Leigh-Allyn Baker from her popular role of Amy Baker on Disney Channel's Good Luck Charlie. I had never tuned into the show since my toddler is more of a "Disney Junior" type of guy, but from what I gathered from my fellow bloggers, meeting Baker was going to make them a hero in their children's eyes. As soon as she introduced herself, I could see why. This woman exudes a light-hearted kindness and you just can't help but want her to continue speaking. She's got a magnetic energy about her and it made me instantly excited to see the film.
To give you a quick overview of the film: Bad Hair Day is a comedy about a high school tech whiz, Monica (Laura Marano), who is determined to become prom queen. Unfortunately, on the big day, she suddenly wakes up having a {really, really} bad hair day. She finds her prom dress has been destroyed, along with her shoes, and basically everything that can go wrong does. She encounters a police officer (played by Baker) that's searching for a necklace that Monica bought second-hand to go along with her prom attire. Needless to say, prom day gets even worse and the pair find themselves on a wild ride, learning important lessons about each other and life in the meantime. Be sure to check out my full review of Bad Hair Day movie!
Special thanks to Erica from Mama's Mission for the photo of Leigh-Allyn Baker
After we screened the film with Baker, we got to sit down with her to ask some questions about this project and what might be coming up for her in the future.
A question that I often have for celebrities (and especially for those that are working moms) is, "How do you choose which projects you'll take?" We specifically asked Baker whether she'd be looking towards any dramatic roles in lieu of comedy. Her response was perfect. She told us that life is short and that if she's going to be away from her kids, she wants to be having fun. THIS was music to my ears. As a mom who works from home, this is something that I've struggled with over the past few years and I've recently come to this conclusion myself. Just like Baker, if I'm going to take time away from kids, I want it to be for something fulfilling, fun, and worthwhile.
We then inquired about how this project came about. Baker explained that the story was originally pitched to Disney and it was unique in that it was the first film for the Disney Channel to include an adult lead, but it needed a major overhaul to punch up the comedy and one key element needed to change - the original story had a male playing the police officer in the story. After watching the movie I just can't imagine that scenario playing out and delivering the same kind of heartfelt messages, so I'm so glad that Baker signed on as the lead actress and executive producer for the film. Her performance, alongside Laura Marano, was strong and so funny. I can certainly see why she chose to take part in this project.
Baker said their main goal with this project was to first make people laugh. Secondly, they wanted to pull at their heartstrings and deliver an empowering message. They wanted this to be a film that adults could watch with their kids, while still delivering a unique message, and she was so glad that the Disney Channel was brave enough to do that. She added that this isn't your typical Disney Channel film and that she was very proud of the final product.
One thing (among many) that I loved about this film is the message that it sends to young girls. The movie speaks to embracing your individuality, relying on yourself and your own instinct rather than outside forces, not settling for what's comfortable instead of facing a challenge, and learning who you can rely on. We asked Baker what she thought was the most important message for young girls watching Bad Hair Day, and she said, "... Your identity and who you are comes from the inside. It doesn't come from what's out there."
After talking with production crews and cast members of some other Disney films and learning about how long it takes to get from development to the end product, I was surprised when Baker said they shot Bad Hair Day in just 22 days. For a full length feature, that's super impressive! Baker herself said, "That was a legit car chase people. Twenty two days; It was not an easy task. Most people they say with film it’s 'hurry up and wait and you sit around.' This was 'hurry up and hurry up' and as you can see it’s mostly Laura and I through the whole film so there was no time to kind of sit back and relax." It also looked like they had a blast making it. The chemistry between Baker and Marano was apparent and some of the outtakes featured in the credits had us cracking up.
What's next for Leigh-Allyn Baker
So, what's next for Baker? We asked about whether or not she wanted to switch things up and take on more dramatic roles (after 4 years of playing Amy Baker, then Liz in this film we thought maybe she's be looking for a change). Baker replied that she's well aware of the fact that there's a lot of murder and sex on TV, and although she's been offered roles like that, it just didn't seem like a good fit given where she works. Baker did say that she'd love to develop her own series and it sounds like she has an idea or two up her sleeve.
I know you're just dying to see my pregnant belly, so here's a photo of me and Leigh-Allyn. She saw me and immediately said, "There's a baby in your belly!" and reached out for my stomach. She was so sweet and endearing and even gave me a few name suggestions.
You can stream Bad Hair Day right now thanks to Amazon.com
It's truly a film that you can enjoy with your entire family.
If you like Bad Hair Day, you'll probably love Disney's Stuck in the Middle. Check out my exclusive interview with the Stuck in the Middle cast to learn more about the show. You'll also probably like Bizaardvark. I sat down with the Bizaardvark cast and I've got a full Bizaardvark review too.
Disclosure: I covered this event on a recent press trip courtesy of Disney and ABC. All opinions are my own.
Beth R says
I love that she really wants to take projects that are fun. Love hearing that
Sandy Klocinski says
As someone who has struggled with the cultural concept of "Bad Hair," I'm interested in seeing this movie. Bad hair days aside, hair shouldn't be bad or good, it should be a means of expressing one's personality.