By Courtney Potter
What do you get when you take two couldn’t-be-more-different babysitters, a curfew-defying tween, and a gaggle of kids, and drop them in the middle of a frenzied metropolis? You get an evening you won’t soon forget… complete with clumsy criminals, a surprise rap battle, a possible love connection, and maybe—just maybe—a new outlook on life.
Adventures in Babysitting is the whopping 100th Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), and a fresh take on the 1987 comedy film of the same name. Girl Meets World’s Sabrina Carpenter portrays straight-laced, straight-A student Jenny Parker, while Disney’s Descendants star Sofia Carson plays recent high school graduate and passionate artist Lola Perez. The two strangers accidentally swap phones while interviewing for a prestigious photo internship. When the Anderson family calls Jenny’s phone looking for a last-minute sitter, audacious Lola (in need of some extra cash) nominates herself. Meanwhile, Jenny is already set to babysit the Cooper family that same evening. Lola’s first-ever attempt at babysitting goes from bad to worse when Trey, one of the Anderson kids, sneaks out to attend a concert—one that Jenny’s crush is attending as well. With her reputation now at stake, Jenny finds Lola and (with the remaining kids in tow) they head out to the big city to bring Trey home. Eventually, they find themselves on the run from a pair of bumbling crooks while trying desperately to keep both pairs of parents none the wiser. It’s the experience of a lifetime, and it’s all during one truly magical night…
Recently, D23 was lucky enough to chat with Naketha Mattocks, Vice President—Original Movies, Disney Channel, to get the dish on this colorful new reimagining of a classic.
D23: First off, do you remember when you first saw the original Adventures in Babysitting? If so, what resonated with you most about that story?
Naketha Mattocks (NM): I think I first saw it on cable, and what was really exciting to me was the idea of going on this big, exciting adventure with a really cool babysitter. I’m an only child, so the idea of having a babysitter cool enough—that was going to take me out on a big adventure on the town—was always really exciting to me. How all of the kids became “siblings” and best friends… As a little kid watching this on cable, that really resonated with me and meant a lot to me.
D23: What drew you to the idea of retelling this story for the here-and-now?
NM: To be honest with you, when I first thought about the project and we started putting it together, it was some of the same things that meant something to me as a kid that I think still resonate with kids today… the idea of going on this big, exciting adventure; being able to take a chance… [Ultimately], the kids believe in themselves so they can actually get what they need done—and get home in time before the parents are the wiser.
D23: This time ‘round, the film boasts two babysitters…
NM: I jokingly call it “Twice the sitters, twice the fun!”
D23: That’s true! What can you tell us about their characters, and what they add to the story?
NM: The relationship between Lola and Jenny was definitely at the heart of this for me. Two girls that are very, very different—and each of them, immediately judgmental of the other. By the end of the night, these two girls that were seemingly at war—or [at least], definitely weren’t on the same page at the beginning of the movie—actually are supportive of each other, [and] have helped each other get to the next step of what they need. There’s not just fun in there for the girls; for each of them, there’s something really powerful that happens in terms of their own personal mission, that gives them a [higher] level of confidence. Clearly, this night is one they’re never going to forget!
D23: Was it a conscious decision to keep some familiar references from the original movie?
NM: Absolutely! We’ve been using the word “reimagining” because certainly, we know the roots of this are in a movie that I, and so many other people, love. Everything from the coat Jenny wears, to this film’s rap battle—which of course was the “Jazz Club” scene in the original—to the tow truck that comes to take their car; it’s called Dawson’s Towing, which is actually the same towing company from the original movie… to the position that Lola’s sitting in when the parents finally come home… There’s a lot of really wonderful moments throughout that we’ve made sure are “Easter eggs” for the parents who sit down to want to watch this with their kids—and for the kids, of course, it’ll be a fresh, new [experience].
D23: Do you have a favorite memory from the shooting of the film?
NM: For me, probably one of the most memorable things was the very first time I saw the cast rehearsing for the film’s big rap battle! They did it in a dance studio—and actually seeing that come to life was fantastic. And I certainly loved watching little Madison [Horcher, who plays AJ], our roller skater, get up to speed and learn to skate. [The kids] really became a family unit; it’s kind of hysterical just how much they all love each other. It was really sweet to see how Sophia and Sabrina became sisters in their own rights, and big sisters to all of the younger kids.
D23: Anything else you’d like D23 members and fans to know?
NM: I think all of our movies are definitely family inclusive—but what I think is fantastic about this one, is that this is really a movie where parents (who remember and love the original movie) and their kids can come together. There’s something in this movie for everyone!
Adventures in Babysitting premieres Friday, June 24, at 8 p.m. ET on Disney Channel!
